Sanskrit
tatra ca veda-śabdasya samprati duṣpāratvād duradhigamārthatvāc ca tad-artha-nirṇāyakānāṁ munīnām api paraspara-virodhād veda-rūpo vedārtha-nirṇāyakaś cetihāsa-purāṇātmakaḥ śabda eva vicāraṇīyaḥ |
tatra ca yo vā veda-śabdo nātma-viditaḥ so’pi tad-dṛṣṭyānumeya eveti samprati tasyaiva pramotpādakatvaṁ sthitam |
tathā himahābhārate mānavīye ca—itihāsa-purāṇābhyāṁ vedaṁ samupabṛṁhayet [ma.bhā. 1.1.267] iti |
pūraṇāt purāṇam iti cānyatra |
na cāvedena vedasya bṛṁhaṇaṁ sambhavati, na hy aparipūrṇasya kanaka-valayasya trapuṇā pūraṇaṁ yujyate |
nanu, yadi veda-śabdaḥ purāṇam itihāsaṁ copādatte, tarhi purāṇam anyad anveṣaṇīyam ? yadi tu na, na tarhītihāsa-purāṇayor abhedo vedena ? ucyate—viśiṣṭaikārtha-pratipādaka-pada-kadambasyāpauruṣeyatvād abhede’pi svara-krama-bhedād bheda-nirdeśo’py upapadyate |
ṛg-ādibhiḥ samam anayor apauruṣeyatvenābhedo mādhyandina-śrutāv eva vyajyate—evaṁ vā are’sya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāma-vedo’tharvāṅgirasa itihāsaḥ purāṇaṁ [bṛ.ā.u. 2.4.10] ity-ādinā ||12||
Translation
- Now we have to consider Itihāsa-purāṇātmaka śabda in place of Vedātmaka-śabda because
- Vedas are difficult to study completely.
- since they are not widely spread.
- since people are not intelligent.
- Vedas have meanings which are difficult to grasp.
- there is mutual contradiction among the sages who determine the meaning of the Vedas. (Six darśanas)
- Itihāsa-purāṇas are also Vedas.
- Itihāsa-purāṇas determine the meaning of the Vedas.
(OR)
- Itihāsa-purāṇas produce the right knowledge of the Vedas since the meaning of the sentences of Vedas which are not self-explanatory, can be inferred from the consideration of Itihāsa-purāṇas.
- This is said in Mahābhārata and Manu-saṁhitā:
- itihāsa-purāṇābhyāṁ vedaṁ samupabṛṁhayet
One should clarify the meaning of the Vedas by the Itihāsas and Purāṇas. Mahābhārata 1.1.267
- Elsewhere:
- pūraṇāt purāṇam - a Purāṇa is so-called because it completes (pūraṇa) the meaning of Vedas.
- It is not possible to complete the Vedas with something which is not the Vedas. It is not possible to complete a gold bracelet with a piece of lead.
- Objection: “If the term “Veda” includes/covers Purāṇas and Itihāsas, then there is a need to search for some other works called Purāṇas (other than what is ordinarly read) (why is the word “purāṇas” there at all?). If that is not so (i.e if Purāṇas and Itihāsa are not included in Vedas), then there is no non-difference bewteen Itihāsas-purāṇas (that which are ordinarly read) and the Vedas.”
Refutation (proving Vedas and Itihāsa-purāṇas are both different and non-different):
- It is a set of special words which establishes special meaning that has non-human origin. Therefore there is no difference between itihāsa-purāṇas and Vedas.
- Since there is a difference in regards to the order of svaras between Vedas and itihāsa-purāṇas, there is a difference between them.
- Itihāsa-purāṇas are equal to Ṛg and other Vedas since both have non-human origin as indicated in the Mādhyandina-śruti:
- evaṁ vā are’sya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāma-vedo’tharvāṅgirasa itihāsaḥ purāṇam
The breathing of the Lord is the Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, the Itihāsas and Purāṇas. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.10