Puranas - View and ReviewThis brief article is the final selection from the above book, authored by Swami Harshananda and Published by Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore.Continued from the previous edition... A Brief Survey of the Mahapuranas
Whereas the former comprise virtues that impart refinement and culture to an individual, the latter is a practical application of the former within a particular sphere by an individual belonging to a class characterised by certain prominent qualities or gunas. The scheme of varna and asrama dharmas which the puranas unanimously advocate, is based upon the duties of the individuals of a class. It aims at material and spiritual perfection of the society as a whole. The sadharana-dharmas are universal in scope and eternal in nature. Though the puranas enumerate them generally as ten, a few more virtues are sometimes added, making the list longer. They are: ahimsa (non-injury), satya (truthfulness), ksama or ksanti (forbearance), dama or indriyanigraha (self control), sama (inner peace), daya (compassion), dana (charity), sauca , (purity), tapas (austerity) and jnana (wisdom). Of these, satya and ahimsa are extolled highly. Sauca (purity), both internal and external, is stressed as an indispensable socio-ethical virtue. Tapas which includes disinterested action is a must for achieving anything great in life. Dana is also eulogised much as a social duty. Coming to the visesa-dharmas (svadharma) or varnasrama-dharmas, the puranas deal with them extensively. The varna system represents a natural division of the society based upon guna (nature) and karma (vocation). The asrama scheme of life helps an individual to evolve himself from the stage of a novice in pursuit of learning to the stage of a person ever living in God. Both these systems enjoin upon their individual members certain duties. If a brahmana is advised to lead an austere life in pursuit of knowledge and spiritual excellence and give that knowledge to others, a ksattriya is exhorted to protect the society from external aggression and help maintain internal law and order. A vaisya is to engage himself the production and distribution of wealth and goods through agriculture, dairy farming and trade. Those incapable of pursuing these three modes of life lived by serving the others and became the sudras. Coming to the asramas or the four stages of life, brahmacarya or studenthood comes first. It is the period of study and discipline spent in the house of the guru. Service to the guru is an essential aspect of this life. Garhasthya or house-holdership is the next stage of life. Since it offers the largest scope for service and sacrifice, it is considered as the most vital stage. The householder is the refuge and main stay for those in the other three stages of life. Earning his livelihood by right means and performing the pancayajnas (five daily sacrifices like worship of the gods, study of the Vedas and feeding living beings) form an integral part of his life. The Vanaprastha (life of a forest-recluse) is the third stage and is only a preparation for the final stage of renunciation. Simple life and contemplation on God are its essential features. Sannyasa (life of a monk) is the last stage where the sannyasin (monk) has to live a life of total detachment from the world, depending solely on God and ever meditating on Him. Other ideas that find a place in the puranas are the theory of karma and punarjanma (transmigration), prayascittas (expiations for sins), vratas (religious observances) and tirthayatra (pilgrimage). 'As you sow, so you reap' is the principle behind the theory of karma. Since actions always produce their corresponding results, human beings are advised to eschew evil and always do good. Effect of sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly, can be got rid of, or at least minimised, by performing proper expiations prescribed for them. Vratas or religious observances with their stress on fasting and self-control help in selfpurification. So also tirthayatra or visiting places of pilgrimage, associated with gods or saints. Popular Religion in the Puranas The labyrinth of Vedic sacrifices on one side and the uncompromising way of renunciation as taught by the Upanisadic sages on the other, both of which were beyond the reach of the common masses, drove the ordinary people, whose hunger for religion was no less sincere, into the arms of Buddhism and Jainism. It was at this juncture that the puranas as we know them today, started evolving. The paths of karma and bhakti, with their various ramifications were gradually introduced into them. Over the centuries they have grown both in quantity and in quality, so much so, that they are now the bed-rock of modern Hinduism. Temples and temple rituals, domestic worship along with the associated religious rites, vratas (religious vows and festivals) and tirthayatra (pilgrimage) invariably find a prominent place in the puranas. Sometimes, details of construction of temples and their consecration are also given. Instructions regarding ritualistic worship, both independently and as a part of the vratas, also find a place. They include aspects of austerity associated with them such as fasting and keeping vigil. Of the sixteen samskaras or sacraments, only sraddha (obsequial rites) has been given a pre-eminent place though the others also are dealt with. Bhakti or devotion to God (especially towards the well-known deities of the Hindu pantheon, including the avataras or incarnations) is another subject dealt with in great detail in the puranas. They extol the extraordinary powers of the mantras (divine names) and have also given substantial information about the science of the mantras (Mantrasastra). However, the general trend is always towards stressing the unity of the Godhead and emphasising that the various deities are only its aspects. Vilification of some deities and their followers is an exception and may safely be brushed aside as an aberration or as interpolations by fanatics. Upapuranas Though tradition fixed the number of the Mahapuranas as eighteen, the growth of purana literature went on unabated. Hence those of the puranas which did not or could not find a place in that list were accommodated under the title 'Upapuranas'. In course of time the number of these Upapuranas also got fixed at eighteen. They were considered as appendices to the Mahapuranas and hence of lesser importance. However, quite a few of them are large enough in size and important enough in content, that they compel us to treat them with respect. The number also has exceeded eighteen. The lists of these Upapuranas, as given in the various Mahapuranas do not tally. Some of the puranas listed under the Mahapuranas, as for instance, Brahmanda or Vamana, find a place in the lists of Upapuranas also. Some of these Upapuranas are: Adi, Narasimha, Kapila, Kalika, Varuna, Brhannandi, Ekamra, Visnudharmottara and Devibhagavata. According to some writers, the Devibhagavata is the real Bhagavata and not the Srimad Bhagavata (or Visnubhagavata) which is only an Upapurana. The general content of these Upapuranas is identical with those of the Mahapuranas. However, they are more sectarian in character interested in propagating their own cults. Conclusion From this brief survey of the puranas it can safely be conceded that they have admirably succeeded in preserving and propagating Hindu religion and culture, especially through the critical periods of our history. Their simple exposition of the Vedantic principles of philosophy, explanation of the various aspects of dharma (conduct and duties) and inducing people to follow dharma in their life, stress on the performance of svadharma, exhortations as to dana (gifts) and seva (service) to mankind to maintain social balance, advice to keep up religious harmony, their providing simple and popular modes of worship, especially to women and the backward classes, have contributed immensely to the growth and the sustenance of the Hindu ethos. A lot of historical facts, though mixed up with myths, contained in them can help us to reconstruct Indian history, freeing it from the distortions and prejudices of the European writers and anglicised Indians. They therefore deserve a far more careful study than has hitherto been devoted to them. The following table gives an idea of the 18 Mahapuranas as known to us now:
Concluded...
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