The usual title of this book does not give even a hint to the unusual contents of this scholarly work on ancient Indian history. The word dynasty has been used by historians in Indian context to refer to the Mauryas, Guptas, Chalukyas, Palas, etc., but the present work deals with such dynasties of which most students of history are not familiar.
The book contains twenty eight chapters. After a brief introduction, a detailed analysis is made of the sources. In the successive chapters the history of Manu Vaivasvata, Pramshavas and Turvasas, Ila, Puru, Bharata, Kuru, Bharatas and Purus, Bharatas of North and South Panchala, Kashi, Jahnavas, Kurus of Magadha, Anavas, Anga and Purus, Haihayas, Yadus, Madhu and Satvant, Sattavatas, Yadus and Kurus of Chedi, Druhyus, Turvasas, Aikshavakus, Arenas and post-war dynasties are examined.
Ultimately this work fills up a gap in our knowledge of ancient Indian history, which has been eluding the historians for sometime. Welcome light has been shed on the so-called 'dark age' by the author. More importantly he has shown that the legends in our Puranas cannot and should not be dismissed as fiction as has been done by some of the historians of the past. On the contrary they contain historical facts recognising which is a challenge to historians. Thus the Puranas should be treated as repositories of oral history.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai deserves all praise for this scholarly work.