There are several ways of writing history. A conscientious historian does not invent details in the hope that their inaccuracy will remain undiscovered ; but there have been authors who seek to present to their readers a false appearance of accuracy by mentioning as facts minute details which have no existence except in their own brains. Merutunga, the author of the Prabandha Chintāmaṇi, an historical work of the early fourteenth century a.d., so far at least as regards the dates which he gives for the accession, etc., of the kings of Anhilvāḍa during a period of about 400 years, appears to belong to the latter class. We in Europe are quite content to know that one of our sovereigns 400 years or so ago began to reign in a certain year. We want nothing more. But Merutunga, to give an instance, tells us that in the Vikrama year 862 Yogarāja was crowned on “ Āshāḍha śukla 5, Thursday, the moon being in Aśvinī, when [the zodiacal sign] Siṁha was in the ascendant ”, the last detail giving us within two hours the exact time of day.