प्रकरण दुसरें. या पुराणाविषय विल्सनचें मतः -- "The story of the Fish Avatara of Vishnu is told in the महाभारत, with reference to the मात्स्य as its authority; from which it might be inferred that the Purána was prior to the poem. This, of course, is consistent with the tradition. that the Puranas were first composed by Vyàsa. But there can be no doubt that the greater part of the Mahabharata is much older than any extant Purana. * * * primitive simplicity with which the story of the Fish Avatara is told in the HR is of a much more antique complexion than the mysticism and extravagance of the actual Matsya Purana. " The १५१ मत्स्यपुराणाची रचना. याविषय विल्सनचें मत असें आहे कीं:-- "The He is a miscellaneous compilation, but, in_ cluding in its contents, the elements of a genuine Purana. *
- * Upon examining it carefully, it may be suspected
that it is indebted to various works, not only for its. mat ter, but for its words. The geneological and historical chapters are much the same as those of the Vishnu, and many chapters as those on f's and 's are precisely the same as those of the सृष्टिखंड of the पद्मपुराण. It has drawn largely also from the HET. Amongst other instances, it is sufficient to quote the story of a, the devoted wife of a, which is given in the Matsya in the same manner, but considerably abridged." अग्निपुराणांविषय लिहितेवेळीं विल्सननी एके ढाई म्हटले आहे की:- "Subsequent to these (the chapters on the duties of Kings) we have an account of the distribution and arrange- 'ment of the 's and go's, and, in a chapter on gifts, we have a discription of the Puranas, which is precisely
