Vedic, Epic and Puranic Culture of India
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Component-I (A) – Personal details: Vedic, Epic and Puranic Culture of India Importance of Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Prof. Korada Subrahmanyam University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Prof.Rani Sadasiva Murty, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tiruapati Prof. Korada Subrahmanyam University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 1 Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Vedic, Epic and Puranic Culture of India Importance of Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Module Name/Title Purana Module Id IC / VEPC / 29 Knowledge of the nature, origin and Pre requisites Characteristics of Puranas from Module 31 To introduce the contents of Bhagavatha Purana Objectives and Vishnu Purana Keywords Bhagavatam, Vishnu Pranam, Skandha, Amasa E-Text (Quadrant-I): ABOUT BHAGAVATA PURANA This is very popular among all the puranas as the toughest of all Puranas. It has popularity is Bhakti Sastra also. It is now available in 18000 slokas having been divided into 12 skandhas. This very beautifully bridges connecting the three main paths of Moksha : Karma, Bhakti and Jnana and prove the supremacy of Jnana. The 23 popular incarnations of Lord Vishnu are very authentically presented in this great work. Particularly the 10 Skandha of Bhagavata is spared for the very beautiful narration of the story of Sri Krishna. CONTENTS OF BHAGAVATA PURANA SKANDHA 1 Confluence of Sages to listen Bhagavata from Suta. The Conversation between Vyasa and NaradaThe story of Parikshit , Krishna protecting Parikshit while he was in the womb of his mother. Parikshit becomes the king of Hastinapura. Once he goes for hunting. He insults a sage in penance. The sage’s son gives a curse to the king to die in seven days.Repentance of Parikshit. Sage Sukadeva arrives to narrate the story of Vishnu Bhagavata. The first book introduces the Bhagavata, with a dialogue between sages Vyasa and Narada. They discuss the weaknesses in Bhagavad Gita, calling it the philosophical treatise of the Mahabharata, thereafter declare that the monism and oneness taught in Upanishads is too abstract. They assert that there is a need for a practical document that distills the means to a spiritual life. Sage Narada then states, "when he meditated on Self in Self through Self", he realized that he was doing Bhakti.[104] Inspired by the statements of Narada, claims the text in Book 1 chapter 18, Vyasa wrote Bhagavata Purana. He taught the entire Purana to Shuka, his young son. Shuka leaves to roam the world, and meets King Parikshit, who is dying on the bank of the river Ganges. Several sages gather around him, including teenage Shuka. Parikshit asks Shuka what he should do to prepare for death. Shuka's reply constitutes the Book 1 and 2 of the Bhāgavata. The Book 1 is notable for the following pivotal statement of Krishna sects' theology. 2 SKANDHA 2 The Process of attaining Moksha is explained. Cosmic form of Vishnu, Worship of Vishnu as well as the other gods. Description of the Cosmic and its creation process are explained. सर्गोयाथ विसर्गगश्च िृत्ती रक्षाꅍतरावि च । िंशो िं�यानुचररतं संथा हेतुरपाश्रय:। दशवि셍गक्षिैयुगतं पुरािं तविदो विदु:॥ Sarga (Creation), Visarga (Intermediary Creation), Vritti (Means of Livelihood), Raksha (Incarnations of Gods), Antara-s (The Epochs of Manus), Vamsa (The Divine Geneology), Vamsyanucharita (The records of Royal Races), Sanstha (The cycle of the birth and death of all beings), Hetu (The Jiva and Jagat) and Apasraya (Brahman – the Ultimate Cause of the Universe). In Book 2, Shuka tells Parikshit that when one is in terminal condition and expecting death, one should become free of the fear of death by letting go of all attachments to likes and dislikes, home and family.[106] They should do Yoga, by controlling the breath and mind and concentrating on the sacred Aum. Shuka explains the theory of Yoga, of bhakti, different types of dharana, the nature of Bhagavan, and the liberation for a yogi. Book 2 also presents a theory of cosmology, a theory on human anatomy, how human body has all the Vedic gods in it (Sattvic), ten sensory organs and abilities (Rajasic), five material elements (Tamasic), as well as the universal Purusha.[107] A definition of Dharma and pleasant fruits of a moral- ethical life are listed in Chapter 7 and 8 of Book 2. In response to Parikshit's questions, Shuka describes creation and the avatars of Vishnu, concluding with a description of the ten characteristics of a Purana.[9] The relationship of Vishnu to the Atman (soul, self) in every living being is summarized as follows,Vishnu is Atman in each being, manifests Himself in action consciousness and will.Brahma is the propelling power in the involution of beings, which gives them their physical body.Vishnu is the propelling force in the evolution of beings through Prana (life), sensation, intellect and lastly the spiritual faculties. SKANDHA 3 Meeting of Vidura and Uddhava, Interesting details of the 10 creation,Ten fold Creation… 6 Prakrita Class of Creations and 4 Vaikrita Creations, Mahat, Aham, Bhutas, Indriya, Vaikarikas and Tamas– Prakriti Sargas Rajasa Sarga, Mukhya Sarga of Trees and plants, Of Animals, Human beings and the Creation of sages and others are presented in this. Vidura's pilgrimage to various holy places provides the backdrop for the stories and spiritual teachings in Book 3. Near the Yamuna River Vidura meets Uddhava, who gives him the news of the Kurukshetra War and about Krishna's death in chapter 1 of Book 3 (this is described in greater detail in chapters 30 and 31 of Book 11 as well). Vidura then meets the sage Maitreya, and learns how the world came into being, the divisions of time, and other subjects of cosmology. The story of the birth of Hiranyakasipu andHiranyaksa is told, including the latter's death at the hands of Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu. An important story is the tale of Devahuti and her son Kapila, thus folding in one version of the teachings of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. Kapila's Samkhya teachings help lead her to final liberation.[9] The third book also includes Maitreya's theory on the qualities of Supreme Truth and of the individual self (atman, soul). 3 SKANDHA 4 Episode of Daksha Yajna, Dhrvopakhyana, The story of King Vena and his Son Pruthu Stories of Sana Cahtushtaya and Pracetas are the main contents. The story of Daksha and his sacrifice is told, in which he mocks Shiva in front of Dakshayani—his own daughter and Shiva's consort—resulting in Dakshayani's self- immolation, which later came to be known by one of her names, Sati. The legend ofDhruva's penance and devotion to Vishnu is also recounted, along with the related story of king Prithu. The book ends with the recounting of the renunciation and liberation of the Pracetas brothers. SKANDHA 5 Stories of Priyavrata, Rishabha Deva, Jadabharata, Brahmanda Svarupa with its seven Dvipas, about Lokaaloka Mountain and the account of Astronomical details are found. Here is the story of Manu's sons and their children leads eventually to Bharat and a description of the world, the sun and its course, the moon and the planets, the regions below the earth, and the twenty-eight hells (naraka). SKANDHA 6 Stories of Ajamila, Slain of Vrtra by Indra, Birth of Seven Maruts, The greatness of Bhagavata Dharma are well depicted. The details are as follows: Book 6 includes the story of Ajāmila, who reached the supreme abode Vaikuntha as a reward for uttering the syllables "Na-ra-ya-na" on his deathbed, even though he was only intending to call his son. The story of the son of the Praceta brothers is also recounted, along with the victory of Indra over Viśvarūpa. Book 6 ends with the birth of theMaruts.[9] Like all books, the chapters of Book 6 are suffused with mythology, cosmology and philosophical themes, such as the nature of existence before the origin of universe, In the beginning, I alone existed. There was nothing else as internal or external. I was pure consciousness and unmanifested. There was deep sleep everywhere. SKANDHA 7 The Story of Narasimha Avatara ,The Ideal duties of various castes and the duties in the four stages of life are well described. The main portion of the seventh book is dedicated to the well known story of Hiranyakaśipu, his son Prahlada, and the death of Hiranyakaśipu at the hands of Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu. This version expands on the story of Prahlada as told in the Vishnu Purana, and is the form that is most commonly told in Hinduism. Prahlada is considered a great devotee of Vishnu, and describes the process of bhakti toward Bhagavan. In Book 7, the text states that, "Bhagavan is one without a second".This view resonates the nondualism in other Books of the text, such as the Book 3 which declares Brahma to be "immutable Self" in all beings, all prevading and synonymous with the Supreme Deity (Vishnu). This same reverence for the non-dual perspective is restated in Chapter 15 of Book 7 as,The sage shaking off the three dream states (waking, dreaming, dreamless sleeping) through understanding himself meditates on the non-duality of thought (bhavadvaitam), the non-duality of action (kriyadvaitam), and the non-duality of substance (dravyadvaitam). 4 SKANDHA 8 The most popular story of Gajendra Moksha, Churning of Milky Ocean, The incarnations of Vishnu : Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini,Vamana and Matsya are narrated. The description of the six past Manvantaras (ages or time periods of Manu) and the seven future ages of Manu includes several stories, many involving the avatars of Vishnu.