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V.

i

THE

VISHNU PURANA. A SYSTEM OF

HINDU MYTHOLOGY AND TRADITION. TRANSLATED

FROM THE ORIGINAL SANSKRIT, AND

ILLUSTRATED BY NOTES DERIVED CHIEFLY FROM OTHER PURAN^AS, BY THE LATE

H.

H.WILSON,

BODEN PROFESSOR OF SANSKRIT

IN

M.A.,F.R,S., THE DNIVERSITT OF OXFORD,

ETC., ETC.

EDITED BY

FITZEDWARD HALL, M.A., l),C.L.

VOL.

OXON.

1.

LONDON: TRtJBNER &

CO., GO,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

1864.

TO

THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS, AND SCHOLARS OF

THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, THIS IS

WORK

RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY

H. H.

WILSON,

IN TESTIMONY OF HIS

VENERATION FOR

THE UNIVERSITY, AND

IN

GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE DISTINCTION

CONFERRED UPON HIM

BY

HIS ADMISSION AS

A MEMBER,

AND HIS ELECTION TO THB

BODEN PROFESSORSHIP OF THE SANSKRIT LANGUAGE.

Oxford, Feb. 10, 1840.

/

PREFACE. HE literature of the Hindus lias now been cultivated,

1

many

for

of

years, with singular diligence, and, in

many

branches, with eminent success. There are some

its

departments, however, which are yet but partially and

we are far from being knowledge which the authentic

imperfectly investigated; and in possession of that

writings of the Hindus alone can give us of their religion,

mythology, and historical traditions.

From

the materials to which

we have

hitherto had

seems probable that there have been three principal forms in which the religion of the Hindus access,

it

has existed, at as

many

different periods.

The duration

of those periods, the circumstances of their succession,

and the precise

state of the national faith at each season,

not possible to trace with any approach to accu-

it is

The premises have been too imperfectly determined to authorize other than conclusions of a general and somewhat vague description; and those remain to be hereafter confirmed, or corrected, by more extensive racy.

and

satisfactory research.

The appears

earliest is

form under which the Hindu religion

that taught in the Vedas.

The

style of the

language, and the purport of the composition, of those I.

a

n

PREFACE.

works, as far as

we

are acquainted with them, indicate

a date long anterior to that of any other class of SansIt is yet, however, scarcely safe to advance an opinion of the precise belief, or philosophy, which they inculcate. To enable us to judge of their

krit writings.

we have only a general sketch of their arrangement and contents, with a few extracts, by Mr. tendency,

Colebrooke, in the Asiatic Researches;* a few incidental observations by Mr.

the same miscellany;^ and book of the Samhitd, or collection of the prayers of the Rig-veda, by Dr. Rosen;' and some of the Upanishads or speculative treatises,

a translation of the

Ellis, in first

,

attached to, rather than part of, the Vedas, by

mohun

Of the

Roy."**

Mr. Colebrooke's opinion that which

is

Ram-

religion taught in the Vedas, will

probably be received as

best entitled to deference; as, certainly,

no Sanskrit scholar has been equally conversant with "The real doctrine of the whole

the onginal works.

Indian scripture ''"" »

' *

111

.

>—

whom

the unity of the deity, in ..

II-

—

...^

.,_... »!-

I...

I.

Ml.

I

i-

the -i

€

Vol. VIII., p. 369. t Vol. XIV., p. 37. Published by the Oriental Translation Fund Coramittee. -^

A

translation

under the

title

is

of the principal Upanishads was published,

of Oupnekhat, or Theologia Indica,

du Perron; but and

is

I !.

it

was made through

medium

by Anquetil

of the Persian,

A

translation of a very dif-

some time

in course of preparation

very incorrect and obscure.

ferent character* has been

the

by M. Poley.

* To insert here a list of the numerous publications bearing on the Vedas, that have appeared since the date of this preface, 1840, would be beside the purpose of my notes.

f *

Reprinted in Colebrooke's Miscellaneous Essays, Vol.1., pp. 9-113. of Professor Wilson here mistook a hope for a reality.

The kindness

PREFACE.

Ill

universe is comprehended; and the seeniing polytheism which it exhibits offers the elements, and the stars and planets, as gods. The three principal manifestivtions of the divinity, with other personitied attributes

and energies, and most of the other gods of Hindu mythology, are, indeed, mentioned, or, at least, indicated, in the Vedas. But the worship of deified heroes is

no part of that system; nor are the incarnations of any other portion of the text which

deities suggested in

I have yet seen: though such are sometimes hinted at by the commentators."^ Some of these statements may,

perhaps, require modification; for, without a careful

examination of

all the prayers of the Vedas, it would be hazardous to assert that they contain no indication whatever of hero-worship; and, certainly, they do ap-

pear to allude, occasionally, to the Avataras, or incarnations, of Vishnu.

Still,

however,

prevailing character of the

ritijal

it is

true that the

of the Vedas

is

the

worship of the personified elements; of Agni or fire; Indra, the firmament; Vayu, the air; Varuna, the water;

Soma, the moon; and other

of Aditya, the sun;

mentary and

planetar}^ personages.

the worship of the Vedas

is.

for the

ele-

It is also true that

most part^ domestic

worship, consisting of prayers and oblations offered in their

own

houses, not in temples

for individual good,

and addressed

not to visible types.

Vedas was not

'

— by

In a word, th^ religion of the

idolatry.

As. Res., Vol.VlIL,

individuals,

to unreal presences,

p. 474.*

Or Miscellaneous Essays, Vol.1., pp.110 and 111.

PREFACE.

IV

not possible to conjecture

It is

when

more simple

this

and primitive form of adoration was succeeded by the worsliip of images and types, representing Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, and other imaginary beings, constituting a mythological pantheon of most ample extent; or

when Rama and Krishna, who appear originally, real

and

historical characters,

to the dignity of divinities.

to by

Manu,

Image-worship

Brahmans who

subsist

alluded

by ministering

temples are an inferior and degraaed

story of the

is

in several passages,^ but with an intima-

tion that those in

have been, were elevated

to

Ramavana and Mahabharata

class.

The

turns wholly

upon the doctrine of incarnations; all the chief dramatis poems being impersonations of gods, and demigods, and celestial spirits. The ritual appears to be that of the Vedas: and it may be doubted if any allusion to image-worship occurs. But the doctrine of propitiation by penance and praise prevails throughout; and Vishnu and Siva are the especial objects of panegyric and invocation. In these two works, then, we trace unequivocal indications of a departure from the personfe of the

elemental worship of the Vedas, and the origin or elaboration of legends which

form the gTeat body of the

mythologicai religion of the Hindus..

How

far

they

only improved upon the cosmogony and chronology of then* predecessors, or in

of families and dynastioH t|uestions that

what degree the

may

can only be determined when the Vedas in question shall ha\e been more

and the two works th oi'O ughly

'

B.

III.,

ex a,min e d

Ij2,

traditions

originate with them, are

iU,

B. IV., 214.

V

PREFACF,.

The

different

works known bv the name of Purunas

are evidently derived from the same religious system as the

Ramayana and Mahahharata, or from the mythcThey present, however,

heroic stage of Hindu belief. pecujiarities

which designate

their belonging to a later

period, and to an importani; modification' in the pro-

They repeat the theoretical cosmogony of the two great poems; they expand and systematize the chronological computations; and they give a more definite and connected representation of the mythological fictions and the historical traditions. But, besides these and other particulars, which may be derivable from an old, if not from a primitive, era, they offer characteristic peculiarities of a more modern description, in the paramount importance which they gress of opinion.

assign to individual divinities, in the variety and purof* the rites and observances addressed to them, and in the invention of new legends illustrative oi' the power and graciousness of those deities, and of the

port

efficacy of implicit devotion to them,

Siva and Vishnu,

under one or other form, are almost the sole objects that claim the homage of the Hindus, in the Puraiias; departing fi'om the domestic and elemental ritual of the Vedas, and exhibiting a sectarial fervour and exclusiveness not traceable in the

Ramayana, and only They are no

to a qualified extent in the Mahabharata.

longer authorities for Hindu belief, as a whole: they are special guides for separate and, sometimes, con-

branches of it; compiled for the evident purpose of promoting the preferential, or, in some cases, the sole, worship of Vishnu, or of Siva.^ flicting

'

Besides the three periods marked

by the Vedas, Heroic

TRKFACE.

VI

That the Puraiias always bore the character here may admit of reasonable doubt: that it

given of them

correctly applies to

them

as they

now

are

met

with,

the following pages will irrefragably substantiate. is

possible,

It

however, that there may have been an

which those we now have

earlier class of Purai'ias, of

are but the partial and adulterated representatives.

The

identity of the legends in

more, the identity of the words long passages are

proof

that, in all

many

—

of them, and,

for, in

the same

literally

—

is

stated

a sufticient

such cases, they must be copied either

from some other similar work, or from a prior original.

still

several of them,

It is

common and

not unusual, also, for a fact to be

upon the authority of an 'old stanza', which is showing the existence of an earlier

cited accordingly;

many

source of information: and, in very

legends are alluded

to,

with their prior narration somewhere itself,

instances,

not told; ev^lncing acquaintance

Puraha, which implies

The name

else.

'old', indicates

the object

of the compilation to be the preservation of ancient traditions; a purpose, in the present condition of the

Puranas, very imperfectly

may

fullilled.

Whatever weight is no afforded by other

be attached to these considerations, there

disputing evidence to the like

effect^

The description given, by Mr. Colebrooke,^ of the contents of a Purana is and unquestionable authority.

Foeras, aud Furanas, a fourth exercised by the Tantras upon

are yet too

little

may bo

Hindu

dated from the inftuence

practice

and

belief: but

speculate safely upon their consequences. '

we

acquainted with those works, or their origin, to

As. Res., Vol. VII., p. 202.*

Or Miscellaneous Essays, Vol.

II.,

pp.

4 and

5,

foot-note.

VU

PREFACE. taken from Sanskrit writers.

Simha gives,

as a

synonym

The Lexicon of Amara

of Parana, Pancha-Itikshana,

'that which has five characteristic topics'; and there is no difference of opinion, amongst the schohasts, as to what these are. They are, as Mr. Colebrooke mentions I.

Primary

creation, or

cosmogony;

II.

Secondary cre-

or the destruction and renovation of worlds,

ation,

inchiding

chronology;

III.

Genealogy of gods and

patriarchs; IV. Reigns of the Manus, or periods called

Manwantaras; and, V. History, or such particulars as have been preserved of the princes of the solar and lunar races, and of their descendants to modeni times. * Such, at any rate, were the constituent and characteristic

portions of a Purana, in the days of Amara Simha,*

fifty-six

The it is

A

years before the Christian era;f and,

following definition of a

Purana

is

the

if

constantly quoted:

found in the Vishnu, Matsya, Vayu, and other Puiaiias:

variation of reading in the beginning of the second line

noticed by

Ramasrama,

the scholiast on

ia

Amara, WSnf^pETWr'f:

'Destruction of the earth and the rest, or final dissolution;' in

which case the genealogies of heroes and princes are comprised in those of the patriarchs.

•

?

t That Amarasiiiiha lived at that time, though proved. Professor Wilson Sanskrit Dictionary,

—

p. V.

— asserts

the learned

tha^;

"all

men who,

tradition in

possible, has not lirst

edition,

been

Preface,

concurs in enutoerating him amongst

the metaphorical phraseology

of the Hindus,

• » denominated the 'nine gems' of the court of Vikramaditya. Authorities which assert the contemporary existence of Amara and Vikramaditya might be indefinitely multiplied; and those are equally nu-

are

merous

•which

class

him amongst

the

'nine gems'."'

In the se(;ond

Vnr

PREFACE.

Piiranas had undergone no change since his time, such

we

should expect to find thera

Do

still.

they confonn

word •<4i,(Ss|> the Professor explains "The nine men of letters at the court of Vikrautaditya, or, Dhanwantari, Kshapauaka, Amarasimha, l^ankn, Vetalabhatia, Ghafakarpara Kalidasa, Varahamihira, and Vararuchi." The tradition edition of his Dictionary, under the

the "nine

gams"

to be:

,

about these ornaments he thinks p. V.

—

to

— Megkadtila,

second edition, Preface,

be one of those regarding which "there

is

no reason to dispute

the truth."

The "authorities" spoken of

in the first of the preceding extracts are

not specified by Professor Wilson;

and they are not known to have any one else. Those authorities apart, he adduces a stanza about the "nine gems ', of which he says, that it "appears in a great measure traditionary only; as I have not been able to trace it to any authentic source, although it is in the mouth of every Pandit, ^en interrogated on the subject."

way

fallen yet in the

The stanza clusion, where

of

in question occurs in the Jyoiirviddbharana , near its con-

we

find the following verses:

^5fNrR
% T^?5f^^

*

t^^^fw^

******** ******** ******** *** ;?****

T^rrf«r

ii

II

PREFACE. to this description?

some of them

to

Not

it is

IX

exactly, in

any one instance;

utterly inapplicable; to others

it

There is not one to which it belongs so entirely as to the Vishnu Parana; and it is one of the circumstances which gives to this work a

only partially applies.

•gj

rf^

^ f^-^^4Tr^:

Here we see named, as contemporaries at the court of Vikramaditya, the year 3068 of the Kali ago, or B, C. 33: Mani, Amsudatta, Jishnu, Trilochana, and Hari; also Satya, Srutasena, Badara-

lord of Malava, in

yaua, MarJttha, and Kumarasimha, astronomers; and the "nine geras" already particularized.

The

writer of the Jyotirviddbharana

is

represented as professing to be

one with the author of the Raghuvama. As to Vikramaditya 130 regions are said to have been subject to his sway. Further, according to some verses of which I have not quoted tha original, there were 800 viceroys subordinate to him, of picked warriors he had ten millions, and he possessed 400,000 boats. His victims in battle, among Sakas akne, ,

are

multiplied

to

the

whimsical aggregate

of 555,555,555.

These de-

stroyed, he established his era.

There

is

every reason for believing the Jyotirviddbharana to be not

And now we are preonly pseudonymous but of recent composition. pared to form an opinion touching the credibility of the tradition, so far as yet traced, which concerns the "nine gems" of Vikramaditya. In the Benares Magazine for 1552, pp. 274-276. translated the verses just cited and .abstracted. of the

A

1

first

printed and

detailed English version

them has been given by the learned Dr. Bhdu Daji, in the Journal of Bombay Branch of the Royal As. '%c., January, 1862, pp. 26 and 27.

X

PREFACE.

more authentic character than

mos1> of

its

fellows can

we have

a book upon the institutes of society and obsequial rites interposed between the Manwantaras and the genealogies of princes; and a life of Krishna, separating the latter

pretend

to.

Yet, even in this instance,

from an account of the end of the world

;

besides the

insertion of various legends of a manifestly popular

and

No

sectariai character.

ranas, as they

now

are,

doubt,

many

of the Pu-

correspond with the view

which Colonel Vans Kennedy takes of their purport. "I cannot discover, in them," he remarks, "any other object than that of religious instruction."

the

lists

"The

de-

and of the planetary system, and

scription of the earth

of royal races that occur in them," he asserts

to be "evidently extraneous,

and not essential circumsome Puranas, and very

stances; as they are omitted in

concisely illustrated, in others; while, on the contrary, in all the

Purdnas, some or other of the leading prin-

ciples, rites,

fully dwelt

and observances of the Hindu upon, and

illustrated,

either

religion are

by

suitable

legends, or by prescribing the ceremonies to be practised,

and the prayers and invocations

in the

worship of different

accurate this description are, it is clear that

it

deities."^

may be

to

be employed,

Now, however

of the Puranas as they

does not apply to what they were

when they were synonymously

designated as Pancha-

lakshanas or 'treatises on five topics'; not one of which five is ever specified,

by text or comment, to be "reknowledge of Amara Simha,

ligious instruction". In the

'

Researches into

Hindu M}'thoIogy,

the Nature

p. 153,

and note.

and Affinity

of Ancient and

PREPACK.

XI

lists of princes were not extraneous and unessential and their being now so considered by a writer so well

the

acquainted with the contents of the Puranas as Colonel

Vans Kennedy,

is

a decisive pi'oof that, since the days

of the lexicographer, they have undergone

and that we have not,

rial alteration,

same works,

in all respects, that

some mate-

at present, the

were cun-ent, under

the denomination of Puranas, in the century prior to Christianitv.

The inference deduced from the discrepancy between the actual form and the older definition of a Purana, unfavourable to the antiquity of the extant works generally,

come

to

is

converted into certainty,

examine them

have no dates attached

in detail.

to them, yet circumstances are

sometimes mentioned, or alluded authorities are

when wa

For, although they to, or references to

made, or legends are narrated, or

p>laces

are particularized, of which the comparatively recent date

is

indisputable,

and which enforce a corresponding

reduction of the antiquity of the work in which they are discovered.

At the

sam.e time, they

may be

ac-

quitted of subservience to any but sectarial imposture.

They were pious

frauds for temporary purposes: they

never emanated from any impossible combination of the tire

Brahmans to fabricate for the antiquity of the enHindu system any claims which it cannot fully

support.

A very great portion

of the contents of many,

some portion of the contents of

The

sufficiently palpable to

the

all, is

genuine and

sectarial interpolation, or embellishment,

is

old.

always

be set aside without injury to

more authentic and

pi'imitive material;

and the

Puranas, although they belong especially to that stage

Xn

PREFACE.

of the Hindis religion in which faith in vinity

was

some one

di-

the prevailing principle, are, also, a valuable

record of the form of Hindu belief which came next in

order to that of the Vedas; which grafted hero-

ritual of the latter; and which had been adopted, and was extensively, perhaps universally, established in India, at the time of the Greek

worship upon the simpler

invasion.

The Hercules of the Greek

writers was, in-

Balarama of the Hindus; and their notices of Mathura on the Jumna, and of the kingdom of the Suraseni and the Pands&an country, evidence the prior currency of the traditions which constitute dubitably, the

the argument of the Mahabharata, and which are constantly repeated in the Puranas, relating to the

Pah-

dava and Yadava races, to Krishna and his contemporary heroes, and to the dynasties of the solar and lunar kings

The theogony and cosmogony of the Puranas may, probably, be traced to the Vedas. They are not, as far as

is

yet known, described in detail in those works; to, in a strain more or

but they are frequently alluded less mystical

and obscure, which indicates accjuaintance

with their existence, and which seems to have supplied the Puranas with the

The scheme

groundwork of

their systems.

of primary or elementary creation they

borrow from the Sankliya philosophy, which

is,

pro-

bably, one of the oldest fonns of speculation on man and nature, amongst the Hindus. Agreeably, however, to that part of the Pauranik character

reason to j^uspect of later origin,

which there

theii'

is

inculcation of

the worship of a favourite deity, they combine the interposition of a creator with the independent evolu-

Xm

PREFACE. tion of matter, in a

somewhat contradictory and unin-

It is evident, too, that their

telligible style.

accounts

of secondary creation, or the development of the exist-

ing forms of things, and the disposition of the universe, are derived from several and different sources; and

it

appears very likely that they are to be accused of some of the incongruities and absurdities by which the narrative

is

disfigured, in

consequence of having attempted

and significancy to what was merely

to assign reality

met^aphor or mysticism. There

is,

however, amidst the

unnecessary complexity of the description, a general

agreement, amongst them, as to the origin of things

and

their final distribution: and, in

stances, there

is

many

of the circum-

a striking concurrence with the ideas

which seem to have pen'aded the whole of the ancient world, and which we may, therefore, believe to be faithPuranas.

fully represented in the

The pantheism

of the Puranas

is

one of their

in-

variable characteristics; although the particular divinity

who to

is all

whom

things, all

whom

from

all

things proceed, and

things return, be diversified according to

their individual sectarial bias.

Thev seem

to

have de-

rived the notion from the Vedas; but, in theyn, the

one universal Being

of a higher order than a per-

is

sonification of attributes or elements,

and, however

imperfectly conceived, or unworthily described,

In the Puranas, the one only

posed to be manifest either in the

way

that

is,

God and

—

is,

is

God.

is

sup-

of illusion, or in sport; and one or is,

therefore, also the cause of

himself, all that exists.

nature

is

the person of Siva, or Vishnu,

in

other of these divinities all

Supreme Being

not a

new

notion:

it

The identity of was very genei'al

PBEFACE.

XIV

in the speculations of antiquity; bat

it

assumed a new

vigour in the early ages of Christianity, and was carried to

an equal pitch of extravagance by the Platonic

Christians as

by the Saiva or Vaishnava Hindus.

It

seems not impossible that there was some communication between them. We know that there was an active communication between India

and the Red Sea,

in the earlv ages of the Christian era, trlnes, as well as articles of

to

and that doc-

merchandise, were brought

Alexandria from the former. Epiphanius^ and Eu-

sebius^ accuse Scythianus of having imported India, in the second century, retical notions

leading to Manichseism; and

the same period that sect of the

new

Ammonius

was

it

at

Saccas instituted the

Platonists at Alexandria.

The

heresy was, that true philosophy derived

liis

from

books on magic, and he-

basis of

its

origin

from the eastern nations. His doctrme of the identity of God and the universe is that of the Vedas and Puranas; and the practices he enjoined, as well as their object,

were precisely those described in several of the name of Yoga. His disciples were

Puranas, under the

taught to extenuate, by mortiiication and contemplation,

the bodily restraints upon the immortal

so that, in this

the

life,

Supreme Being, and ascend,

universal Parent.^

spirit;

they might enjoy communion with after death, to the

That these are Hindu tenets, the

following pages* will testify; and, by the admission of their Alexandrian teacher, they onginated in India.

The importation

was, perhaps, not wholly unrequited:

'

Adv. Manichieos.

«

See Mosbeio),

I.,

^

II.,

i.

••

Hist,

Evaog.

See Book VI., Chap. Vll.

XV

PREFACE. the loan

may

not have been

left

unpaid.

not im-

It is

Hindu doctrines received fresh animation from their adoption by the successors of Ammonius, and, especially, by the mystics, who may have

possible that the

prompted, as well as employed, the expressions of the Puranas. Anquetll du Perron has given, ^ in the introduction to his translation of the 'Oupnekhat', several

hymns by fifth

the

Synesius, a bishop of the beginning of the

may serve as parallels to many of hymns and prayers addressed to Vishnu in the century, which

Vishnu Purana.

But the

ascription, to individual

and personal

deities,

of the attributes of the one universal and spiritual Su-

preme Being,

is

an indication of a later date than the

Vedas, certainly, and, apparently,

than the

also,

Rama-

yana, where Rama, although an incarnation of Vivshnu,

commonly appears is

in his

something of the kind Krishna;

to

known

it is

character alone. There

Mahabharata, in respect

especially in the philosophical episode

as the

Bhagavad

vine nature of Krishna

some,

human in the

In other places, the di-

Gita. is less

decidedly affirmed;

in

disputed, or denied; and, in most of the

situations in

which he

prince and warrior,

superhuman

is

exhibited in action,

riot as

a divinity.

He

it is

as a

exercises no

faculties in the defence of himself or his

friends, or in the defeat

and destruction of

The Mahabharata, however,

is,

evidently, a

his foes.

work of

various periods, and requires to be read throughout, carefully

and

critically,

before

its

weight as an author-

can be accurately appreciated.

ity

'

Theologia

et

As

PhilosopLia Indica, Dissert.,

it

is

p. xxvi.

now

in

XVI

PREFACE.

type/— thanks ciet}' it

to the public spirit of the Asiatic Soof Bengal, and their secretary, Mi-. J. Prinsep,

wiil

not be long before the Sanskrit scholars of the

continent will accurately appreciate

The Puranas

value.

its

works of evidently different ages, and have been compiled under different circumare, also,

which we can but im-

stances, the precise nature of

perfectly conjecture fi-om internal evidence

what we know of the history of

and from

religious opinion in

India. It

is highly probable that, of the present popular forms of the Hindu religion, none assumed their actual

state earlier than the time of

great Saiva reformer,

who

Sankara Acharva, the

flourished, in

the eighth or ninth century.

in

teachers,

Ramanuja

Of

all

likelihood,

the Vaishnava

dates in the twelfth century;

Ma-

dhwacharya, in the thirteenth; and Vallabha, in the sixteenth;^ and thePura/ias seem to have accompanied, or followed, their innovations; being obviously intended to advocate the doctrines they taught.

sign to

but

some of them a very

modem

This

date,

is

to as-

it is

true;

cannot think that a higher can, with justice, be ascribed to them. This, however, applies to some only I

out of the number, as

I shall

presently proceed to

specify.

Another evidence of a comparatively modern date Three volumes have been printed: the fourth and

'

last is

understood to be nearly completed.* '

'

As. Res., Vols.

it

XVI. and XVII.

was couipleted ia 1839:

at,

Account of Hindu

Sects,

f

least, it bears that date,

t This "Sketch of the Religious Sects of the Hindus", by Professor Wilson, will be found in the first volume of his collected works.

XVn

PREFACE.

must be admitted

in

those chapters of the Puranas

which, assuming a prophetic tone,

foretell

what dyThese

of kings will reign in the Kali age.

nasties

chapters,

it is

true, are found but in four of the

nas; but they are conclusive in bringing

down

Pura-

the date

of those four to a period considerably subsequent to Christianity.

It

is,

also, to

be remarked that the Vayu,

Bhagavata, and Matsya Puranas, in which

Vishiin,

these particulars arc foretold, have, in

all

spects, the character of as great antiquity as

of their class.

The

other re-

any works

^

invariable

logue, in which

form of the Puraiias

some person

is

that of a dia-

relates its contents, ia

This dialogue

reply to the inquiries of another.

is

interwoven with others, which are repeated as having

been held, on other occasions, between different

indi-

viduals, in consequence of similar questions having

been asked. The immediate narrator is, commonly, though not constantly, Lomaharshana or Komaharshana, the disciple of Vyasa,

who

is

supposed to com-

municate what was imparted to him by his preceptor, as he

had heard

be seen

will

meaning an

in

it

from some other

ihe body of the work, ^

'arranger' or 'compiler'.

sage. is

Vyasa, as

a generic

title,

It is, in this age,

applied to Krishna Dwaipayana, the son of Parasara,

On

'

now

the history of the compositiou of the Piirarias, as they

appear,

of the

I

have hazarded some specuhations in

Vayu Puraua: Journ.

1S32.* ^

*

I.

Book See Vol.

III.,

Chapter

III. of

my

Analysis

Asiatic Society of Bengal, December,

III.

our author's collected writings.

PREFACE.

XVIII

who

have taught the Vedas and Puranas to

said to

is

various disciples, but

head of a learned

college,

men gave

who appears

to

have been the

whom

or school, under

to the sacred literature of the

the form in which

it

now

presents

itself.

various

Hindus

In this task,

the disciples, as they are termed, of Vyasa were, rat

ler,

and coadjutors; for they were already conversant with what he is fabled to have taught them ;* and, amongst them, Lomaharshana represents the class of persons who were especially charged with the re-

his colleagues

cord of political and temporal events.

He

is

called

was a proper name: but it is, more correctly, a title; and Lomaharshana w^as 'a Siita', that is, a bard, or panegyrist, who was created, according to Siita, as if

our

it

text,^ to celebrate the exploits of princes,

according to the

by birth and profession,

to narrate the Puranas, in pre-

ference even to the Brahmans.^ therefore, that

and who,

Vayu and Padma Puranas, has a rights

we

It is

are to understand,

by

not unlikely, his being re-

presented as the disciple of Vyasa, the institution of

some attempt, made under the direction of the latter, from the heralds and annalists of his day,

to collect,

the scattered traditions which they had imperfectly

preserved: and hence the consequent appropriation of the Puranas, in a great measure, to the genealogies of regal dynasties

ever this

See Book

•

'

*

may

and descriptions of the universe. How-

be, the machinery has been but loosely

III.,

Chapter

III.

«

Book

I.,

Chapter XIII.

Journ. Royal As. Soc, Vol. V., p. 281.*

The

article referred to is

been leprinted.

from the pen of Professor Wilson, and has

PREFACE.

X[X

adhered to; and many of the Puranas, like the Vishnu, are referred to a different narrator.

An

account

is given, in the following work/ of a of Pauranik compilations of which, in their present form, no vestige appears. Lomaharshana is

series

said to have

had

six disciples, three of

many fundamental piled a fourth. By a as

whom composed

Samhitas, whilst he himself comSarnhita,

generally understood

is

a 'collection' or 'compilation'.

The Samhitas of

the

Vedas are collections of hymns and prayers belonging to them, aiTJinged according to the judgment of some

who is, therefore, looked upon as the originator and teacher of each. -The Samhitas of the

individual sage,

Puranas, then, should be analogous compilations,

at-

tributed, respectively, to Mitrayu, Sanisapayana, Aki'-i-

tabrana, and Romaharshana: no such Pauranik

now known. The

hitas are

said to be collected in the Vishnu Purana, also, in

another place, ^

Sam-

substance of the four

itself called

compilations have not, as far

-as

which

is is,

a Sarnhita. But such inquiry has yet pro-

ceeded, been discovered. The specification may be accepted as an indication of the Puranas' having existed

some other form,

in

with; although

it

in

which they are no longer met

does not appear that the arrangement

was incompatible with

existence

their

works; for the Vishnu Purana, which

is

as

separate

our authority

for the four Sarhhitas, gives us, also, the usual enu-

meration of the several Puranas.

There to in the

'

Book

is

another classification of the Puranas, alluded

Matsya Purana, and III.,

Chapter

III,

specified

*

Book

I.,

by the Padma Chapter

I.

XX

PREFACE.

Parana, but more tice, as it

fully.

It is

not undeserving of no-

expresses the opinion which native writers

entertain of the scope of the Puranas,

and of

their re-

cognizing the subservience of these works to the dis-

semination of sectarian principles. the Uttara

Khanda

of the

Thus,

Padma,*

it is

said, in

that the Puranas,

as well as other works, are divided into three classes,

according to the qualities which prevail in them. Thus, the Vishnu, Naradiya, Bhagavata, Garuda,

Padma, and Varaha Puranas are Sattwika or pure, from the predominance,

in

them, of the Sattwa

goodness and purity. They

are, in

quality, or that of

factv,

The Matsya, Kurma, Linga,

Vaishnava Pu-

and Agni Puranas are Tamasa, or Puranas of darkness, from the prevalence of the quality of Tamas, 'igno-. ranas.

ranee', 'gloom'.

The

They

Siva, Skanda,

are, indisputably,

Saiva Puranas.

Brahmahda, Brahma Vaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, Vamana, and Brahma Puranas, are designated as Rajasa, 'passionate', from Rajas, the property of passion, which they are supposed to represent. The Matsya does not specify which are the Puranas that come under these designations, but remarks f that those in which the Mahatmya *

third series, comprising the

Chapter XLII.:

wm ^r^ ^m tt t^ wn^ 7T%^ ^

w^

"^ ^^tfrfsT

^r^rw t Chapter LII.:

^%^

rrrwrf^

*^i«J»iQ^

t^vcr

7T^ ^

II

ii

i

PREPACK.

XXI

of Hari or Vishnu prevails are Sattwika; those in which the legends of Agni or Siva predominate are Taniasa;

and those which dwell most on the

stories of

Brahma

are Rdjasa. I have elsewhere stated^ that I considered

the Rajasa Puranas to lean to the Sakta division of the

Hindus, the worshippers of Sakti or the female prinfounding this opinion on the character of the

ciple;

legends which some of them contain, such as the Durga

Mahatmya, or celebrated legend on which the worship of Durga or Kali is especially founded, which is a principal episode of the Markandeya. The Brahma Vaivarta also devotes the greatest portion of ters to the celebration of

and other female

its

chap-

Radha, the mistress of Krishna,

divinities.

Colonel Vans Kennedy,

however, objects to the application of the term Sakta to this last division of the Puranas; the worship of

bemg

Sakti

the especial object of a different class of

works, theTantras; and no such form of worship being

Brahma Purana.^ This

particularly inculcated in the last

argument

is

of weight in regard to the particular

instance specified; and the designation of Sakti

not be correctly applicable to the whole it is

to

some of the

bility in

series: for there is

no incompati-

p. 10.*

As. Res., Vol. XVI.,

'

Asiatic Journal, March, 1837, p. 241.

d^g^^ ?nfirw ^^55 iTT^m: I.,

may

although

the advocacy of a Tantrika modification of

»

Vol.

class,

frRT%g

irw ^

t

f^ryait "^

f^TT^^

i

ii

p. 12, foot-note, of the author's collective publications.

PREFACE.

XXn

the Hindu religion by any Parana; and

it

has, unques-

works known asUpapuranas. The proper appropriation of the third class of the Puranas, according to the Padma Purana, appears to be tionably,

been practised

in

to the worship of Krishna, not in the character in which

he

is

nas,

represented in the Vishnu and Bhagavata Purain which the incidents of his boyhood are only

—

a portion of his biography, and

in

which the human

character largely participates, at least in his riper years, but as the infant Krishna, Govinda, Bala Gopala, the

—

sojourner in Vfindavana, the companion of the cowherds and milkmaids, the lover of Radha, or as the juvenile mast-er of the universe, Jagannatha. The term Rajasa, implying the animation of passion and enjoy-

ment of sensual

delights,

is

applicable not only to the

character of the youthful divinity, but to those with

whom

his adoration

in

these forms seems to have

originated, the Gosains of

Gokul and Bengal, the

fol^

lowers and descendants of Vallabha and Chaitanya, the priests and proprietors of Jagannath and Srin4thdwar,

who

lead a

life

of affluence and indulgence, and vin-

dicate, both by precept and practice, the reasonableness of the Rajasa property, and the congruity of tem-

poral enjoyment with the duties of religion.^

The Puranas number.

are uniformly stated to be eighteen in

It is said that there are also

eighteen Upa-

purahas or minor Puranas: but the names of only a

few of these are specified

'

•

in the least exceptionable

As. Res., Vol. XVI., p. 85.

CoUectiTe Works of Pxofessoi Wilson, Vol.

I.,

p. 119.

PREFACE. authorities;

XXIII

and the greater number of the works is With regard to the eighteen Purai'ias,

not procurable. there

is

a pecuUarity in their specification, which

proof of an interference with the integrity of the in

some of them,

them

at least; for each of

is

text,

specifies

Now, tlie list could the work that gives it

the names of the whole eighteen.

not have been complete whilst

was

unfinished; and in one only, therefore, the last of

the series, have

we

a right to look for

it.

As, however,

more last words than one, it is evident that the names must have been inserted in all except one, after the whole were completed. Which of the eighteen

there are

is

the exception, and truly the

discover; and the specification polation, in most^

The names

if

shnava,

there

is

no clue

to

probably, an inter-

not in aU.

1.

Brahma,

Bhagavata,

4. Saiva, 5. 8.

is,

commonly the Pddma, 3. VaiNaradiya, 7. Mar-

that are specified are

same, and are as follows:

kandeya,

last,

Agneya,

9.

6.

2.

Bhavishya, 10. Brahma Vai-

varta, 11. Lainga, 12. Varaha, 13. Skanda, 14. 16. Matsya, 17. Garuda, 18.

Vamana,

Brahmanda.^

Kaurma^ is from the twelfth book of the Bhagavata, and the same as occurs in the Vishnu.^ In other authori-

15.

This is

*

The names

are put attributively; the noun substantive, Pu-

rana, being understood.

Thus, Vaishnavam Puraiiam means the

Puraiia of Vishnu; Saivam Puranam, the Puraiia of Siva; Brahmam Puranam, the Puraiia of Brahma. It is equally correct, and

more common,

to use

the two substantives

Vishnu Puraria, 6iva Puraria, &c.

in apposition,

as

In the original Sanskrit the

noims are compounded, as Vishnu-purana, &c.: but it has not been customary to combine them, in their European shape. '

Book

III.,

Chapter VI.

PREFACE.

XXIV

ties there are a few variations. The list of the Ki'irma Parana omits the Agni Parana, and substitutes the Vayu.* The Agni leaves out the Siva, and inserts the Vayu. The Varaha omits the Garuda and Brahmanda^ and inserts the Vayu and Narasiihha: in this last, it is singular. The Markandeya agi-ees with the Vishnu and Bhagavata, in omitting the Vayu. The Matsya, hke

the Agni, leaves out- the Siva.

Some

of the Puranas, as the Agni, Matsya,f Bhaga-

vata, t and

Padma,

also particularize th«

number of In one

stanzas which each of the eighteen contains.

or two instances they disagree; but, in general, they

The aggregate

concur.

1,600,000

*

stated at 400,000 slokas, or

These are fabled to be but an abridg-

lines.

ment: the whole

I

is

amount being a krore or ten

Professor Wilson's MS. has

*t

be preferred. rai'ias, to

-

The Kurma

%^;

[4<^Q^*^ V!^^

have consulted havo 7TT4iu^^44\!{|(^ij. professes,

at

And

the

it

MSS.

the latter reading

end of

have enumerated eighteen; and, unless

and the Agni,

but four

millions

it

its

list

that is

of the

names both

to

Pu-

the Vdiiu

enumerates but seventeen.

t The particulars from the Matsya ^ill be found in the sequel. + The computation of the Bhagavata, XII., 1,3, 4-3, is as follows:

Brahma, 10,000 stanzas; Padma, 55,000; Vishnu, 23,000; l^iva. 24,000; Bhagavata, 18,0.00; Ndrada, 25,000; Markandeya, 9,000; Agni, 15,400: Bhavishga, 14,500; Brahma-vaivarta, 18,000;

Linga, 11,000;

Varaha,

Skanda, 81,100; Vdmana, 10,000; Kurma, 17,000; Matsya, 14,000; Garuda, 19,000; Brahmdnda, 12,000. The total is 400,000. The Bhagavata here, calls the Agni and the Qaruda by the names of Vdhna and Sawparna, The Devi-hhdgavata substitutes, in place of the iiiva, the Vdyti, and 24,000;

-assigns to

it

10,600 stanzas.

Further,

it

gives to the Agni,

16.000; to

Brahmdnda, 12,100. has, instead of Siva, Vayu, but reckons it To the likewise allows 16,000 to the Agni.

the Skanda, ?1,000; and to the

The Revd-mdhdtmya at 24,000 couplets;

Skanda

it

it

gives 84,000; and to the

For further "Vol. I.,

also

and

datails,

see

Burnoufs

Brahmdnda, 12,200, edition of the Bhagavata-

Preface, pp. Lxxivi-Lxxxjx, foot-note.

purdria,

XXV

PREFACE. of stanzas, or even a thousand millions.* If

fragmentary portions

claimint]^,

the

belong to the Purai'ias were admitted, their ex-

dia, to

would much exceed the

tent

all

in various parts of In-

lesser,

though

it

not reach the larger, enumeration. The former

would how-

ie,

ever, as I have elsewhere stated,^ a quantity that an

individual European scholar could scarcely expect to

peruse with due care. and attention, unless nis whole time were devoted exclusively, for many years, to the Yet, without some such labour being achieved,

task.

was

it

that

clear, from the cruditv and inexactness of all had been hitherto published on the subject, with

one exception,^ that sound views on the subject of tradition were not to be ex-

Hindu mythology and

pected. Circumstances, which I have already explained

the paper in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic So-

in

ciety, referred to

above, enabled

'

Journ. Royal As. Soc, Vol. V.,

•

I

work

allude to. the valuable

me

p. 61.

to avail myself of

f

of Colonel

Vans Kennedy,

Researches into the Nature and Affihity of Ancient and Hindu

Mythology.

Howevep mach

I

may

differ

from that learned and

industrious writers conclusions. I must do "him the justice to ad-

mit that he

is

the only author

who

has discussed the subject

erf

the mythology of the Hindus on right principles, by drawing his

materials from authentic sources.

*

So says the Matsya-purdtia,

Lll.,

ad

init.:

t See Professor Wilson's collective works, Vol.

JIIj

XXVI

PREFACE.

competent assistance, by which stract of

hope

I

most of the Puranas.

made

a minute ab-

In course of time I

and connected anawhole eighteen before Oriental scholars, the meanwhile, offer a brief notice of their

to place a tolerably copious

lysis of the

and, in

several contents.

In general, the enumeration of the Puranas

is

a

simple nomenclature, with the addition, in some cases, of the

number of

vei-ses;

but to these the Matsya Pu-

rana* joins the mention of one or two circumstances peculiar to each, which, although scanty, are of value, as offering

ranas fers,

means of

identifying tHe copies of the

now found with

Pu-

those to which the Matsva re-

or of discovering a difference between the present

and the past.

I shall, therefore, prefix

the passage de-

from the Matsya. It is necessary to remark, however, that, in the comparison instituted between that description and the Purana as it scriptive of each Purana,

copy or copies which employed for the purpose of examination and analysis, and which were procured, with some trouble and cost, in Benares and Calcutta. In some instances my manuscripts have been collated with others from different parts of India; and the result has shown that, with regard at least to the Brahma, Vishnu, Vayu, Matsya, Padma, Bhagavata, and Kiirma Puranas, the same works, in all essential respects, are generally current under the same appellations. Whether this is invariably the case, may be doubted; and further inquiry may possibly show that I have been obliged to conexists, I necessarily refer to the

I

•

Chapter LII.

PKEFACE,

XXVir

tent myself with mutilated or unauthentic works.* is

with this reservation, therefore, that

I

It

must be un-

derstood to speak of the concurrence or disagreement of any Purina with the notice of it w^hich the Matsya

Purana has presented. 1

.

Brahma Purdna.

"That, the whole of which was

formerly repeated by

Brahma

Brahma Purana, and

contains ten thousand stanzas.'""

In

all

at the

the

lists

to Marichi,

of the Pur^nas, the

head of the

also entitled the

and

series,

Adi or

signated as theSaura; as

'first'

it is,

is,

is

Brahma

called the

is

placed

thence, sometimes

Purana.

It is also de-

in great part,

appropriated

to the worship of Siirya, 'the sun'.

There are, however, works bearing these names which belong to the

class of

Upapuranas, and which are not to be con-

founded with the Brahma.

It is usually said, as

to contain ten thousand slokas; but the

above,

number

actu-

between seven and eight thousand. There is a supplementary or concluding section, called the Brahmottara Purana, and which is different from ally occurring is

a portion of the Skanda called the Brahmottara Khanda, which contains about three thousand stanzas more. But

'

Upon examining

the translations of different passages from

the Puraiias, given by Colonel

Vans Kennedy

in the

work men-

tioned in a former note, and comparing them with the text of the

manuscripts

I

warrant the

belief,

have consulted,

I

that there is

the copies in his possession and

occur in the

MSS.

noticed in the text.

find such

an agreement as to

no essential difference between in

mine.

The

varieties

which

of the East India Company's Library will be

XXVIII

PREFACE.

is every reason to conclude that this is a distinct and unconnected work. The immediate narrator of the Brahma Purana is Lomaharshana, who communicates it to the Rishis or

there

sages assembled atNaimisharanya, as

it

was

originally

revealed by Brahma, not to Marichi, as the Matsya

af-

toDaksha, another of the patriarchs. Hence

firms, but

denomination of the Brahma Purana.

its

The

eai'ly

chapters of this

of the creation

,

work give ti

description

an account of the Manwantaras, and

the history of the solar and lunar dynasties to the time

summary manner, and

in words which and several other Puranas. A brief description of the universe succeeds; and then come

of Krishna, in a are

a

common

number

with

its

to

it

of chapters relating to the holiness of Orissa,

temples and sacred groves dedicated to the

to Siva, and JagannAtha, the latter especially. These chapters are characteristic of this Purana, and show its main object to be the promotion of the wor-

sun,

sliip

'

of Krishna as Jagannatha.

^

To

these particulars

Colonel Vans Kennedy objects to this character of the

Purana, and observes that

it

Brahma

Contains only two short descriptions

of pagodas, the one of Koridditya, the other of Jagannatha.

copy must

that case,

his

met with ;

for, in

differ

In

considerably from those I have

them, the description of Pnrushottama Kshetra,

the holy land of Orissa, runs through forty chapters, or one third

of the work.

The

description

,

it is

true

,

is

interspersed

,

in the

usual rambling strain of the Puranas, with a variety of legends,

some ancient, some modern; but they are intended

some

to illustrate

local circumstance, land are, therefore, not incompatible with

the main design,

Kshetra.

The

the

celebration of the glories of Pnrushottama

specitication

of the temple of Jagannatha,

how-

PREFACE. succeeds a

same

life

of Krislina, which

as that of the

XXIX is.

word

for word, the

Vishnu Puiana: and the compila-

tion terminates with a particular detail of the whi<;li

which

Yoga

mode

in.

or contemplative devotion, the ohject of

Vishnu, is to be performed. There is which corresponds with the definition of a Pancha-lakshana Parana; and the mention of the is

still

little, in this,

temples of Orissa, the date of the original construction of which

is

recorded,^ shows that

it

could not have

been compiled earlier than the thirteenth or fourteenth century.

The UttaraKhanda of the Brahma Parana bears still more entirely the character of a Mahatmya or local legend; being intended to celebrate the sanctity of the Balaja river, conjectured to be the same as the Banas in Marwar. There is no clue to its date: but it is clearly modern; g'rafting personages and fictions of its own in-

vention on a few hints from older authorrtieSc 2.

PadmaPurana. "That which contains an account when the world was a golden lotos

of the period

(padma), and of

all

therefore, called the fifty-live

ever, is,

thousand

of

itself,

the occurrences of that time,

Padma by

stanzas.""*

sufficient,

iii

the wise.

It

The second Purana,

ciy

is,

contains in

opinion, to determine the

character and era of the compilation. '

See Account of Orissa Proper, or CuLtuck, by A.

Esq.: Asiatic Res., Vol. XV., p. '

Stirling,

30.3.

See Analysi.s of the Brahma Puraria: Journ. Royal As. Soc,

Vol. v., p.

65.

XXX

PREFACE.

the usual lists, is always tlie Padma, a very voluminous work, containing, according to its ow^n statement, as w^ell as

that of other authorities, fifty-five thousand

slokas; an

amount not

from the

far

Khanda or

section on creation ; 2.

description of the earth; ter

on heaven;

4.

These are

truth.

divided amongst five books, or Khahdas;

1.

The

Srishti

The Bhiimi Khanda,

The Swarga Khanda, chap-

3.

Patala KhaYida, chapter on the re-

gions below the earth; and

5.

sixth division, the Kriya

the Uttara Khanda, last

There

or supplementary chapter.

Yoga

is

also cun'ent a

Sara, a treatise on the

practice of devotion.

The denominations

of these divisions of the

Purana convey but an imperfect and their contents.

In the

creation, the narrator

of Lomaharshana,

first, is

who

or section which treats of

Ugrasravas, the Suta, the son is

sent,

by

his father, to the

Rishis at Naimisharanya, to communicate to

Purana, which, from

Padma

partial notion of

its

them the

containing an account of the

(padma) in which Brahma appeared at creation, termed the Padma, or Padma Purana. The Suta re-

lotos is

originally communicated by Brahma and by him to Bhishma. The early chapters narrate the cosmogony, and the genealogy of the patriarchal families, much in the same style, and often

peats what

wa«

to Pulastya,

in the

same words,

as the Vishnu;

and short accounts

of the Manwantaras and regal dynasties: but these,

which are legitimate Paurariik matters, soon make way for

new and unauthentic

virtues of the lake of

inventions, illustrative of the

Pushkara or Pokher,

in Ajmir,

as a place of pilgrimage.

The Bhumi Khanda, or

section of the earth, defers

XXXr

irREFACE.

any description of the earth until near it« close filling up one hundred and twenty-seven chapters with le;

gends of a very mixed description, some ancient, and common to other Puranas, but the greater part peculiar to itself, illustrative of Tirthas, either figuratively so

tenned,

—

a sacred

as a wife, a parent, or a Guru, considered as

object.,

—or places

to

which actual pilgrimage

should be peiibrmed.

The-Swarga Khanda describes,

in the first chaptei's,

the relative positions of the Lokas or spheres above the earth; placing above

all,

Vishnu: an addition which

Vaikuntha, the sphere of is

not warranted by what

appears to be the oldest cosmology.^ notices of

Miscellaneous

some of the most celebrated princes then

succeed, conformably to the usual narratives; and these are followed

and

by

rules of conduct for the several castes,

at different stages of

life.

The

rest of the

book

is

occupied by legends of a diversified description, intro-

duced without much method or contrivance; a few of which, as Daksha's

sacrifice, are of ancient date,

but

of which the most are original and modern.

The Patala Khanda devotes a

brief introduction to

the description of Patala, the regions of the snakegods. But, the

Sesha,

who

name

of

Rama

having been mentioned,

has succeeded Pulastya as spokesman,

proceeds to narrate the history of Kama, his descent, and his posterity; in which the compiler seems to have taken the

poem

chief authority.

of Kalidasa, the

An

Kaghu Vamsa,

originality of addition

for his

may be

sus-

pected, how^ever, in the adventures of the horse des-

See Book

II.,

Chapter VII.

XXXH tined

PREFACE?,

by Rama

for an

subject of a great sacrificed, the

demned,

wHch form tlie When about to be

Aswamedha-r

many

chapters.

horse turns out to be a Brahman, con-

by- an imprecation of Durvasas,

ji

sage, to as-

sume the equine nature, and who, by having been sanctified \ry connexion with Rama, is released from his metamorphosis, and despatched, as a spirit of light., to heaven.

This piece of Vaishnava fiction

by praises of the

is

followed

Sri Rhagavata, an account of Krishna's

and the merits of woi^shipping Vishnu, These accounts are communicated through a machinery borrowed from the Tanti*as: they are told by Sadasiva to Parvatf, the ordinary interlocutors of Tantrika com-

juvenilities,

positions.

The Uttara Khahda

is

a most voluminous aggrega-

tion of very heterogen
;>

but

if is

consistent

adopting a decidedly Vaishnava tone, and admitting

no compromise with any other form of faith. The chief subjects are first discussed in a dialogue between king Dillpa and the Muni Vasishtha; such as the merits of bathing in the mouth of JVIagha, and the potency of the Mantra or prayer addressed to Lakshml N^rayana. But the nature of Bhakti, faith in Vishnu the use of Vaishnava marks on the body the legends of Vishnu's Avataras, and especially of Rama and -the construction of images of Vishnu are too important to be left to mortal discretion. They are explained by Siva to Parvati, and wound up by the adoration of Vishnu by those divinitie.>. The dialogue then reverts to the kiftg and the sage; and the latter states why Vishnu is

—

—

—

—

the only one of the triad entitled to respect; Siva being licentious,

Brahma

arrogant, and Vishnu alone pure.

XXXni

PREFACE.

Vasishtha then repeats, after Siva, the

Mahatmya

of

Bhagavad Glta; the merit of each book of which illustrated 'by legends of the good consequences to

the is

,

individuals,

from perusing or hearing

nava Mahatmyas

Khanda,

this

it.

Other Vaish-

occupy considerable portions of

Mahatmya, or month Karttika; illustrated, as usual, a few of which are of an early origin, but especially the Karttika

holiness of the

by

stories,

the greater part modern, and peculiar to this Puraha.*

The Kriya Yoga Sara

is

repeated, by Suta, to the

Rishis, after Vyasa's communication of

answer

in

to an inquiry

how

it

to Jaimini,

religious merit

secured in the Kali age, in which

might be

men have become

incapable of the penances and abstraction by which final liberation

was formerly

of course, that which

is,

of the Vishnu

is

to be attained.

The answer

intimated in the last book

—personal

Puraha

devotion to Vishnu.

Thinking of him, repeating his names, wearing his marks, worshipping in his temples, are a for

all

full

substitute

other acts of moral, or devotional, or contem-

plative, merit.

The

different portions of the

probability, as

all

many

Padma Purana

are, in

different works, neither of

which approaches to the original definition of a Purana. There may be some connexion between the three first portions, at least as to time: but there is no reason to consider

them

as of high antiquity.

the Jainas, both

by name and

They

specify

practices; they talk of

Mlechchhas, "barbarians", flourishing

in India;

they

by One of them, Colonel Vans Kennedy: Researches into the Nature and Affinity the story of Jalandhara,

'

is

translated

of Ancient and Hindu Mythology, Appendix D. I

c

-

XXXrV

commend

PREFACE. the use of the frontal and other Vaishnava

marks; and they notice other subjects which, copiously upon the Bhagavata, and posterior to

it.

Vaishnava, and It enjoins

consequently,

is,

The Uttara Khanda is,

like these,

The Patala Khanda dwells

are of no remote origin.

intolerantly

is

therefore, unquestionably modern.

the veneration of the S^lagrama stone and

Tulasi plant, the use of the Tapta-mudra, or stamping

with a hot iron the

name

of Vishnu on the skin, and a

variety of practices and observances undoubtedly no

part of the original system.

It

speaks of the shrines

of Sriranga and Venkatadri in the Dekhin, temples that

have no pretension to remote antiquity; and it names Haripura on the Tungabhadra, which is, in all likelihood, the city of Vijayanagara, founded in the middle of the

fourteenth century.

The Kriya Yoga Sara

is

equally

a modern, and, apparently, a Bengali composition. portion of the

Padma Purana

is,

No

probably, older than

the twelfth century; and the last parts

may

be as recent

as the fifteenth or sixteenth.* 3.

Vishnu Purana. "That

in

which Parasara, begin-

ning with the events of the Varaha Kalpa, expounds called the Vaishnava:

and the learned know

all

duties,

its

extent to be twenty-three thousand stanzas."^

'

is

The grounds

detailed in

my

of these

conclusions

Analysis of the

are

Vol. v., p. 280.

w

w

w

w

more

Padma Purana:

TT

w

vT

J.

The

particularly

R. As. Soc,

XXXV

PREFACE. third

Parana of the Hsts

is

that

for translation, the Vishnu. fore, to offer it

which has been selected

It it

unnecessary, there-

any general summary of its contents; and

be convenient to reserve any remarks upon

will

its

character and probable antiquity, for a subsequent page.

may

It

here be observed, however, that the actual

number of verses contained

in

far short of the

it falls

enumeration of the Matsya, with which the Bhagavata Its actual

concurs. stanzas.

contents are not seven thousand

All the copies

—

and, in this instance, they are

not fewer than seven in number,

— procured both

the east and in the west of India, agree; and there

in is

no appearance of any part being wanting. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end, in both text arid comment; and the work, as

How

entire. 4.

Vayu

is

stands,

it

is,

incontestably,

the discrepancy to be explained?

Puraria.

"The Parana

in

which Vaya has

declared the laws of duty, in connexion with the Sweta

Kalpa, and which comprises the Mahatmya of Rudra, the Vayavfya Purana:

is

it

contains twenty-four thou-

sand verses." ^ The Siva or Saiva Purana remarked, omitted

when

that

Vayaviya.

is

in

some of the

the case,

gavata, then the

Vayu

sible identity of these

*

See

p,

it

Wlien the Siva

XXIV.

t This identity

is

is

is

lists;

is,

as above

and, in general,

replaced by the

Vayu or

specified, as in the

Bha-

omitted;* intimating the pos-

two works. f This, indeed,

is

supra. is

distinctly asserted in the Revd-nuilidtmya, as follows

c*

XXXVI

PREFACE.

confirmed by the Matsya, which describes the VayaylyaPiira-na as characterized

by

its

account of the great-

ness of Rudra or Siva: and Balam Bhatta^ mentions,

Vayavlya

that the

is

also called the Saiva, though, ac-

cording to some, the latter

is

the name of anUpapurana.*

Colonel Vans Kennedy observes, that, in the west of India, the Saiva

considered to be an

is

Upa

or 'minor'

Pur an a. ^ An.other proof that the same

work

intended by

is

the authorities here followed, theBhagavata and Matsya,

imder

different appellations,

is

their concurrence in

the extent of the work: each specifying

its

verses to

be twenty-four thousand. A copy of the Siva Parana, of which an index and analysis have been prepared, does not contain more than about seven thousand.

It

Purana of theBhdgavata: consider that to be the same as the

cannot, therefore, be the Siva

and we may

safely

Vaya"viya of the Matsya."^

^

Conjmentary on the Mitaksbara, Vyavahara

'

As. Journ,, March, 1837, p. 242, note.

^

Analysis of the

December,

'

Yayu Purana: Jouin.

Kai'ida.

As. Soc. of Bengal,

1832.

For accounts of works

entitled

^iva-puTana and Laghu-i^iva-purd/m,

see Catalog. Cod. Manuscript. Sanscrit. Postvedic. Bodleian., &c,, §§ 113, 127. and 129. first, described iti § 113, l)r, Aufrecht observes: "De queiu ad celebrandum cullum Laiugicum scriptiim esse vides,

Rog!»Tdi»g tho libro ipso,

Jo praesentia

ailiil

de Skandapuranae

audiamas.

tsmere asse^eraYorim; exspectandliiE euim est, parte,

Ex quo

quae 6jvaru;ibatmya

libeliuBi

dicta sunt, suspicari possia."'

appellatiir,

nostrum do.suu)tuJn esse,

lis

dum

accnratiora

quae infra

XXXVn

PREFACE.

by Siita, to the Rishis was formerly told, at the same persons, by Vayu: a repetition of cir-

The Vayu Puraiia at

is

Naimisharanya, as

place, to similar

narrated,

it

cumstances not uncharacteristic of the

inanificia] style

It is divided into four

Padas, termed,

of this Purina.

Upodghata, Anushanga, and Upa-

severally, Prakriya,

samhara; a

classification peculiai* to this

work. These

are preceded by an index, or heads of chapters, in the

manner of the Mahabharata and Ramayana

— another

peculiarity.

The Prakriya and

poi*tion contains

treats, chiefly, of

but a few chapters,

elemental creation, and the

first

evolutions of beings, to the same purport as the Vishnu,

but in a more obsciu^e and unmethodical style. The Upodghata then continues the subject of creation, and describes the various Kaipas or periods during which

the world has existed; a greater specified

number

of which

is

by the Saiva, than by the Vaishnava, Poranas.

Thirty -three are here described, the

last of

which

is

the Sweta or 'white' Kalpa, from Siva's being born, in The genealogies of the pait, of a white complexion. triarchs, the description of the universe,

dents of the

first six

Manwantaras are

all

and the

inci-

treated of in

work; but they are intermixed with legends and praises of Siva, as the sacrifice of Daksha, the Maheswara Mahatmya, the Nilakahtha Stotra, and

this part of the

others.

same

The

genealogies, although, in the main, the

as those in the Vaishhava Puranas, present

variations.

A long

some

account of the Pitfis or progenitors

Purana; as are stories of some of the most celebrated Rishis who were engaged in the

is

also peculiar to this

distribution of the Vedas,

XXXVIII

The

PREFACE. third division

commences with an account of

the seven Rishis and their descendants, and describes the origin of the diiferent classes of creatures from the

daughters of Daksha, with a profuse copiousness of

nomenclature, not found in any other Puraha. With exception of the greater minuteness of ticulars agree

detail,

the par-

A

with those of the Vishnu Puraha.

chapter then occurs on the worship of the Pitris ; another,

on Tirthas or places sacred to them; and several, on the performance of Sraddhas, constituting the Sraddha

Kalpa. After this comes a

full

account of the solar and

lunar dynasties, forming a parallel to that in the

lowing pages, with

in verse, whilst that of is,

fol-

this difference, that it is, throughout,

chiefly, in prose. It is

our

text, as noticed in its place,

extended, also, by the insertion

of detailed accounts of various incidents, briefly noticed in the Vishnu,

mon

original.

though derived, apparently, from a com-

The

section terminates with similar

accounts of future kings, and the same chronological calculations, that are

The

found

in the

Vishnu.

Upasamhara, describes briefly the future Manwantaras, the measures of space and time, the end of the world, the efficacy of Yoga, and the last portion, the

glories of Sivapura, or the dwelling of Siva, with

the Yogin

is

whom

The manuscript concludes

to be united.

with a different history of the successive teachers of

Vayu Puraha, tracing them from Brahma to Vayu, from Vayu toBrihaspati, and from him, through various deities and sages, to Dwaipayana and Siita. the

The account given

of this

Puraha

in the

Journal of

the Asiatic Society of Bengal was limited to something less

than half the work; as

I

had not then been able

to

XXXIX

PREFACE.

procure a larger portion.

I

have now a more complete

my

own; and there are several copies in the East India Company's library, of the like extent. One, presented by His Highness the Guicowar, is dated Samvat 1540, or A. D. 1483, and is, evidently, as old

one of

as

it

The examination I have made work confirms the view I formerly took of it;

professes to be.

of the

and, from the internal evidence

it

affords,

it

may, per-

haps, be regarded as one of the oldest and most authentic specimens extant of a primitive Purana. It

we have not Vayu Purana. The extent of it,

appears, however, that

the entire

yet a copy of as

mentioned

above, should be twenty-four thousand verses. The Guicowar MS. has but twelve thousand, and is deno-

minated the Piirvardha or first portion. My copy is of the like extent. The index also shows, that several subjects remain untold; as, subsequently to the description of the sphere of Siva,

of the world, the work

of a succeeding creation

occurred in

it,

and the periodical dissolution said to contain an account

is ,

and of various events that

as the birth of several celebrated foshis,

including that of Vyasa, and a description of his distribution of the Vedas; an account of the enmity between Vasishtha and Viswamitra; and a Naimisharahya Ma-

hatmya. These topics are, however, of minor importance, and can scarcely carry the Purana to the whole extent of the verses which

number

is

it is

accurate, the index

said to contain. If the

must

still

omit a con-

siderable portion of the subsequent contents. 5. Sri

Bhagavata Purana.

"That

in

which ample

duty are described, and M^hich opens with (an extract from) the Gayatri; that in which the death

details of

XL

PREFACE.

of the Asura Vritra

is told, and in which the mortals and immortals of the Saraswata Kalpa, with the events that then happened to them in the world, are related;

that

is

celebrated as the Bhagavata, and consists of

eighteen thousand verses." *

The Bhagavata is a work more direct

of great celebrity in India, and exercises a

and powerful influence upon the opinions and

feelings

of the people than, perhaps, any other of the Puranas. It is placed the fifth in all the lists;

Pur an a ranks substance of fication,

it

it

all

as the eighteenth,

but the

Padma

as the extracted

the rest. According to the usual speci-

consists of eighteen thousand slokas, distri-

buted amongst three hundred and thirty-two chapters,

named

divided into twelve Skandhas or books.

It is

Bhdgavata from its being dedicated to the of Bhagavat or Vishnu.

glorification

The Bhagavata is communicated misharanya, by M^as narrated

Siita, as usual:

to the Rishis at Nai-

but he only repeats what

by Suka, the son

of Vyasa, to Parikshit,

the king ofHastinapura, the grandson of Arjuna. Having incurred the imprecation of a hermit, by which he was

sentenced to die of the bite of a venomous snake at the expiration of seven days, the king, in preparation for this event, wliither also

repairs to the banks of the Ganges,

come the gods and

sages, to witness his

********

PREFACE.

Amongst

XLI

is §uka; and it is in reply what a man should do who is about to die, that he narrates the BhAgavata, as he had heard it from Vyasa: for nothing secures final happi-

death.

the latter

to Parikshit's question,

ness so certainly, as to die whilst the thoughts are

wholly engrossed by Vishnu.

The course of the narration opens with a cosmogony, which, although, in most respects, similar to that of otherPuranas,

is

more

largely intermixed with allegory

and mysticism, and derives its tone more from the Vedanta than the Sankhya philosophy. The doctrine of active creation

deva,

is

more

by the Supreme,

as

one with Vasu-

distinctly asserted, with a

more decided

enunciation of the effects being resolvable into

or illusion.

There

are,

also,

Maya

doctrinal peculiarities

highly characteristic of this Purana; amongst which the assertion, that

Brahma

it

was

to Narada, that

is

communicated by men whatsoever, Hindus

originally all

of every caste, and even Mlechclihas, outcasts or barbarians,

might learn to have

faith in

Vdsudeva.

In the third book, the interlocutors are changed to

Maitreya and Vidura, the formier of ciple, in the

Vishnu Purana; the

brother of the

Kuru

an account of the strain partly

princes.

whom

latter

is

the dis-

was the

half-

Maitreya, again, gives

Sfishti-lila or sport of creation, in

common

a

to the Puranas, partly peculiar;

although he declares he learned

it

from his teacher

Parasara, at the desire of Pulastya:^ referring, thus, to

the fabulous origin of the Vishnu Purana, and furnish-

ing evidence of

'

See Book

I.,

its

priority.

Chapter

I.,

Again, however, the

ad finem.

PREFACE.

XLII

authority

is

changed; and the narrative

is

said to have

been that which was communicated by Sesha to the

The

Nagas.

creation of Brahma

is

then described, and

the divisions of time are explained.

peculiar account

Vishnu, which Japatis is

is

is

A

very long and

given of the Varaha incarnation of

followed by the creation of the Pra-

and Swayambhuva, whose daughter Devahiiti

married to Kardama Rishi; an incident peculiar to

work as is that which follows, of the Avatara of Vishnu as Kapila the son of Kardama and Devahiiti, the author of the Sankhya philosophy, which he expounds, after a Vaishnava fashion, to his mother, in this

,

the last nine chapters of this section.

The Manwantara

of

Swayambhuva, and the

multipli-

cation of the patriarchal families, are next described

with some peculiarities of nomenclature, which are pointed out in the notes to the parallel passages of the

VishnuPur4na. The traditions of Dhruva,Vena^ Frith u,

and other princes of

this period, are the other subjects

of the fourth Skandha, and are continued, in the to that of the

Bharata

who

obtained emancipation.

fifth,

The

conform to those of the Vishnu Purana; and the same words are often employed; so that it would be difficult to determine which work had the details generally

best right to them, had not the Bhagavata itself indi-

cated

its

obligations to the Vishnu.

The remainder of

book is occupied with the description of the universe; and the same conformity with the Vishnu the

fifth

continues.

This

is

only partially the case with the sixth book,

which contains a variety of legends of a miscellaneous description, intended to illustrate the merit of worship-

PREFACE.

ping Vishnu.

Some

of

XLill

them belong

to the early stock;

but some are, apparently, novel. The seventh book mostly, occupied with the legend of Prahlada. eighth,

we have an account

taras; in which, as

of the remaining

happening

in

is,

In the

Manwan-

the course of them, a

variety of ancient legends are repeated, as the battle

between the king of the elephants and an alligator, the churning of the ocean, and the dwarf and fish Avataras.

The ninth book narrates the dynasties of the Vaivaswata Manwantara, or the princes of the solar and lunar races to the time of Krishna.^

The

particulars conform,

generally, with those recorded in the Vishnu.

The

tenth

book

is

the characteristic part of this

Purana, and the portion upon which founded.

It is

Krishna, which

it

popularity

is

much in the same manner more detail; holding a middle

narrates

as the Vishnu, but in place,

its

appropriated entirely to the history of

however, between it and the extravagant prolixity It is not

with which the Hari Vaiiisa repeats the story. necessary to particularize lated into, perhaps,

all

it

further.

It

has been trans-

the languages of India, and

is

work with all descriptions of people. The eleventh book describes the destruction of the Yadavas and death of Krishna. Previous to the latter event, Ki-ishha instructs Uddhava in the performance a favourite

of the

the

Yoga; a subject consigned, by the Vishnu, to

concluding passages.

A

The

narrative

is

much

by Captain Fell, was published numbers of the Monthly and Quarterly Magazine, in 1823 and 1824. The second volume of Maurice's Ancient History of Hindostan contains a translation, byMr.Halhed, ^

translation of the ninth,

in Calcutta,

in different

of the tenth book,

made through

the

medium

of a Persian version.

PREFACE.

XLIV

the same, but something the Vishnu.

The

twelfth

more summary than that of book continues the hnes of

the kings of the Kaii age, prophetically, to a similar

period as the Vishnu, and gives a like account of the deterioration of

all

things and their final dissolution.

Consistently with the subject of thePurana, the serpent

Takshaka

bites Parikshit,

and he expires: and the work

should terminate; or the close might be extended to the

subsequent

sacrifice of

Janamejaya, for the destruction

of the whole serpent race. There

is

a rather

awkwardly

introduced description, however, of the arrangement of the Vedas and Puranas by Vydsa, and the legend of

M4rkahdeya's interview with the infant Krishna, during a period of worldly dissolution.

end of the Bhagavata,

We

then come to the

in a series of encomiastic

com-

mendations of its own sanctity and efficacy to salvation. Mr. Colebrooke observes, of the Bhagavata Purana: "I am, myself, inclined to adopt an opinion supported

by many learned Hindus, who consider the celebrated Sri Bhagavata as the work of a grammarian [Bopadeva], supposed to have lived about six hundred years ago."* Colonel Vans Kennedy considers this an incautious admission because "it is unquestionable that the number of the Puranas have been always held to be eighteen; but, in most of the Puranas, the names of the eighteen are enumerated, amongst which the Bhagavata is invariably included; and, consequently, if it were composed only six hundred years ago, the others must be ;

'

"

As. Res:, Vol, VIIL, p, 467.*

Miicellaneous Essays, Vol,

I.,

p.

104.

XLV

PEEFACE. of an equally doubts,

more

modern

date."^

Some

of

them

are,

no

recent; but, as already remarked, no weight

can be attached to the specification of the eighteen

names: for they are always complete: each Purana enumerates all.* Which is the last? Which had the opportunity of naming

its

seventeen predecessoi'S, and

The argument proves too much. There can be little doubt that the list has been inserted, upon the authority of tradition, either by some improving transcriber, or by the compiler of a work more recent adding

itself?

than the eighteen genuine Puranas.

1'he objection

is

by the assertion, that there was another Purana to which the name applies, and which is still to be njet with, the Devf Bhagavata. For the authenticity of the Bhagavata is one of the also rebutted

few questions, affecting their sacred

literature,

which

Hindu writers have ventured to discuss. The occasion is furnished by the text itself. In the fourth chapter of the first book, it is said that Vyasa arranged the Vedas, and divided them into four, and that he then compiled theltihdsa and Puranas, as a fifth Veda. The Vedas he gave to Paila and the rest; the Itihasa and Purdnas, to Lomaharshaiia, the father of

'

Researches into

-Hindu Mythology, '

•

Book

I.,

the Nature

B»it 3ee the editor's

19-22.

f

second note in

Then,

ami Affinity of Ancient and

p. 155, note.

Chapter IV.,

Siita.^

p.

LIV.

infra.

PREFACE.

XLVI

works may not be accessible to castes, he composed the Bharata, for the purpose of placing religious knowledge within their reach. Still, he felt dissatisfied, and wan-

reflecting that these

women,

Siidras,

and mixed

much

perplexity,

dered, in

along the banks of the

where his hermitage was situated, when Narada paid him a visit. Having confided to him his secret and seemingly causeless dissatisfaction, Narada suggested that it arose from his not having sufficiently dwelt,, in the works he had finished, upon the merit of ^worshipping Vasudeva. Vy4sa at once admitted its truth, and found a remedy for his uneasiness in the composition of theBhagavata, which he taught to Suka, his son.' Here, therefore, is the most positive assertion that the Bhagavata was composed subsequently to the Puranas, and given to a different pupil, and was not^ therefore, one of the eighteen of which Romaharshana, Sarasw^ati,

the Suta, was, according to the depositary.

Still,

all

concurrent testimonies,

the Bhagavata

is

named amongst

the eighteen Puranas, by the inspired authorities: and

how can The started

these incongruities be reconciled?

principal point in dispute seems to have been

by an expression of Sridhara Sw4min

,

a com-

mentator on the Bhagavata, who, somewhat incautiously,

made

the remark, that there was no reason to suspect

Book

I.,

7, 8.

PREFACE. that^

XLVII

by the term Bhagavata, any other work than the was mtended. This was, therean admission that some suspicions had been enter-

subject of his labours fore,

tained of the correctness of the nomenclature, and that

an opinion had been expressed, that the term belonged, not to the Sri Bhagavata, but to the Devi Bhagavata; to a Saiva, not a Vaishnava, composition.

With

doubts prevailed prior toSridharaSwamin, or by

they were urged, does not appear;

whom whom

for, as far as

we

are aware, no works, anterior to his date, in which

they are advanced have been met with. Subsequently, various tracts have been written on the subject. There are three in the library of the East India

the Durjana

Mukha

Company:

Chapetika, 'A slap of the face for

Ramasrama; the Durjana Mukha Maha

the vile', by

Chapeiika,* 'A great slap of the face for the wicked',

by Kasinatha Bhatta; and the Durjana Mukha Padma Paduka, 'A slipper' for the same part of the same persons,

by a nameless disputant. The

first

maintains the

authenticity of the Bhagavata; the second asserts, that

*

The

postscript of this tract has Durjana-niukha-chapetifcd.

Professor Wilsou has noted, that

referred to, in the

it is

In the MS.,

Darjana-mukha-

padma-padukd, under a longer title, that given in the text. Burnouf— who, in the preface to the first volume of his Bkdgavata-purmia, has and annotated the three

translated follows parait

on that reference: "Le etre

meme

le

treatises

traite

que celui que

named above

— remarks

auquel notre auteur

j'ai

place le troisieme,

as

fait

allusion

et

qui est

consacre tout entier a prouver cette these, que quand les Pnraiias parlent da Bhagavata, c'est le Devibbagavata qu'ils entendent designer, et non pas notre (,'ri Bhagavata, qui fait autorito pour les Vaichnavas. Cependant le passage sur lequel porte la presente note nomme ce traite: Un grand soufjkt, etc.; ce qui ferait supposer qu'il existe deux traites

de ce genre, dont I'un serait plus etendu que I'autre, poss^derions bas."

P.

que

le

LXXVII.

et

dont nous ne

plus court, c'est-a-dire celui qui est traduit plus

XLVm

PREFACE.

the Devi Bbagavata third replies

fco

is

the genuine Parana;

the arguments of the

first.

and the There is,

a work by Purushottama, entitled 'Thirteen arguments for dispelling all doubts of the character of the Bhdgavata' (Bbagavata swariipa vishaya sanka nirasa also,

trayodasa); whilst BalamBhatta, a commentator on the

Mitakshard, indulging in a dissertation on the meaning of the

word Puraha, adduces reasons

for questioning

the inspired origin of this Purana.

The

chief arguments in favour of the authenticity

why

of this Purana are, the absence of any reason

Bopadeva, put his

to

whom

own name

to

it is

attributed, should not

its

it;

being included in

have

all lists

of the Puranas, sometimes with circumstances that

belong to no other Purana; and its being admitted to be a Purana, and cited as authority, or made the sub-

comment, bv writers of established reputation, Sankara Acharya is one: and he lived long before Bopadeva. The reply to the first argument is

ject of

of

whom

rather feeble; the controversialists being unwilling,

perhaps, to admit the real object, the promotion of

new

Vyasa was an incarnation of N^rdyaiia; and the purpose was to propitiate his favour. The insertion of a Bhagavat,a amongst doctrines.

It

is,

therefore , said, that

the eighteen Puranas said,

acknowledged; but

is

this, it is

can be the Devi Bbagavata alone: for the circum-

stances apply

more

correctly to

Bbagavata. Thus, a text a Puraha

—he does not

Bbagavata, that

it

twelve books, and

is

it

than to the Vaishnava

quoted,

state

by Kasinatha, from

which

—that

says, of the

contains eighteen thousand verses, thi-ee

hundred and thirty-two chap-

PREFACE.

XLIX.

ters. Kasinatha asserts that the chapters of the Srf Bhdgavata are three hundred and thirty-five, and that the numbers apply, throughout, only to the Devi Bhagavata. It is also said that the Bhagavata contains an

account of the acquirement of holy knowledge by

Hayagrfva; the particulars of the Saraswata Kalpa; a dialogue between Ambarisha and Suka; and that

commences with the it

These

all

apply to the Devi Bhagavata alone, except

the last: but

it

ai£o

is

more

true of the Saiva than of

the Vaishnava work; for the latter has only one

former te dhimahi adds, enlighten

first place,

To

us.'

word

'we meditate'; whilst the

of the Grayati'i, dhimahi,

may

it

Gayatri, or, at least, a citation of

Yo nah

the

tiiird

prachodayat, 'who

aigument

objected, that the citation of the

it is,

in the

Bhagavata

by modern writers

is no test of its authenticity; and, with regard to the more ancient commentary of San-

kara Acharya,

it is

asked,

"Where

is

it?"

Those who

advocate the sanctity of the Bhagavata reply: "It was written in a difficult

stj^le,

and beewne obsolete, and

"A

very unsatisfactoiy plea", retort their opponents; "for we still have the works of Sankara,

is

lost."

several of

which are quite

Sanskrit language." too, rests

The

as difficult as

any

in the

existence of this comment,

upon the authority of Mddhwa or Madha-

^R«^

'W^

f^rffm: '^jht: ifT^ir T[^T^ irT<^d ^Tj^remm: ^i^r<^fli:

h

flitr^» i

The

first

three of these five verses are quoted, professedly from the Fh-

rdndrnava, near the beginnings of Chitsukha's Bhdgavata-kathd-sangraha.

L

PREFACE.

va,* who, in a cornxnentary of his own, asserts that he

has consulted eight others.

Now, amongst

these

is

one by the monkey Hanumat; and, although a Hindu disputant may believe in the reality of such a composi-

we may receive its citation Madhwa was not very scrupulous in tion, yet

as a proof that

the verification

of his authorities.

There are other topics urged, in this controversy, sides, some of which are simple enough, some

on both

are ingenious: but the statement of the text

is,

of itself,

sufficient to show, that^ according to the received opinion,

of

all

the authorities, of the priority of the eighteen

Puranas to the Bharata, it is impossible that the Sri Bhagavata, which is subsequent to the Bharata, should be of the number; and the evidence of

style,

the supe-

which to that of the Puranas in general is admitted by the disputants, is also proof that it is the work of a different hand. Whether the Devi Bhdga-

riority of

vata have a better

title

composition ofVyasa,

to

be considered as an original

is

equally questionable; but

it

cannot be doubted that the Sri Bhagavata is the product of uninspired erudition. There does not seem to be

any other ground than tradition for ascribing it to Bopadeva the grammarian: but there is no reason to call the tradition in question. Bopadeva flourished at the court of Hemadri, Raja of Devagiri, Deogur or Dowlutabad, and must, consequently, have lived prior the conquest of that principality

to

medans

*

p.

in the fourteenth century.

by the MohamThe date of the

See Burnoufs edition of the Bhagavata -purdAa, Vol.

LXII., note.

I,,

Pr«face

U

PREFACE. twelfth century,*

commonly assigned

bably, correct, and 6.

that of the

is

to

him,

is,

pro-

Bhagavata Parana.

Narada or Naradfya Purana. "Where Narada has

described the duties which were observed in the Brihat

Kalpa, that

is

called the Naradiya, having twentv-five

thousand stanzas."

If the

^

correctly stated, the

hands.

The copy

number of verses be here

PurMa

has not fallen into

my

have analysed contains not many more than three thousand slokas. There is another work, which might be expected to be of greater extent, I

the Brihan Naradiya or great Narada Purana; but

according to the concurrence of three copies

in

this,

my

possession, and of live others in the

Company's library, contains but about three thousand five hundred verses. It may be doubted, therefore, if the Narada Purana of the Matsya exists.^ According to the Matsya, the Narada Purana is related

^ The description of Vishnu, translated by Colonel Vans Kennedy (Researches into the Nature and i\ffinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology, p. 200") from the Naradiya Purana, occurs

in

my

copy of the Brihan Naradiya.

in the East India

Company's

There

text, several of the Brihan Naradiya.

Rukraaagada Charitra,

is

no Narada Purana

library, though, as noticed in the

There

is

a copy of the

said to he a part of the Sri Niirada Purana.

* Burnouf Bkdgavala-purd/ia Vol. I., Preface, p. LXIII., first tiote, and pp. XCVII. et seq. would place Bopadova in the second half of the ,

—

thirteenth century. I follow the western and southern pandits in preferring Bopadeva to Vopadeva, as the name is ordinarily exhibited. Touching Bopadeva and Hemadri, see Dr. Aufrecht's Catalog. Cod.

Manmcript., &c., pp. 37 and 38.

UI

PREFACE.

by Narada, and gives an account of the Bfihat Kalpa. The Naradiya Purana is communicated, by Narada, to the Rishis at Naimisharariya, on the Gomati river. The Brihan Naradiya is related to the same persons, at the same place, by Suta, as it was told by Narada to Sanatkumara. Possibly, the term Brihat may have been suggested by the specification which is given in theMatsya: but there is no description, in it^ of any particular Kalpa or day of Brahma.

Fi*om a cursory examination of these Pura^as

it is

very evident that they have no conformity to the definition of a Purana, and that both are sectarial and modern compilations, intended to support the doctrine of Bhakti they have collected one or other form of that divinity; a number of observances and holy days connected with his adoration; and different legends, or faith in Vishnu.

a

V

With

this view,

ariety of prayers addressed to

some, perhaps, of an early, others of a more recent, date, Dlustrative of the efficacy of devotion to Hari.

Thus,

in

we have

the Narada,

andPrahlada; the

the stories of

latter told in the

whilst the second portion of it

is

Dhruva

words of the Vishnu:

occupied with a legend

of Mohini, the will-born daughter of a king called Ruk-

mungada; beguiled by whom, the king offers to perform tor her whatever she may desire. She calls upon him either to violate the rule of fasting on the eleventh day of ihe fortni2;ht, a day sacred to Vishnu, or to put his

son to death; and he the two.

may

kills his

This shows the

also be inferred

from

son, as the lesser sin of

spirit of the its

work.

Its

extravagancies in praise of Bhakti are, certainly, of

dern origin. One limit

it

date

tenor; as such monstrous

furnishes, itself; for

it

mo-

refers

PREFACE. to

LIII

Suka and Parikshlt, the interloctitors of the Bhagaand it is, consequently, subsequent to the date

vata.;

of thatPurana. It it

is,

probably, considerably later;

aftbrds evidence that

it

was written

after India

foi*

was

hands of the Mohammedans. In the concluding passage it is said: "Let not thisPurana be repeated in the presence of the * killers of cows' and contemners

in the

of the gods."

It

is,

possibly, a compilation of the six-

teenth or seventeenth century.

The Brihan Naradfya and time.

is

a work of the same tenor

It contains little else

than panegyrical prayers

addressed to Vishnu, and injunctions to observ^e various rites, and keep holy certain seasons, in honour of him.

The earlier legends introduced are the birth of Markahdeya, the destruction of Sagara's sons, and the dwarf Avatara; but they are subservient to the design of the whole, and are rendered occasions for praising Nar^yana.

Others, illustrating the efficacy of certain

Vaishnava observances, are puerile inventions, wholly foreign to the more ancient system of Pauranik fiction.

There

is

no attempt

regal genealogy.

at

It is

cosmogony, or patriarchal or possible that these topics

be treated of in the missing stanzas: but likely that the

common in

Narada Purana of the

with the works to which

its

it

lists

may

seems more has

name

is

little in

applied

Bengal and Hindustban.

Markanda or Mdrkahdeya Fivraha. "That Parana in which, commencing with the story of the birds that were acquainted with right and wrong, everything is narrated fully by Mdrkahdeya, as it was explained, by 7.

holy sages, in reply to the question of the Muni, is called the Markandeya, containing nine thousand ver-

PREFACE

LIV

This

ses."^

Is

so called from

place,

by

being, in the first in-

certain fabulous birds; thus far agreeing with

the account s^iven of

it

in

as other authorities, specify stanzas; but

the

its

by MarkandeyaMuni, and, in the second

stance, narrated

my

the Matsya. its

That, as well

containing nine thousand

copy doses with a verse affirming that

number of verses

recited

by the Muni was

sand nine hundred; and a copy

in the

The

pany's library has a similar specification. nation

reason

is,

six thou-

East India

however, somewhat abrupt; and there

why

the subject with which

it

Com-

termiis

no

ends should not

have been carried on further. One copy

m

the

Com-

pany's library, indeed, belonging to the Guicowar collection, states, at the close, that first

Khaiida or section.

If the

it is

Puraha was ever com-

pleted, the remaining portion of

it

appears to be lost.*

Jaimini, the pupil of Vyasa, applies to to be

made acquainted with

s

the end of the

Markandeya

the nature of Vasudeva,

and for an explanation of some of the incidents described in theMahabharata; with

tlie

ambrosia of which

divine poem, Vyasa, he declares, has watered the whole

world: a reference which establishes the priority of the

Bharata to the Markandeya Purana, however incom-

5TTW ^w^rn"^ ^R7^#^rffnf^ •

iit

See the Rev. Krisbnamohan Banerjea's edition of the Mdrkandeya-

purd/iu, IntrofluctioD, pp, 26, 31, and 32.

t

Two MSS.

the second

of the lUatsya- purana, out of four within

and third

lines.

The

my

reach, omit

other two give the second as follows:

PREFACE.

may be

patible this

LV

with the tradition, that, having

Vyasa wrote the poem. *

finished the PurdhaSj

M^rkahdeya excuses himself, saying he has areiigious perform; and he refers Jaimini to some very

rite to

sapient birds

who

reside in the

Vindhya mountains; when just born, by of Kurukshetra, and

birds of a celestial origin, found,

the

Muni iSamfka, on the

field

brought up, by him, along with his scholars:

in conse-

quence of which, and by virtue of their heavenly descent, they became profoundly versed in the Vedas and a

knowledge of

This machinery

spiritual truth.

bor-

is

rowed from the Mahabharata, with some embellishment. Jaimini, accordingly, has recourse to the birds, Pingak-

sha and his brethren, and puts to them the questions he had asked of the Muni: "Why was Vasudeva born as a mortal?

How

was

it

that Draupadi

Why

of the five Pandus?

was the wife

did Baladeva do penance

And whv were the children of Draupadf destroyed, when they had Krishna and Arjuna to defend them?" The answer: to these inquiries for Brahmanicide?

occupy a number of chapters, and form a sort of supple*

In his accouDt of the Mdrkandeya-pufdna,

"We

cannot help noticing, in

this place,

Professor Banerjea says;

the dignity impnted to the

work under review. It is classed in the same category with the Vedas, and described as an immediate product from Brahma's mouth. Although a Parana,

it is

the author of

not attributed to Vyasa, all

works bearing that

does not acknowledge him as

its

whom

title.

other ^astras consider as

The MarkanSeya, however,

composer, editor, or compiler.

It

claims

equal honour, in this respect, with the Vedas themselves."

Again, with reference

"As

far as

vO

the

list

spoken of

in pp.

we have seen Bengal Manuscripts,

XXIII. and XLV., supra:

the

Harkandeya presents a

singular exception to this hackneyed enumeration of the eighteen Purauae,

and the celebration of Vyasa's name as the author of them Maithila manuscripts, as they are Ibid., Preface, pp.

15 and 16.

commonly

all.

The

called, are not so chaste"

PREFACE.

LVI

ment tion,

by inven-

to the Mahabharata; supplying, partly

perhaps, and partly by reference to equally ancient

some of its narrations. Legends of Vritrdsura's death, Baladeva's penance, Harischandra's elevation tp heaven, and the quarrel between Vasishtha and Viswamitra, are followed by a

authorities, the blanks left in

discussion respecting birth, death, and sin; which leads to a

more extended

than

is

which

description of the different hells

found in otherPurAnas. The account of creation is

contained in this work

is

repeated, by the

birds, after MArkaiideya's account of itto Kraushtuki,

and

is

confined to the origin of the Vedas and patri-

archal families, amongst

Duhsaha and

whom

his wife Marshti,

are

new

characters, as

and their descendants;

allegorical personages, representing intolerable iniquity

and

consequences.

its

There

is

then a description of

the world, with, as usual to this Purdna, several singularities,

some of which

are noticed in the following

This being the state of the world in the Swdyambhuva Manwantara, an account of the other Man-

pages.

wantaras succeeds, in which the births of the

Man us,

and a number of other particulars, are peculiar to this work. The present or Vaivaswata Manwantara is very briefly

passed over; but the next, the

first

of the future

Manwantaras, contains the long episodical narrative of the actions of the goddess Durgd, which

boast of this Purana, and

is

is

the especial

the text-book of the wor-

shippers ofK41i, Chandf, or Durga, in Bengal. the Chaiidi Patha, or

Durgd MAhatmya,

in

It is

which the

victories of the goddess over different evil beings or

Asuras are detailed with considerable power and spirit. read daily in the temples of Durga, and furnishes

It is

LVn

PREFACE. the

pomp and

gal,

the Durgdpuja, or public worship of that. goddess.^

circumstance of the great festival of Ben-

After the account of the Manwantaras there follows a series of legends,

Sun and his

relating to the

completed,

is

some new, some

old,

posterity; continued to Vai-

vaswata Manu and his sons, and their immediate descendants; terminating with yanta. ^

Of most

Dama,

the son of Narish-

of the persons noticed the

work

nar-

rates particulars not found elsewhere.

This Purana has a character different from that of all

the others. It has nothing of a sectarial

spirit, little

of a religious tone; rarely inserting prayers and invocations to

any

deity;

and moderate. or moral.

and such

as are inserted are brief

It deals little in

precepts, ceremonial

Its leading feature is narrative:

and

sents an uninterrupted succession of legends,

which,

when

stances, and,

ancient, are embellished with

when new, partake

it

pre-

most of

new circum-

so far of the spirit of

the old, that they are disinteresred creations of the

imagination, having no particular motive, being designed to

recommend no

special doctrine or obser-

vance. Whether they are derived from any other source,

or whether they are original mventions,

They

it iff

not pos-

most probably, for the greater part, at leasts original; and the whole has been narrated in the compiler's own manner; a manner superior to that of the Purahas in general, with exsible to ascei-tain.

are,

ception of the Bhigavata.

'

A

translation into English,

by a MadriiS Pandit, Kavali Ven-

kata Ramaswamin, was pablished at Calcutta, in 1823. «

See Vishnu Puraria, Book IV., Chapter

I.

PREFACE.

LVIII

not easy to conjecture a date for this Parana. subsequent to the Mahabharata; but how long subsequent, is doubtful. It is, unquestionably, more It is

It is

ancient than such works as the

Brahma, Padma, and

freedom from

sectarial bias Naradiya Puranas and its Bhagavata. to the anterior supposing it is a reason for ;

At the same time, its partial conformity to the definition of a Pnrana, and the tenor of the additions which it has made to received legends and traditions, indicate a not very remote age; and, in the absence of any guide to a

more

positive conclusion,

it

may,

conjecturally,

be placed in the ninth or tenth century. 8. x\gni Purdna. "That Purdna which describes the occurrences of the IsanaKalpa, and was related byAgni to Vasishiha,

is

called the

teen thousand stanzas."^

Agneya.

It consists of six-

The Agni or Agneya Purana

name from its having being communicated, by Agni, the deity of fire, to the Muni Var sishtha, for the purpose of instructing him in the twofold knowledge of Brahma.^ By him it was taught to derives

its

originally,

Vyasa, who imparted

it

presented as repeating ranya.

Its

to Siita; it

and the

latter is re-

to the Rishis at Naimisha-

contents are variously specified as sixteen

thousand,fifteen thousand, or fourteen thousand, stanzas.

The two about

copies which were employed

fifteen

******** ******** '

by me contain

thousand slokas. There are two,

See Book VI., Chapter V.

in the

PREFACE.

Company's

library,

which do not extend beyond twelve

thousand verses: but they different

LIX

many

are, in

other respects,

from mine. One of them was written

in the reign of Akbar, in A.

The Agni Parana,

form

in the

at Agra,

D. 1589. in

which

it

has been

obtained in Bengal and at Benares, presents a striking contrast to the Markafideya. single line of

of

may

it

is

original.

may be doubted

if

a

very great proportion

— the task was worth the time would —would probably discover the remainder.

The

early

if

it

chapters of this Purana* describe the

Avataras, and, in those of follow

It

A

be traced to other sources; and a more care-

ful collation

require

it

Rama and Krishna, avowedly

theRamayaha and Mahabharata.

portion

is

A considerable

then appropriated to instructions for the per-

formance of religious ceremonies; many ofwhichbelong to the Tantrika ritual, and are, apparently, transcribed

from the principal authorities of that system. belong to mystical fonns of Saiva worship,

Hindusthan, though, perhaps,

in

south.

One

of these

is

still

little

Some known

practised in the

the Di'ksha or initiation of a

novice; bv which, with numerous ceremonies and invocations, in which the mysterious nxonosyllables of

the Tantras are constantly repeated, the disciple

is

transformed into a living personation of Siva, and receives, in that capacity, the

'

of his Guru. Inter-

Analysis of the Agni Parana: Journal of the Asiatic Society

of Bengal, March, 1832.* the Agni

Saiva *

homage

is

I

have there stated, incorrectly, that

a Vaishiiava Puraiia.

class, as

It

is

one of the Tamasa or

mentioned above.

See Professor Wilson's collected works, Vol.

III.

PE^FACE.

LX

spersed with these are chapters descriptive of the earth

and of the universe, which are the same as those of the Vishnu Purana; and Mahatmyas or legends of holy Chapters on the duties

places, particularly of Gayd.

of kings and on the art of

war then

occur, which have

the appearance of being extracted from some older

work, as is, undoubtedly, the chapter on judicature,* which follows them, and which is the same as the text of the Mitakshara. Subsequent to these we have an account of the distribution and arrangement of the Vedas and Puranas, which is little else than an abridg-

ment of the Vishnu; and,

in

a chapter on

a descnption of the Puranas, which

is

gifts,

we have

precisely the

same, and in the same situation, as the similar subject

Matsya PurAha. The genealogical chapters are meagre lists, differing, in a few respects, fi-om those

in the

commonly

received,

a,s

hereafter noticed, but unaccom-

panied by any particulars such as those recorded or invented in the Markandeya. c'me, compiled,

A

Sausruta.

The next

subject

is

m^di-

avowedly, but injudiciously, from the

series of chapters

on the mystic worship

of Siva and Devi follows; and the work winds up with

on

treatises

The it is

and grammar, according and Panini.

rhetoric, prosody,

to the Sutras of Pingala

Agni Purana, as from any legitimate be regarded as a Purdna, and proves that its

cyclop«edical character of the

now

claims to

described, excludes

it

According to Dr. Aafrecht: "Haec pars, paucis mutatis et

additis,

61 Tajnavalkyae legum codice desumta est." Then follows "l^igvidhanam, 1.

e.,

lijgvedi

Baec pats fort

e

hymoi

excerpta est,

disticba

sive

RigvidbaDa

libello,

multiqae

Catalog. Cod. Manuscript,,

versos

&.c.,

ad varias snperstitiones adhibenda.

qui et ipse serae origiitis indicia prae se

p. 7.

ad literam

cum

illo

cousentiunt."

HmFACE.

Lxr

origin cannot be very remote. It Itihasas, to the chief

is

subsequent to the

works on grammar,

rhetoric,

and

medicine, and to the introduction of the Tantrika

Wlien this latter took place, is yet from determined; but there is every probability

worship of Devf. far

that

it

dates long after the beginning of our era.

The

materials of the Agni Purana are, however, no doubt,

of

some

antiquity.

The medicine

of Susruta

is

con-

siderably older than the ninth century; and the gram-

mar

of Panini probably precedes Christianity.

The

on archery and amis, and on regal administration, are also distinguished by an entirely Hindu character, and must have been written long anterior to the Mohammedan invasion. So far the Agni Purdna chaptei*s

is

embodying and preserving relics of more recent date.

valuable, as

antiquity, although compiled at a

Colonel Wilford^ has

made

great use of a

list

of

kings derived from an appendix to the Agni Purdha,

which professes As he observes, Purana.

I

to be the sixty-third or last section. it

is

seldom found annexed to the it, and doubt its ever

have never met with

having formed any part of the original compilation. It

would appear, from Colonel Wilford's remarks, that

this list notices

Mohammed

but his account of this

is

as:

the institutbr of an era:

not very distinct.

He men-

however, that the list speaks of SalivAhana and Vikramaditya: and this is quite sufficient to establish its character. The compilers of thePurdnas tions, explicitly,

were not such bunglers as

'

to bru^ig within their chro-

Essay on Vikramaditya and Salivdhane' A^. Res., Vol. IX

p. 131.

,

PREFACE.

LXII

nology so well known a personage as Vikramaditya.

There

are, in

ail

parts of India, various compilations

ascribed to the Piiranas, tion of their contents,

which never formed any por-

and which, although

offering,

sometimes, useful local information, and valuable as preserving popular traditions, are not^ in justice, to be

confounded with the Furahas, so as to cause them to be charged with even more serious errors and anachronisms than those of which they are guilty.

The two East India

copies of this

Company

work

in the library of the

appropriate the

first

half to a

description of the ordinary and occasional observances

The Rama. whichBrahma,

of the Hindus, interspersed with a few legends. latter half treats exclusively of the history of

BhavishvaPurana. "ThePurana

9.

in

having described the greatness of the sun, explained to Manu the existence of the world, and the characters of

created things, in the course of the AghoraKalpa,

all

that

is

most

called the Bhavishya; the stories being, for the It contains

part, the events of a future period.

fourteen thousand as the

name

foretelling

Purana

hundred stanzas."^ ThisPurana,

implies, should be a

what

will

intimates.

doubtful.

five

The

book of prophecies,

be (bhavishyati), as the Matsya

Whether such a work exists, is which appear to be entire, and

copies,

of which there are three in the library of the East

India

Company,

agreeing, in their contents, with

^g^ti ^^<^ ti iTTT TRW irmf*T i

^

ii

two

LXm

PREFACE. in

my

possession, contain about seven thousand stan-

There

zas.

tara, as

is

if it

another work, entitled the Bhavlshyot-

was a continuation or supplement of the

former, containing, also, about seven thousand verses:

but the subjects of both these works are but to a very imperfect degree analogous to those to which the Matr ^ sya alludes.

The Bhavishya Pur4na, as I have it, is a work in a hundred and twenty-six short chapters, repeated by Sumantu

to Satanlka, a king of the

however,

notices,

its

or Brahma, and describes

four dedicated,

it

Pandu

family.

He

having originated with Swayariibhu as consisting of five parts;

it

should seem, to as

many

deities, as

they are termed, Brahma, Vaishnava, Saiva, andTwashtra; whilst the fifth is the Pratisarga or repeated creation.

into

Possibly, the first part only

my

hands; although

it

may have come

does not so appear by the

manuscript.

Whatever

it

Purana. The but the

it is little

first

may

first

else

be, the

work

in question

is

not a

portion, indeed, treats of creation:

than a transcript of the words of

chapter of Manu.

The rest is entirely a manual

of religious rites and ceremonies. It explains *the ten Samskaras or initiatory rites; the performance of the

Sandhya; the reverence to be shown to a Guru; the duties of the different A sramas and castes; and enjoins a number of Vratas or observances of fasting and the

»

Colonel Vans Kennedy states that he had "not been able Bhavishya Purana, nor even to obtain any account

to procure the

of

its

contents."

Researches

Ancient and Hindu Mythology,

into p.

the Nature and Affinity of

153, note.

PREFACE.

LXI\r

like,

appropriate to different lunar days.

A few legends

enliven the series of precepts. That of the sage Chya-

vanais told at considerable length, taken,

chiefly,

theMahabharata. TheNdga Panchamf, or

fifth

from

lunation

sacred to the serpent-gods, gives rise to a description of different sorts of snakes. Afler these, which occupy

about one third of the chapters, the remainder of them confm-m, in subject, to one of the topics referred to by the Matsya.

They

chiefly represent conversations be-

tween Kfishiia, iiis son S^mba,— who had become a leper

by the curse of DurVdsas,— Vasishtha, N^rada, and Vydsa, upon the power and glory of the Sun, and the

manner in which he some curious matter

is tc

There

be worshipped.

is

in the last chapters, relating to

the Magas, silent worshippers of the sun, from Saka-

dwlpa; as if the compiler had adopted the Persian term Magh, and connected the fire-worshippers of Iran with those of India. This

is

a subject, however, that requires

furtiier investigation.

The Bhaviflhyottara is, equally with the preceding, a sort of manual of religious offices; the greater portion being appropriated to Vratas, and the remainder, to the forma &nd circumstances with which gifts are to

be presented.

Many

of the ceremonies are obsolete,

or are observed in a different manner, as the Rathayktri or car-festival, and the Madanotsava or festival of spring.

The

descriptions of these throw

upon the public condition of the period probably prior to the

The

Hmdu

Mohammedan

different ceremonies are illustrated

which

are,

sometimes, ancientj

structiou of the

some

as,

light

religion at a

conquest.

by legends,

for instance, the de^

god of love by Siva, and

his thence

LXV

PREFACE.

becoming Ananga, the disembodied lord of heaits. The work is supposed to be communicated by Krishna to Yudhishthira, at a great assemblage of holy persons at the coronation of the latter, after the conclusion of

the Great War. 10.

Brahma Vaivarta Puraha. "That Purana which

related

is

by Savarni

and contains the

to Narada,

ac-

count of the greatness of Krishna, with the occurrences of theRathantaraKalpa, where, also, the story ofBrahma-

varaha

is

repeatedly told,

is

Brahma Vaivarta,

called the

and contains eighteen thousand stanzas." The account here given of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana agrees with ^

its

present state, as to

exceed than

fall

its

extent.

It also correctly represents its

or legend of Krishna; but theless, if the

The

copies rather

short of eighteen thousand stanzas.

same work

is

comprising a Mahatmya

it is

very doubtful, never-

intended.

The Brahma Vaivarta, as it now exists, is narrated, not by Savarni, but the Rishi Narayaha, to Narada, by

whom Siita;

it is

communicated

and the

to

Vyasa: he teaches

it

to

latter repeats it to the Kishis at Nai-

It is divided into four Khandas or books, Brahma, Prakriti, Ganesa, and Krishna Janma Khandas; dedicated, severally, to describe the acts of Brahma, Devi, Ganesa, and Krishna; the latter, how-

misharahya.

the

ever, throughout absorbing the interest

of the work. In none of these

1.

is

and importance

there any account of

LXVI

PREFACE.

the Vai'aha Avat/ira of Vishnu,

intended by the Matsya, thantara Kalpa.

It

— which

seems to be

— nor any reference

may

Ea-

to a

also be observed, that,

in

describing the merit of presenting a copy of this Pu-

rana, the Matsya adds:

honoured

in the

"Whoever makes such

gift is

Brahma-loka";* a sphere which

is

of

veiy inferior dignity to that to which a worshipper of

Krishna

is

The

taught to aspire by this Purdiia.

racter of the

work

is,

and the sect to which

cha-

in truth, so decidedly sectarial, it

belongs so distinctly marked,—

that of the w^orshippers of the juvenile Krishna and

Radha, a form of belief of known modern origin,— that it

can scarcely have found a notice

like the

belong.

in a

work

to which,

Matsya, a much more remote date seems to Although, therefore, the Matsya

ceived in proof of there having been a varta Purana at the date of especially to the

its

may be

Brahma

re-

Vai-

compilation, dedicated

honour of Krishna, yet we cannot

credit the possibility of

its

being the same

we now

possess.

Although some of the legends believed

to

be ancient

are scattered through the different portions of this

Pur4na, yet the great mass of

it is

taken up with

tire-

some descriptions of Vfindavana and Goloka, the dwellings of Krishna on earth and in heaven; with endless repetitions of prayers and invocations addressed to him; and with insipid descriptions of his person and sports, and the love of the Gopis and of Radha towards him. There are some particulars of the origin of the

PREFACE. artificer castes,— which is

LXVII

of value, because

it is

cited as

authority in matters affecting them,— contained in the

Brahma Khanda; and, in the Prakfiti and Ganesa Khandas, are legends of those divinities, not wholly, perhaps, modern inventions, but of which the source has not been traced. In the life of Krishna, the incidents recorded are the

same as those narrated in the Vishnu and the Bhagavata; but the stories, absurd as

they are, are ginal matter

much compressed, still

more

to

puerile

Brahma Vaivarta has not

make room

for ori-

and tiresome.

the slightest

title

The

to be re-

garded as a Purana. ^ 11.

Linga Purana. "Where Maheswara, present

in

the Agni Linga, explained (the objects of life) virtue,

wealth, pleasure, and final liberation at the end of the Agni Kalpa,* thatPurana, consisting of eleven thousand

was called the Lainga by Brahma himself."^ The Linga Purana conforms, accurately enough, to this description. The Kalpa is said to be the Isana:

stanzas,

but

this is the only difference.

thousand stanzas.

It is said to

It consists

of eleven

have been originally

composed by Brahmd; and the primitive Lmga Analysis of the

'

Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Journal

is

a

of the

Asiatic Society of Bengal, June, 1832. f

WTnf

%^1iT
*

.?

grm ^(WW( ^^^tr:

I

********||

Instead of Professor Wilson's ^i^EHnf &c., oao of the

seen has c6t94|
fl3^';

while the fourth

t See Professor Wilson's

is

MSS.

I

have

and another, qj^ here corrupt past mending by conjecture. eft^

|

tr|

fH[^*»

;

collected works, Vol. III.

e»

LXVin

PREFACE.

pillar of radiance, in

work

is,

which Maheswara

therefore, the

same

is

The by the

present.

as that referred to

Matsva.

A

short account

is

given, in the beginning, of ele-

mental and secondary creation, and of the patriarchal families; in which,

however, oiva takes the place of

Vishnu, as the indescribable cause of

all

Brief

things.

accounts of Siva's incarnations and proceedings in different

Kalpas next occur, offering no

as characteristic of sectarial notions.

interest^

except

The appearance

of the great fiery Linga takes place, in the interval of

a creation, to separate Vishnu and Brahma,

who

only dispute the palm of supremacy, but fight for

when

not it;

the Linga suddenly springs up, and puts them

both to shame

;

upwards and down-

as, after travelling

wards for a thousand years

each du*ection, neither

in

Upon

the Linga the and the Vedas proceed from it, by which Brahma and Vishnu become enlightened, and acknowledge and eulogize the superior

can approach to

its

sacred monosyllable

termination.

Om

is

visible;

might and glory of Siva.

A

notice of the creation in the

follows;

and

Padma Kalpa

this leads to praises of Siva

then

by Vishnu

r

and Brahma.

Siva repeats the story of his incarna-

tions, twenty-eight in pai-t,

no doubt,

number; intended as a counter-

to the twenty-four

Avataras of Vishnu,

and both being ampliof the original ten Avatdras, and of much less

as described in the Bhagavata; fications

merit as fictions. in the

Another instance of rivalry occurs

legend of Dadhfchi, a Muni, and worshipper of

Siva. In the Bhagavata, there

is

a story of Ambarfsha

being defended against Durvdsas by the discus of Vishnu,

PREFACE. against which that Saiva skge

is

LXIX helpless. Here,

hurls his discus at Dadhlchi: but

it falls,

Vishnu

blunted, to

the ground; and a conflict ensues, in which Vishnu

and his partisans are

A

all

overthrown by the Muni.

description of the universe, and of the regal dy-

nasties of the Vaivaswata

Manwantara

to the time of

Krishna, runs through a number of chapters, in substance

,

and, very commonly, in words, the

same as

other Puranas; after which the work resumes

its

in

proper

character, narrating legends, and enjoining rites, and reciting prayers, intending to

various forms.

do honour to Siva under

Although, however, the Linga holds a

prominent place amongst them, the

spirit of the worship

by the character of the type as can well be imagined. There is nothing like the phallic orgies of antiquity it is all mystical and spiritual. The Linga is twofold, external and internal. The ignorant, who need a visible sign, worship Siva through a 'mark' or 'type' which is the proper meaning of the word 'Linga' of wood, or stone; but the wise look upon this outward emblem as nothing, and contemplate, in their minds, the invisible, inscrutable type, which is Siva himself. Whatever may have been the origin of this form of worship in India, the notions upon which it was founded, according to the imj)ure fancies of European writers, are not to be traced in even the is

as little influenced

:

— —

Saiva Puranas.

work are demore a ritual than aPurana; and the Pauranik chapters which it has inserted, in order to Data

fective.

for conjecturing the era of this

But

it is

keep up something of its character, have been, evidently,

borrowed for the purpose. The mcarnations of

Siva,

LXX

PREFACE.

and their

one place, and the

'pupils', as specified in

importance attached to the practice of the Yoga, render it

possible that, under the former, are intended those

who belong

teachers of the Saiva rehgion school,^

which seems

eighth or ninth centuries. is earlier:

it

may be

to the

Yoga

have flourished about the

to

It is

not likely that the work

considerably later.

It

has pre-

served, apparently, some Saiva legends of an early date; but the gi'eater part

is ritual

and mysticism of

comparatively recent introduction. 12.

Varaha Purana.

the great Varaha

is

"That

in

which the glory of it was revealed to

predominant, as

Earth by Vishnu, in connexion, wise Munis, with the

Manava Kalpa, and which

contains twenty-four thou-

Varaha Purana."^ It may be doubted if the Varaha Purana of the present day is here intended. It is narrated by Vishnu

sand verses,

is

called the

as Varaha, or in the boar incarnation, to the personified

Earth. little

Its extent,

however,

is

not half that specified;

exceeding ten thousand stanzas.

itself,

It furnishes, also,

evidence of the prior currency of some other

work, similarly denominated as, in the description of Mathura contained in it, Sumantu, a Muni, is made to observe: "The divineVaraha in former times expounded ;

a Purana^ for the purpose of solving the pei'plexity of Earth." '

See Asiatic Researches, Vol. XVII.,

p. 187.*

'^^^iT^fWrf^ TTfjrmf^ft^ *

See Professor Wilson's collective

7?orks, Vol.

I.,

II

p.

205.

LXXI

rREFACE.

Nor can

the Varaha Purina be regarded as a Parana

agreeably to the

common

definition; as

it

contains but

a few scattered and brief allusions to the creation of

the world and the reign of kings:

it

has no detailed

genealogies, either of the patriarchal or regal families,

and no account of the reigns of the Manus. Like the it is a religious manual, almost wholly

Linga Parana,

occupied with forms of prayer and rules for devotional obsei'vances, addressed to Vishnu; interspersed with

legendary illustrations, most of which are peculiar to

though some are taken from the

itself,

ancient stock.

Many

common and

of them, rather incompatibly with

the general scope of the compilation, relate to the history of Siva and

work

of the

Durga/

A

considerable portion

devoted to descriptions of various

is

Tirthas, places of Vaishnava pilgrimage; and one of

Mathura enters

into a variety of particulars relating to

Ma-

the shrines of that city, constituting the Mathura

hatmya. In the sectarianism of the Varaha Purana there

is

no leaning to the particular adoration of Krishna; nor are the Rathayatra and Janmdshtami included amongst the observances enjoined.

of

ship;

There are other indications

belonging to an earlier stage of Vaishnava wor-

its

and

it

Raman uj a,

may, perhaps, be referred

to the age of

the early part of the twelfth century. Vans Kennedy,

(he

origin of the three Saktis or goddesses, Saraswati, Lakshmi,

and

'

One

Parvati.

of these

translated by Colonel

ReseaFches into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and

Hindu Mythology he gives

is

it,

tity of the

in

my

,

The Tri

p. 209.

copy, and

Varaha Puraiia

is,

Sakli Mahatniya occurs

,

as

so far, an indication of the iden-

in the different

MSS.

LXXn

PREFACE.

13. Skaiida Parana. "The Skanda Pnrai'ia is that m which the six-faced deity (Skanda) has related the

many

events of the Tatpurusha Kalpa, enhirged with tales,

and subservient

hundred stanzas: so

it is

by Mahe-

thousand one

Is is said to contain eighty-one

swara.

It is

to the duties taught

asserted amongst mankind."^

uniformly agreed that the Skanda Purana, in a

collective form, has

no existence; and the fragments,

in

the shape of Saiiihitas, Khahdas, andMahatmyas, which are affirmed, in various parts of India, to be portions

much more formidable mass immense number of which it The most celebrated of these portions,

of the Purana, present a of stanzas than even the is

said to consist.

in Hindusthan,

the Kasi Kharida, a very minute de-

is

scription of the temples of Siva in or adjacent to Be-

nares,

mixed with

directions for worshipping

Mahe-

swara, and a great variety of legends explanatory of

Many of them and uninteresting; but some are of a higher character. The story of Agastya records, probably, in merits and of the holiness of Kasi.

its

are puerile

a legendary style, the propagation of Hinduism in the

south of India; and, in the histoiy of Divodasa, king of Ktisi,

we have an

embellished tradition of the tem-

porary depression of the worship of Siva, even

in its

metropolis, before the ascendancy of the followers of

Buddha.^ There

is

^f^srrfw -

The legend

is

every reason to believe the greater

^m

%^f^ T^^ 1^%

translated by

II

Colonel V^ans Kennedy: Re-

PREFACE.

LXXIII

part of the contents of the Kasi Khaiida anterior to first attack upon Benares by Mahmiid of Ghizni. The Kasi Khanda alone contains fifteen thousand stanzas. Another considerable work ascribed, in Upper India, to the Skanda Purana, is the Utkala Khan da, giving

the

an account of the hoUness of Orissa, and the Kshetra of Purushottama or Jagannatha. is

The same

vicinage

the site of tempjes, once of great magnificence and

extent, dedicated to Siva, as Bhiivaneswara, which

forms an excuse for attaching an account of a Vaishbe

little

There can

to an eminently Saiva Purana.

nava Tirtha

doubt, however, that the Utkala

Khahda

is

unwarrantably included amongst the progeny of the parent work.

Besides these, there

is

a Brahmottara

Khanda, a Reva Khanda, a Siva Rahasya Khanda, a Himavat Khanda, and others. Of the Samhitas the chief are the Siita Samhita, Sanatkumara Samhita, Saura Samhita, and Kapila Samhita: there are several other works denomniated Samhitas. The M4hatmyas are more numerous still. According to the Suta Samhita, as quoted by Colonel Vans Kennedy,^ the Skanda ^

searches into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and thology, '

Hindu My-

Appendix B.

In a

list

possession of

of reputed portions of the

my

friend,

Skanda Purana

in the

Mr. C. P. Brown, of the Civil Service of

Madras, the Samhitas are seven, the Khandas, twelve, besides parts denominated Gita, Kalpa, Stotra, &c.

In the collection of

Colonel Mackenzie, amongst the Mahatmyas, thirty-six are said

Skanda Purana. Vol. I., p. 61. In the library House are two Sariihitus, the Suta and Sauatknmara,

to belong to the at the India

fourteen Khandas, and twelve Mahatmyas. ^

Researches into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and

Hindu Mythology,

p. 154, note.

PREFACE.

LXXIV

Parana contains six Samhitas, five liimdred Khandas, and five hundred thousand stanzas; more than is even attributed to all the Purnnas. He thinks, judging from internal evidence, that

the Khandas and Samhitas

all

be admitted to be genuine, though the Mahatmyas have rather a questionable appearance. Now, one kind

may

of internal evidence

is

the quantity; and, as no

more

than eighty-one thousand one hundred stanzas have ever

been claimed for

it,* all in

excess above that amount

mustbe questionable. But many of the Khandas, theKasi Khai'ida^ for instance, are quite as local as the Mahatstories relating to the erection

myas; being legendary

and sanctity of certain temples, or groups of temples, and to certain Lingas; the interested origin of which renders them, very reasonably, objects of suspicion. In the present state of our acquaintance with the re-

puted portions of the Skanda Purana, their authenticity are so

my own views of

opposed to those entei-tained by

Colonel Vans Kennedy, that, instead of admitting

all

the

Samhitas and Khandas to be genuine, I doubt if any one of them was ever a part of the Skanda Purana. 14. Vamana Purana. "That in which the four-faced

Brahma

taught the three objects of existence, as sub-

servient to the account of the greatness of Trivikrama,

which

treats, also, of the

often thousand stanzas,

Siva Kalpa, and which consists is

called the Vamana Purana."^

rM*f«1*iwnirnfTw ^t^ ^<*1 f^<\*i ^TW ^^r^TTf^ witf <^^\^A fl[^^ ii

•

But see the end

of

my

third note in p.

I

XXIV., supra.

t Professor Wilson here omitted a word of two syllables

—

,

probably,

PREFACE.

The Vamana Piirana

LXXV

contains an account of the

dwarf incarnation of Vishnu: but it is related by Pulastya to Narada, and extends to but about seven thousand stanzas. Its contents scarcely establish its clann to the character of a Purana.

There

is little

^

or no order in the subjects which this

work recapitulates, and which arise out of replies made by Pulastya to questions put, abruptly and unconnectedly, by Narada. The greater part of them relate to the worship of the Linga; a rather strange topic for a

Vaishnava Purdna, but engrossing the principal part of the compilation.

They

are,

however, subservient

to the object of illustrating the sanctity of certain holy

places; so that the

Vamana Purana

a succession of Mahatmyas. almost, of the

work occurs the

the object of which

fice,

is

else than

story of Daksha's sacri-

to send Siva to

chana Tirtha, at Benares, where he the sin of Brahmanicide.

is little

Thus, in the opening,

is

Papamo-

released from

Next comes the story of the

burning of Kamadeva, for the pui-pose of illustrating the holiness of a Siva -linga at Kedareswara in the

Himalaya, and of Badarikasrama.

work

consists of the

From

the extracts from the

The

larger part of

Saro-mahatmya, or legendaiy exemplifications of the hohness of Sthafiu Tirtha; that

the

*

Vamana Purana

translated

by

Colonel Vans Kennedy, pp. 293, et seq., it appears that his copy so far corresponds with mine ; and the work is therefore , pro,

bably, the same.

Two

copies in the

Company's

library also agree

with mine.

<9t|rt«

Instead of this,

one of the four MSS. of the Mntsya-purd/ia in

the India Office Library has e(\^4'> and two have

^^•.

PREFACE.

LXXVI is,

at

of the sanctity of various Lingas and certain pools Thanesar and Knrukhet, the country north-west

from Delhi. There are some stories, also, relating to the holiness of the Godavarl river: but the general site of

the legends

is

In the course of

in Hindusthan.

we have a long narrative of the marwith Uma, and the birth of Karttikeya.

these accounts, riage of Siva

There are a few brief allusions to creation and the Manwantaras; but they are merely incidental: and all In the five characteristics of a Purana are deficient. noticing the Swarochisha Manwantara, towards the

end of the book the elevation of Bali as monarch of the Daityas, and his subjugation of the universe, the gods included, are described; and this leads to the ,

narration that gives

its title

to the

Purana, the birth

of Krishna as a dwarf, for the purpose of humiliating Bali by fraud, as he was invincible by force. The story is

told as usual; but the scene

A

is laid

more minute examination of

this

at Kurukshetra.

work than

that

which has been given to it, might, perhaps, discover some hint from which to conjecture its date. It is of a more tolerant character than thePurdhas, and divides its

homage between Siva and Vishnu with

impartiality.

It is

tolerable

not connected, therefore, with any

and may have preceded their introduction. It has not, however, the air of any antiquity; and its compilation may have amused the leisure sectarial principles,

of some Brahman of Benares three or four centuries ago. 15.

Kurma

Purdiia.

"That

in

which Janardana,

in

the form of a tortoise, in the regions under the earth,

explained the objects of

and liberation

—

in

life

— duty,

wealth, pleasure,

communication with Indi'adyumna

PREFACE.

LXXVir

and the to

ftishis in the proximity of Sakra, which refers theLakshmf Kalpa, and contains seventeen thousand

stanzas,

is

In the

Kurma

the

an account of

Purar'ia."^

chapter of the Kiirma Purana,

first

itself,

it

gives

which does not exactly agree with

Suta, who is repeating the narration, made to say to the Rishis: "This most excellent Kaurma Purana is the fifteenth. San'ihitas are fourfold, fi'om the variety of the collections. The Brahmi, Bhagavati, Saurf, and Vaishnavi are well known as the this description.

is

four Samhitas which confer virtue, w^ealth, pleasure, and hberation. This is the Brahmi Saiiihita, conformable to the four Vedas; in w^hich there are six thousand

slokas; and, life, is

by

it,

the importance of the four objects of

gTeat sages, holy knowledge and Parameswara

known."* There

this specification

is

an irreconcilable difference in

of the

number

of stanzas and that

^^ ¥%ft ^^ ^fffTT^ TRT^: WWV TPr^ ^cHsr:

T^ g

^ffrn: ^fffTT

y^n

vj^^firrrri^'fr^^:

wwt ^wt^

»T^f^ ^IFf^rrftr ^R 'ti^r^^rRT^

^f^mr

^^-^ ^

w^ ^^%

I

ii

I

^^iwr ^t^rt

ii

^psf^grr:

^flrr^irwflt^^ xjt^t: So read the best MSS. of the Kiirma-purdiia that cessible to

II

^^ Iwft ^ TT^f^cTT: i

ii

are at present ac-

me.

t One of the four

I.

0. L.

MSS.

of the Matsya-purdiia has

^ftj^jf :

|

LXXVIII

PREFACE.

given above.

not very clear what

It is

A

Samhita, as here used. (p. XIX.), is

is

meant by a

Samhita, as observed above

something different from a Parana.

It

may

be an assemblage of prayers and legends, extracted, professedly, from

aPuraha, but

cable to the original.

not, usually, appli-

is

The four Samhitas here

specified

refer rather to their religious character than to their

connexion with any

specific

same terms are applied

work; and, in

fact, the

what are called Sanihitas of the Skanda. In this sense, a Parana might be also a Samhita; that is, it might be an assemblage of fonnulae and legends belonging to a division of the Hindu system; and the w^ork in question, like the Vishnu Purana, does adopt both

titles.

Kaurma Purana,

to

It says

:

" This is the excellent

the fifteenth (of the series)."

And

Brahmf Samhita." At any rate, no other work has been met with pretending to be the again: "This

is

the

Kijrma PLU*ana.

With regard

to the other particulars specified

the Matsya, traces of in

them are

two accounts of the

the Purana, no mention

to

traditional is

by

be found. Although,

made

communication of

of Vishnu as one of

the teachers, yet Suta repeats, at the outset^ a dialogue

between Vishnu, as the Kiirma, and Indradyumna,

at

much

of

the time of the churning of the ocean; and the subsequent narrative

is

put into the mouth of the

former.

The name, being

that of an Avatara of Vishnu, might

lead us to expect a Vaishhava work: but

it is

always,

and correctly, classed with the Saiva Purdnas; the greater portion of

it

and Durgd.

divided into two parts, of nearly

It

is

inculcating the worship of Siva

In the

equal length.

PREFACE.

LXXIX

first part,

accounts of the crea-

of the Avataras of Vishnu, of the solar and

tion,

lunar dynasties of the kings to the time of Krishna, of the universe, and of the Manwantaras in general in

a summary manner,

words employed

in the

these are blended

Brahma and

in the

,

are given,

but, not unfrequently,

Vishnu Purana. With to Maheswara by

hymns addressed

others; the defeat of

Andhakasura by

Bhairava; the origin of four Saktis, Maheswari, Siva, Sati,

and Haimavati, from Siva; and other Saiva legends. gives a more distinct and connected ac-

One chapter

count of the incarnations of Siva, in the present age, than the Linga; and

it

wears,

still

more, the appearance

of an attempt to identify the teachers of the

Yoga

school with personations of their preferential deity.

Several chapters form a Kasi Mahatmya, a legend of

Benares. is

In the second part there are no legends.

It

divided into two parts, the Iswara Gita^ and Vyasa

Gita.

In the former, the knowledge of god, that

Siva, through contemplative devotion,

the latter, the same object

is

is

is,

taught.

of

In

enjoined through works,

or observance of the ceremonies and precepts of the

Vedas.

The date mote; for

of the

it is,

Kurma Purana

cannot be very re-

avowedly, posterior to the establishment

of the Tantrika, the Sakta, and the Jaina sects. In the

twelfth chapter

'

This

into the

is

it is

said:

also translated

"The Bhairava, Vama, Arhata,

by Colonel Vans Kennedy (Researches

Nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology,

Appendix D., p. 444); and, in this instance, as in other passages quoted by him from the Kurma, his MS. and mine agree.

LXXX

PREFACE.

and Yamala Sastras are intended for delusion." There is no reason to believe that the Bhairava and Yamala Tantras are very ancient works, or that the practices of the left-hand Saktas, or the doctrines of Arhat or Jina, 16.

were known in the early centuries of our era. Matsya Purana. "That in which, for the sake

of promulgating the Vedas, Vishnu, in the beginning

of a Kalpa, related to

Manu

the story of Narasimha

and the events of seven Kalpas; stanzas."

know

sages,

that,

Matsya Purana, containing twenty thousand

to be the ^

We mighty it is to be supposed, which the Matsya gives of as regards the

number

misstatement.

admit the description

be correct; and

itself to

yet,

of verses, there seems to be a

Three very good copies

— one

my

in

possession, one in the Company's library, and one in

the Radcliffe library

— concur

in all respects,

and

in

containing no more than between fom-teen and fifteen thousand stanzas. In this case the Bhagavata is nearer

when

the truth,

may is,

assigns to

it

in this respect, erroneous.*

'

•

it

fourteen thousand.

We

conclude, therefore, that the reading of the passage

Two

^^cfW

It is correctly said, that

^ ^T^^ T(^W^ ^TT^:

out of the four

last line of the Sanskrit

I.

0. L.

quoted in

MSS. this

of the

page

I

Matsya-purana—s^Q

— give

the

^Bni^fTtW ^^i^ll

"fourteen thousand"; and the others exhibit evident corruptions of the

same reading.

That

this reading is

the evidence, adduced by

to be preferred,

we have,

besides

Professor Wilson, of the Bhdyavata-purdm,

that of the Devi-bhdgavata and Revd-mdluiimya.

LXXXI

PREFACE,

the subjects of the Parana were communicated by Vishriu, in the

The Parana,

form of a

fish,

Manu.

to

after the usual

prologue of Siita and

the Rishis, opens with the account of the Matsya or 'fish'

Avatara of Vishnu,

named Manu, with

in

which he preserves a king,

the seeds of

all

things, in an ark,

from the waters of that inundation which,

in the season

of a Pralaya, overspreads the world. This story in the

is

told

Mahabharata, with reference to the Matsya as

its authority; from which it might be inferred, that the Purana was prior to the poem. This, of course, is consistent with the tradition that the Puranas were first composed by Vyasa. But there can be no doubt that the greater part of the Mahabharata is much older than any extant Purana, The present instance is, itself, a proof; for the primitive simplicity with which the story

of the fish Avatara

much more

is

told in the Mahabharata,

is

of a

antique complexion than the mysticism and

extravagance of the actual MatsyaPurana. In the former,

Manu is

collects the seeds of existing things in the ark;

not said how: in the

latter,

he brings them

all

it

together

by the power of Yoga. In the latter, the great serpents come to the king, to serve as cords wherewith to fasten the ark to the horn of the fish; in the former, a cable made of ropes

is

more

intelligibly

Whilst the ark

floats,

employed

for the purpose.

Manu

fastened to the fish,

enters into conversation with him; and his questions

Vishnu form the main substance of the compilation. The first subject is the creation, which

and the is

replies of

that of

Brahma and

the patriarchs.

Some

of the

details are the usual ones; others are peculiar, especially

those relating to the I.

Piti-is

The

or progenitors. t

regal

LXXXII

PRl^FACE.

dynasties are next described ; and then follow chapters

on the duties of

different orders.

those

It is in relatins; o

of the householder, in which the duty of

making gifts to Brahmans is comprehended, that we have the specification of the extent and subjects of the Puranas. It is meritorious to have copies made of them, and to

away on

give these

particular occasions.

Matsya: "Whoever gives

said, of the

equinox, along with a golden gives

away the whole

fish

earth;"* that

reward, in his next migration.

—Vratas

householder

it

Thus,

away

it

is

at either

and a milch cow, is,

he reaps a

like

Special duties of the

or occasional acts of piety

—are

then described at considerable length, wdth legendary illustrations.

The account

the usual strain.

of the universe

is

given in

Saiva legends ensue: as the destruc-

tion of Tripurasura; the war of the gods with Taraka and the Daityas, and the consequent birth ofKdrtti-

keya, with the various circumstances of Uma's birth

and marriage, the burning of Kamadeva, and other events involved in that narrative; the destruction of the Asuras

and the

Maya and Andhaka;

like; interspersed

of the Avataras.

the origin of the Matris,

with the Vaishnava legends

Some Mahatmyas

are also introduced;

one of which, the Narmada Mahatmya, contains some interesting particulars. There are various chapters on law and morals, and one which furnishes directions for building houses and making images. We then have

an account of the kings of future periods; and the

Puraha concludes with a chapter on

gifts.

LXXXIII

PREFACE.

The Matsya Parana, brief sketch of lation,

its

contents,

but including, in

genuine Purana.

will

it

At

is

tliis

a miscellaneous compi-

contents, the elements of a

its

the

be seen, even from

same

time,

of too

it is

mixed

a character to be considered as a genuine work of the

Pauranik

may be

class;

not only for logical

and, upon examining

suspected that

and

its

matter, but for

the

its

The geneathe same as

many

chapters, as those on

same

of theSfishtiKhanda ofthePadmaPurana. largely also

it

much

and Sraddhas, are precisely the

Piti-is

carefully,

words.

historical chapters are

those of the Vishnu; and

it

indebted to various works,

it is

from the Mahabharata.

It

as those

has drawn

Amongst other

quote the story of Savitri, the devoted wife of Satyavat, which is given in the Matsya in the same manner, but considerably abridged. instances,

it is

sufficient to

Although a Saiva work,

it is

not exclusively so; and

has not such sectarial absurdities as the Kiirma and Linga. It is a composition of considerable interest;

it

its materials from the Padma, on one occasion, the specification it is subsequent to that work, and,

but, if

it

has extracted

which

it

also quotes

of the Upapuranas,

—

therefore, not very ancient.

Garuda PuWia. -^That which Yir^hnu recited Garuda Kal])a. relating, chiefly, to the birth of Gam da from Vinata, is here called the Garuda Purana; and in it there are read nineteen thousand verses."^ 17.

in the

*

fr^P^flT'l^^

seems

to be the

more ordinary

reaiting.

PREFACE.

LXXXIV

The Garuda Parana which has been

the subject of

my

examination corresponds in no respect with this description, and is, probably, a different work, though

Garuda Parana. It is identical, however, with two copies in the Company's library. It consists of no more than about seven thousand stanzas; it is repeated by Brahnui to Indra; and it contains no account of the birth of Garuda. There is a brief notice entitled the

of the creation; but the greater part is occupied with the description of Vratas or religious observances, of

holydavs, of sacred places dedicated to the sun, and with prayers from the Tantrika ritual, addressed to the sun, to Siva, and to Vishnu.

It contiiins, also, trea-

tises on astrology, palmistry, and precious stones, and one, still more extensive, on medicine. The latter portion, called the

Preta Kalpii,

is

taken up with directions

for the performance of obsequial rites.

There is nothing, name. Wlie-

in all this, to justify the application of the

doubtful.

The

less particular

than

ther a genuine Garuda Purafia exists description given in the

Matsya

is

is

even the brief notices of the other Purahas, and might have easilv been written without any knowledge of the book

itself;

being, with exception of the

stanzas, confined to circumstances that the

number title

of

alone

indicates.

18.

Brahmanda Parana.* "That which has

declared,

twelve thousand two hundred verses, the magniiicence of the egg of Brahma, and in which an account

in

*

A

very popular work which

Dm/i^a- purd/ta

,

is

15

considered to be a

the Adiiydtma-rdmdyaiia.

It

i»art

of the

Brah-

has been lithographeti,

with the commentary of Niigosa Bhaffa, at Bombay. For some account of it, see Prof. Aufrecht's Catalog. Cod. ManuscripC. &c., pp. 28 auti 23.

LXXXV

PREFACE. of the future Kalpas

is

contained,

is

called the Brali-

manda Puraria, and was revealed by The Brahnuij'ida Parana is usually considered to be in much the same predicament as the Skanda, no longer Brahma."'^'''

procurable

m

a collective body, but represented by a

ofKhandas and Mahatmyas, professing derived from it. The facility witii which any

variety

may be

thus attached to the non-existent

the advantage that has been taken of

to be

tract

original,,

its

and

absence to

compile a variety of unauthentic fragments, have given to the Brahmanda, Skanda, and Pad ma, according to Colonel Wilford, the character of being "the Puranas

This

of thieves or impostors.''^

is

not applicable to

Padma, which, as above shown, occurs entire and the same in various parts of India. The imposition of which the other two are made the vehicles can deceive the

no one; as the purpose of the particular legend always too obvious to leave any doubt of its origin.

is

Copies of what profess to be the entire Brahmai'ida

Purana are sometimes, though rarely, procurable. I met with one in two portions, the former containing one hundred and twenty -four chapters, the latter, seventy -eight; and the whole containing about the number of stanzas assifi;ned to the Purana. The lirst '

^TWt 5r^rrw?rTfTf?2r?rf^ifwrwTl"Fpf:

As. Res., Vol. VI I L,

•

p. 252.

"?

t The four

1

0. L.

MSS.

of

tli«

Mat^i^a have j^^*"', not

^%

PREFACE.

LXXXVI

and largest portion, however, proved to be the same as the Vayu Parana, with a passage occasionally slightly varied, and at the end of each chapter the

common for

'Iti

phrase

Bralimaiida Purane' substituted

'Iti

Vayu Purane'.

do not think there was any

I

The last section Vayu Purana is termed the

intended fi*aud in the substitution. of the

first

part of the

Brahmarida section, giving an account of the dissolution of the universe: and a careless or ignorant transcriber

might haye taken

the

this for

title

of the whole.

The

checks to the identity of the work have been honestly preserved, both in the index and the frequent specification of

Vayu

as the teacher or narrator of

The second portion of this Brahmanda

it.

is

not any

probably, current in the Dakhin

part of the Vayu:

it is,

as a Sanihita or

Khanda.

Agastya

is

represented as

going to the city Kanchi (Conjeveram), where Vishnu,

answer to his

as Hayagi-iva, appears to him, and, in inquiries, imparts to

him

worship ofParasakti. In

the

means of

salvation, the

illustration of the efficacy of

form of adoration, the main subject of the work an account of the exploits of Lalita I)evi, a form of Durga, and her destruction of the demon Bhandasura. this is

Rules for her worship are also given, which are decidedly of a Sakta or Tantrika description; and this

work cannot be admitted,

therefore, to be part of a

genuine Purana.

The Upapuranas, know^n, differ

little,

those to which the

in

the few instances which are

in extent or subject, title

of

Purana

is

from some of

ascribed.

The

Matsya enumerates but four; but the Devi Bhagavata has a more complete list, and specifies eighteen. They

PREFACE. are:

1.

The Sanatkumara, Durvasasa,

2.

LXXXVII

Narasimha,*

3.

Naradiya,

Manava, 8. Ausanasa, 9. Varur'ia, 10. Kalika, II. Samba, 12. Nandi, 13. Sanra, 14. Parasara, 15. Aditya, IG. Maheswara, 17. Bhagavata, 18. Vasishtha. The Matsya observes,

4. Siva, 5.

of the second, that

it is

6.

Kapila,

named

story of Nanda.

Nanda,

4.

A

t

rather different

or:

1.

Sivadharma,

5.

tells, in it,

list is

Sanatkumara,

Parana^ f

The Nandi

verses.

Nanda, and says, that Karttikeya

Reva Khanda; 3.

Padma

in the

and contains eighteen thousand calls

7.

given in the

2.

Daurvasasa,

it

the

6.

Narasimha, Bhavishya,

by Narada or Naradiya, 7. Kapila, 8. Manava, 9. Ausanasa, 10. Brahmanda, 11. Varuna, 12. Kalika, 13. Maheswara, 14. Samba, 15. Saura, 16. Parasara, 17. Bhagavata, 18. Kaurma. These authorities, however, are of questionable weight; having in view, no

related

doubt^ the pretensions of the Devi Bhagavata to be considered as the authentic Bhagavata.

Of in

these Upapuranas few are to be procured. Those

my

possession are the Siva, considered as distinct

from the Vayu, the Kalika, and, perhaps, one of the Naradiyas, as noticed above. I have, also, three of the *

For an account of the Narasi/hha-yurdna, see Prof. Aufrecht's Catalog.

Cod. Manuscript., &c., pp. 82 and 83. -jIn the Revd-wdhdimya, it is thus spoken of:

Three of the

I.

the Narasimha and

0. L.

the

copy omits the ^dmba.

copies of the Matsija-purdr'ta mention, besides

Nanda, the Sdmba and the Aditya; while one It seems that the Oxford MS. omits the Aditya.

See Prof. Aufrecht's Catalog. Cod, Manuscript.,

&c., p. 40.

LXXXViri

PREFACE.

Skandhas of the Devi Bhagavata^ which, most undoubis not the real Bhagavata, supposing that any Parana so named preceded the work of Bopadeva. There can be no doubt that in any authentic list the name of Bhagavata does not occur amongst the Upa-

tedly,

puranas:

it

has been put there to prove that there are

two works so

which the Parana

entitled, of

is

the Devi

Bhagavata, the Upapurana, the Sri Bhagavata. true reading should be Bhargava,* Bhi-igu

:

purana.

and the Devi Bhagavata It is very questionable

which, as far as

it

extends,

is

is

The

the Purana of

not even an Upa-

if

the entire work,

eminently a Sakta com-

had existence, f The Siva Upapurana contains about

position, ever

two

six

thousand

by Sanatkumara to Vyasa and theRishis atNaimisharanya; and its character may be judged of from the questions stanzas,

which

to

distributed into

it is

parts.

"Teach us",

a reply.

It is related

said the Rishis,

"the rules of worshipping the Linga, and of the god of gods adored under that type: describe to us his

various forms, the places sanctified by him, and the

prayers with which he

is

to be addressed." In answer,

Sanatkumara repeats the Siva Puj'ana, containing the birth of Vishnu and Brahma; the creation and divisions of the universe; the origin of

the rules of worshipping *

This suggestion

is

mukha-padma-pddvJcd. p.

offered

it

all

things from the Linga;

and Siva; the sanctity of

by the anonymous author of the Durjana-

See Buvnoufs Bhdgavala-piirdna, Vol. L, Preface,

LXXVII. t The

editor saw, at Benares,

about twelve years ago, a manuscript

some 18,000 Uokas. Its owner, a learned copy was complete. To collect its various

of the Devi-bhdgavaia, containing

Brahman, maintained that his had travelled during many

parts, he

years,

and over a largo part of Icdia,

LXXXIX

PREFACE. times, places,

of

and things, dedicated

Brahma and Vishnu by

offering flowers

to

him; the dehision

the Linga: the rewards of

and the hke

to a jjlnga; rules for various

observances in honour of Mahadeva; the

mode

of prac-

Yoga; the glory of Benares and other Salva Tirthas; and the perfection of the objects of life by union with Maheswara. These subjects are illustrated, in the lii*st part, with very few legends; but the second tising the

is

made

up, almost wholly, of Saiva stories,

a.s

the

defeat of Tripnrasura; the sacrifice of Daksha; the births of Karttikeya

and Ganesa, (the sons of Siva), and

Nandi and Bhfingariti

(his attendants),

and others;

together with descriptions of Benares and other places of pilgrimage

,

and rules for observing such

as the Sivaratri.

This work

is

festivals

a Saiva manual, not a

Puraha.

The Kalikd Purana

contains about nine thousand

stanzas, in ninety-eight chapters,

of the series dedicated to

and

the only

is

recommend

work

the worship of

the bride of Siva, in one or other of her manifold forms, as Girija, Devi, Bhadrakali,

Kah',Mahamaya.

therefore, to the Sakta modification of

or the worship

It belongs,

Hindu

belief,

of the female powers of the deities.

The

influence of this worship

first

pages of the work, which relate the incestuous

shows

itself in

the very

passion of Brahma for his daughter Sandhya, in a strain that has nothing analogous to

it

in the

Vayu, Linga,

or Siva Pur anas.

The marriage

of Siva and Parvati

desciibed, with the sacrifice of

of Sati.

And

this

work

is

is

a subject early

Daksha, and the death

authority for Siva's carrying

the dead body about the world, and the origin of the

PREFACE.

XC

Pithasthanas or places where the different members of

it

were scattered, and where Lingas were, conse-

quently, erected.

A

l^hairava and Vetahi,

legend follows of the births of

whose devotion

to different

forms

of Devi furnishes occasion to describe, in great detail,

the rites and formulae of which her worship consists, including the chapters on sanguinary sacrifices, trans-

Another peculiarity work is afforded by very prolix descriptions of a number of rivers and mountains at Kamarupa Tii-tha,

lated in the Asiatic Researches.* in this

in

Assam, and rendered holy ground by the celebrated

temple of Durga in that country, as K4makshi or Kamakshya. It is a singular, and yet uninvestigated, circumstance, that Assam, or, at least, the north-east of Bengal, seems to have been, in a great degree, the source from which the Tantrika and Sakta corruptions of the religion of the Vedas and Puranas proceeded.

The

specification of the Upapurahas, whilst

several of which the existence

is

it

names

problematical, omits

other works bearing the same desigiiation, which are sometimes met with. Thus, in the collection of Colonel

we have a portion of the Bhargava, and a Mudgala Purana, which is, probably, the same with ^ theGanesaUpapurana, cited by Colonel Vans Kennedy. I have, also, a copy of the Gafiesa Purana, f which

Mackenzie,*

'

'

Mackenzie Collection, Vol. I., pp. 50, 51. Researches into the Nature and AfQnity of Ancient and Hindu

Mythology, *

p. 251.

Vol. v., pp. 371, et scq.

f For

Dr. J. Stevenson's "Analysis of the Gaiiesa Puraiia, -with special llie Royal Aaiatic

reference to the History of Bvuldhism", see Journal of Society, Vol., YIIl., pp. 319-329.

rREFACE,

XCI

seems to agree with that of which he speaks; the second portion being entitled the Krida Kbanda, in which the pastimes of Ganesa, inchiding a variety of legendary matters, are described. is

The main

subject of the

work

the greatness of Ganesa; and prayers and formulae

appropriate to him are abundantly detailed. It appears

work originating with the Ganapatya

10 be a

worshippers of Ganesa. There called

Adi or

'first',

is,

sect, or

a minor Puraha

also,

not included in the

list.

This

is

a

work, however, of no great extent or importance, and is

confined to a detail of the sports of the juvenile

Krishna.

From Pui-anas, is,

the sketch thus offered of the subjects of the

and which, although admitting of

correction,

believed to be, in the main, a candid and accurate it will be evident, that, in their present conthey mustbe received with caution, as authorities

summary, dition,

for the mythological religion of the

Hindus

at

any

remote period. They preserve, no doubt, many ancient notions and traditions; but these have been so much

mixed up with foreign matter, intended

to favour the

popularity of particular forms of worship, or articles of faith, that they cannot be unreservedly recognized as genuine representations of

what we have reason

to

believe the Puranas originally were.

The

safest sources, for the ancient legends of the

Hindus, after the Vedas, are, no doubt, the two great

poems, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. offers only a few; but

The

first

they are of a primitive character.

The Mahabharata is more fertile in more miscellaneous; and much that

fiction; it

but

it

is

is

of

Still,

it

contains

equivocal authenticity and uncertain date.

TREFACE,

XCII

many

affords

evidently, alJ,

materials that are genuine; and

tlie

of the Piiranas have drawn; as

when

it

declares, that there

world which

A work

of

it

great fountain from which most,

hias

not

some

is

is,

not

intimates,

itself,

no legend current

in the

it

origin in the

its

if

MahabharataJ

extent, professing to be part of the

Mahabharata,may, more accurately, be ranked with the Pauranik compilations of least authenticity and latest origin.

The Hari

Vaiiisa

is

chieily occupied widi the

adventures of Krishna; but, as introductory to his it

era,

records particulars of the creation of the world, and

of the patriarchal and regal dynasties.

much

with as I

have had occasion

A

.^

is

done

frequently, to notice, in the

The work has been very

following pages. translated

This

carelessness and inaccuracy of compilation;

industriously

by M. Langlois.

comparison of the subjects of the following pages

with

tliose of the

that, of the

other Puranas will sufficiently show,

whole

series,

the Vishnu most closely con-

forms to the definition of a Pancha-lakshaha Purana, or one which treats of five specified topics.

prehends them

all;

tion of extraneous

and, although

and

it

It

com-

has infused a por-

sectarial matter,

it

has done so

with sobriety and with judgment, and has not suffered the fervour of

religious zeal to transport

its

it

very wide deviations from the prescribed path. legendary tales which

it

into

The

has inserted are few, and are

conveniently arranged, so that they do not distract the

'Unconnected with earth,'

this

Adi-parvan, 307.

narrative,

no story

is

known upon

PBEFACE. attention of

tlie

XCIII

compiler from objects of more per-

manent interest and importance. The first book of the six, into which the work divided,

is

primary (Sarga) and seeondaiy (Pratisarga) explaining

is

occupied chiefly with the details of creation,

how

;

the

iirst

the universe proceeds from Prakriti

or eternal crude matter; the second, in what

manner

the forms of things are developed from the elementary

substances previously evolved, or after then*

how they reappear

temporary destruction. Both these creations

are periodical; but the tei'mination of the iirst occurs

only at the end of the all

the gods and

all

life

of

Brahma, when not only

other forms are armiliilated, but

the elements are again merjied into primary substance, besides which, one only spiritual being exists. latter takes place at the

The

end of every Kalp<^ or day of

Brahma, and affects only the forrxis of inferior creatures, and lower worlds; leaving the substance of the universe entire, and sages and gods unharmed. The explanation of these events involves a description of time

C'f

the periods

upon which they depend, and which

cordingly, detailed.

are, ac-

Their character has been a source

of very unnecessary perplexity to European

wj'itei's:

scheme of chronology wholly myhaving no reference to any real or supposed

as they belong to a thological,

history of the Hindus, but applicable, according to their

system, to the infmite and eternal revolutions of the universe. In these notions,

and

in that of the coeternity

of spirit and matter, the theogony and

cosmogony of

the Puranas, as they appear in the Vishnu Punina,

belong to and

illustrate

systems of high antiquity, of

XCTV

PREFACE.

which we have only fragmentary traces

in the records

of other nations.

The course

of the elemental creation

as in other Puranas, taken

in the Vishnu,

is,

from the Sankhya philoso-

phy; but the agency that operates upon passive matter is

confusedly exhibited, in consequence of a partial

adoption of the illusory theory of the Ved^nta philosophy, and the prevalence of the Paurahik doctrine of

pantheism.

However incompatible with

the indepen-

dent existence ofPradhana or crude matter, and however incongruous with the separate condition of pure spirit

as

orPurusha,

it is

declared, repeatedly, that Vishnu,

one with the supreme being,

crude matter, and not only the substance, and Time.

He

is

is

not only

latter,

Purusha,

but

spirit, all

'spirit';

but

visible

Prad-

hana, 'crude matter'; Vyaktti, 'visible form'; andKAla, 'time'.

This cannot but be regarded as a departure

from the primitive dogmas of the Hindus,

in

which

the distinctness of the Deity and his works was enunciated; in which,

upon

his willing the

world to be,

it

was; and in which his interposition in creation, held to be inconsistent with the quiescence of perfection,

was explained away by the personification of attributes in action, which afterwards came to be considered as real divinities, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, charged, severally, for a given season, with the creation, preservation,

These

and temporary annihilation of material forms.

divinities are, in the following pages, consistently

with the tendency of a Vaishnava work, declared to

be no other than Vishnu. In Saiva Puranas, they in like

manner,

identified with Siva; the

are,

Puranas thus

displaying and explaining the seeming incompatibility,

XCV

PREFACE.

of which there are traces in other ancient mythologies, distinct hypostases of one superior deity,

between three

and the

identification of

tases with tlieir

one or other of those hypos-

common and

separate original.

After the world has been fitted for the reception of living creatures,

peopled by the will-engendered

it is

sons ofBrahnui, the Prajapatis or patriarchs, and their posterity.

It

would seem as if a primitive tradition of mankind from seven holy personages

the descent of

had it

but that, in the course of time,

at first prevailed,

had been expanded

into complicated,

How

consistent, amplification.

patriarchs have posterity?

vide them with wives.

It

and not always

could these Rishis

was necessary

oi*

to pro-

In order to account for their

Manu Swayanibhuva and his w^ife Satarupa were added to the scheme; or Brahma becomes existence, the

twofold, male and female; and daughters are then begotten,

who

are married to the Prajapatis.

Upon

this

basis various legends of Brahma's double nature, some,

no doubt,

as old as the Vedas, have

But, although they

may have been

been constructed. derived, in

some

degree, from the authentic tradition of the origin of

mankind from a single pair, yet the circumstances intended to give more interest and precision to the story are, evidently, of

and conduced,

an allegorical or mystical description,

in apparently later times, to a coarseness

of realization which

was neither the letter nor spirit Swayambhuva, the son of the

of the original legend.

self- born or uncreated, and his wife Satarupa, the hundred-formed or multiform, are, themselves, allegories; and their female descendants, who become the

wives of the Kishis, are Faith, Devotion, Content, In-

XCVI

PREFACE.

and the

telligence, Tradition,

posterity,

and the

we have

like; whilst,

amongst

In another creation, the

sacrificial fires.

source of creatures

is

the patriarch

Daksha

their

moon

the different phases of the

cliief

(ability),

whose daughters— Virtues, or Passions, or Astronomi-

—

are the mothers of all existing things. cal Phenomena These legends, perplexed as they appear to be, seem to admit of allowable solution, in the conjecture that

the Prajapatis

authors of

tlie

and Rishis were real personages, the Hindu system of social, moral, and

religious obligations,

and the

first

observers of the

heavens, and teachers of astronomical science.

The

Swayambhuva Manwan-

regal personages of the

tara are but few; but they are described, in the outset, as governing the earth in the

dawn of

society,

introducing agi'iculture and civilization.

and as

How much

upon a traditional remembrance of would be useless to conjecture; although

of their story rests their actions,

there

is

it

no extravagance

in

supposing that the legends

relate to a period prior to the full establishment^ in

India, of the Brahn^aiiical institutions.

Dhruva and Prahlada, which these particulars, are, in

they are amplified,

nava purport of

in

this

all

The legends of

are intermingled with

probability, ancient; but

a strain conformable to the Vaish-

Purana, by doc^trines and prayers

asserting the identity of Vishnu with the Supreme. is

clear that the

Purana.

stories

do not originate with

It

this

In that of Prahlada, particularly, as hereafter

pointed out, circumstances essential to the completeness of the story are only alluded to, not recounted;

shoMdng, indisputably, the writer self of

some prior authority

s

having availed him-

for his narration.

PREFACE.

The second book opens with kings of the is

said to

first

XCVII

a continuation of the

Manwantara; amongst whom, Bharata

have given a name to India,

Bharata-varsha.

called, after him,

This leads to a detail of the geogra-

mount Meru, the

phical system of the Puranas, with

seven circular continents, and theu* surrounding oceans, to the limits of the world; cal fictions, in

all

which there

of which are mythologi-

reason to imagine

is little

With

that any topographical truths are concealed.

regard to Bharata or India, the case

is different.

The

mountains and rivers which are named are readily

and the cities and nations that are partimay, also, in many instances, be proved to have had a real existence. The list is not a very long verifiable;

cularized

Vishnu Purana, and is, probably, abridged from some more ample detail, like that which the Mahabharata affords, and which, in the hope of supplyOne, in the

ing information with respect to a subject yet imperfectly investigated, the ancient political condition of

India, I

The

have inserted and elucidated. which this book also contains of

description

the planetary and other spheres, cal,

is

equally mythologi-

although occasionally presenting practical details

and notions

in

which there

is

an approach to accuracy.

The concluding legend of Bharata the king so named, but

now

—

in his

a Brahman,

former

who

true wisdom, and thereby attains liberation pably, an invention of the compiler, and this

—

is,

pal-

peculiar to

is

Purana.

The arrangement

of the Vedas and other writings

considered sacred by the Hindus, authorities of their religious rites I.

life,

acquires

—being,

and

in fact, the

belief,

—which g

is

PREFACE.

XCVIII

described in the beginning of the third book,

is

of much

Hindu Uterature and of The sage Vyasa is here repre-

importance to the history of

Hmdu

the

religion.

sented, not as the author, but the arranger or compiler,

His name

of the Vedas, the Itihasas, and Puranas.

denotes his character, meaning the 'arranger' or 'dis-

and the recurrence of many Vyasas, many who new -modelled the Hindu scriptures,

tributor';*

individuals

has nothing, in lous intervals

The

is

improbable, except the fabu-

by which

their labours are separated.

it,

that

rearranging, the refashioning, of old materials

is

nothing more than the progress of time would be likely

The

to render necessary.

that of Krishna

is

who were

last

recognized compilation

Dwaipayana, assisted by Brahmans

already conversant with the subjects respec-

They were

tively assigned to them.

the

members

of

a college, or school, supposed, by the Hindus, to have flourished in a period more remote, no doubt, than the truth, but not at

all

unlikely to have been instituted

some time prior to the accounts of India which we owe to Greek writers, and in which we see enough of the system to justify our inferring that it was then

at

entire.

That there have been other Vyasas and other

schools since that date, that *

Mahdhhdrata, Adi-parvan, 2417

"Inasmuch Again,

as he arranged the

ibid.,

mass

Adi-parvan, 4236

I.,

p.

629, note

of the Vedas, he

is

styled Vyasa."

:

in Lassen's

Indische Alterthums-

2.

Seo, further, Original Samkrit Texts, Part pp. 20, et neg., and p. 190.

to

a

These two passages are referred to kundt, Vol.

Brahmans unknown

II.,

p. 177,

and Part.

III.,

XCIX

PREPACK.

fame have remodelled some of the Hindu

scriptures,

and, especially, the Puranas, cannot reasonably be contested, after dispassionately

nal evidence,

which

all

of

weighing the strong

them

ture of unauthorized and comparatively dients.

But the same

proof,

equally decisive,

ancient materials; and

modern

internal testimony

it

inter-

afford, of the intermix-

ingre-

furnishes

of the anterior existence of is,

therefore, as idle as

it is

irrational, to dispute the antiquity or authenticity of

the greater portion of the contents of the Puranas, in

the face of abundant positive and circumstantial

evidence of the prevalence of the doctrines which they

which they narrate, which they describe, at least three centuries before the Christian era. But the origin and development of their doctrines, traditions, and institutions were not the work of a day;

teach, the currency of the legends

and the integrity of the

institutions

and the testimony that establishes their existence three centuries before Christianity, carries it back to a much

more remote antiquity,

to an antiquity that

is,

probably,

not surpassed by any of the prevailing fictions,

insti-

tutions, or belief, of the ancient world.

The remainder of

the third book describes the lead-

ing institutions of the Hindus, the duties of castes, the obligations of different stages of

life,

and the celebra-

tion of obsequial rites, in a short but primitive strain,

and

in

harmony with the laws

of Manu.

It is

tinguishing feature of the Vishnu Purana, characteristic of

its

a dis-

and

it is

being the work of an earlier period

than most of the Puranas, that

it

enjoins no sectarial

or other acts of supererogation; no Vratas, occasional self-imposed observances; no holy days, no birthdays

O

PREFACE.

of Krishna, no nights dedicated to Lakshmi; no sacrifices

or

modes of worship other than those conformahle It contains no Mahatmyas

to the ritual of the Vedas.

or golden legends, even of the temples in which Vishnu is

adored.

The fourth book

contains

of their ancient history. It list

is

all

of dynasties and individuals:

of events.

much

of

It

it is

Hindus have

it

is

a barren record

can scarcely be doubted, however, that a genuine chronicle of persons,

occurences. That ities in

that the

a tolerably comprehensive

discredited

it is

if

not of

by palpable absurd-

regard to the longevity of the princes of the

must be granted; and the particulars trivial and fabulous. Still, there is an inartificial simplicity and consistency in the succession of persons, and a possibility and probability in some of the transactions, which give to these traditions the semblance of authenticity, and earlier dynasties,

preserved of some of them are

render

it

likely, that

foundation.

At any

they are not altogether without

rate, in the absence of all other

sources of information

,

the record, such as

serves not to be altogether set aside. It to

its credibility,

or

its

usefulness, that

is

it is,

de-

not essential

any exact chro-

nological adjustment of the different reigns should be

attempted. Then* distribution amongst the several Yugas, undertaken by Sir William Jones, or his Pandits, finds

no countenance from the original

texts,

further than an incidental notice of the age in which

a particular monarch ruled, or the general fact that the dynasties prior to Krishna precede the time of the

Great War and the beginning of the Kali age; both which events we are not obliged, with the Hindus, to

PREFACE,

CI

To

place five thousand years ago.

that age the solar

dynasty of princes oifers ninety -three descents, the lunar, but forty-five; though they both

to the

former

seems most

commence

at

Some names may have been added

the same time.

list,

some omitted

likely,

and

in the latter;

it

notwithstanding their syn-

that,

chronous beginning, the princes of the lunar race

were subsequent to those of the solar dynasty. They avowedly branched off from the solar line; aind the legend of Sudyumna,^ that explains the connexion, has every appearance of having been contrived for the purpose of referring it to a period more remote than the truth. Deducting, however, from the larger

number

of princes a considerable proportion, there

is

nothing

to shock probability in supposing, that the

Hindu dy-

nasties

and their ramifications were spread through

an interval of about twelve centuries anterior to the

war of the Mahabharata, and, conjecturing that event to have happened about fourteen centuries before

commencement

Christianity, thus carrying the

regal

hundred years before that not, be too remote;^ but

'

^

it

Book IV., Chapter I. However incompatible with

period that

is

is

may

sufficient, in a subject

the ordinary computation of the

,

this

falls sufficiently

which are now assigned, upon the best observed by

Mn

Mihnan,

in

within the larger limits

authorities, to that period.

his note

on the annotation of

"Most of the more modern English protestants, as Dr. Hales, Mr. Faber,

Gibbon (IL, learned

This may, or

date.

supposed to have elapsed between the flood and

the birth of Christ

As

of the

dynasties of India to about two thousand six

301).

which refers

to this subject:

Dr. Riissell, as well as the continental writers, adopt the larger

PREFACE.

en where precision

is

impossible, to be satisfied with the

general impression, that, in the dynasties of kings Re-

we have a record which, although suffered detriment from age, and have it cannot may have been injured by careless or injudicious comtailed in the Pnranas, fail

to

pilation, preserves

an account^ not wholly undeserving

of confidence, of the establishment and succession of regular monarchies, amongst the Hindus, from as early

an

era,'

and for as continuous a duration, as any

in the

credible annals of mankind.

The circumstances have evident

that are told of the first princes

relation to the colonization of India,

the gradual extension of the authority of

new

and

races

over an uninhabited or uncivilized region. It is commonly admitted, that the Brahmanical religion and civilization

were brought into India from without. ^ Ceron the borders, and in the heart

tainly, there are tribes

of the country, in the

who

are

still

not Hindus; and passages

Ramayana, and Mahabharata, and Manu, and

the uniform traditions of the people themselves, point

when Bengal, Orissa, and the whole of the Dakhin were inhabited by degraded or outcaste, that is, by barbarous, tribes. The traditions of the Purahas

to a period

chronology."

who,

To

for reasons

these

may

be added the opinion of Dr. Mill,

which he has

fully detailed, identifies the

naencement of the Kali age of the Hindus, B. era of the deluge. '

C

com-

3102, with the

Christa Sangita, Introd., supplementary note.

Sir William Jones

on the Hindus (As. Res., Vol. III.);

Klaproth, Asia Polyglotta; Colonel Vans Kennedy, Researches into

the Origin and Affinity of the Principal

Languages of Asia

and Europe; A. von Schlegel, Origines deg Hindous (Transactions of the

Royal Society of Literature).

cur

PBEFACE.

confirm these views: but they lend no assistance to the determination of the question

whence the Hindus

a central Asiatic nation, as Sir

came; whether from William Jones supposed, or from the Caucasian mountains, the plains of Babylonia, or the borders of the

Caspian, as conjectured by Klaproth, Vans Kennedy, affinities of the Sanskrit language

and Schlegel. The prove a

common

nations amongst

render

it

origin of the

whose

dialects

now

widely scattered

they are traceable, and

unquestionable that they must

all

have spread

abroad from some centrical spot in that part of the globe first inhabited by mankind, according to the

Whether any

inspired record.

indication of such an

event be discoverable in the Vedas, remains to be determined; but it would have been obviously incompatible

with the Paurahik system to have referred the and principalities to other than

origin of Indian princes

native sources.

We

need not, therefore, expect, from

them, any information as to the foreign derivation of the Hindus.

We have, then, wholly insufficient means for arriving any information concerning the ante-Indian period of Hindu history, beyond the general conclusion derivable from the actual presence of barbarous and, appa-

at

rently, aboriginal

tribes-from the admitted progTessive

extension of Hinduism into parts of India where

it

did

not prevail when the code of Manu was compiled—from the general use of dialects in India, more or less copious, which are difi'erent from Sanskrit and from the affi-

—

nities of that language with forms of speech current

skrit,

—

that a people who spoke Sanworld and followed the religion of the Vedas, came into

in the western

PREFACE.

CIV

some very distant age, from lands west of the Whether the date and circumstances of their

India, in

Indus.

immigration will ever be ascertained, doubtful: but

it is

not

line of their early site

The

difficult to

and progressive colonization. Hindus within the confines

earliest seat of the

of Hindusthan,

w^as,

is extremely form a plausible out-

,

undoubtedly, the eastern confines

The holy land of Manu and the Puranas between the Drishadwati and Sarasw^ati rivers,— the

of the Punjab. lies

Caggar and Sursooty of our barbarous maps. Various first princes and most famous sages occur in this vicinity; and the Asramas or religious

adventures of the

domiciles of several of the latter are placed on the to some authorities, was the abode of Vyasa, the compiler* of the Vedas and Puranas; and, agreeably to another, when, on one occasion, the Vedas had fallen into disuse and been forgotten, the Brahman s were again instructed in them by Saraswata, the son of Saraswati. One of the most distinguished of the tribes of the Brahmans is known as the Saraswata;^ and the same word is employed, by

banks of the Saraswati. According it

^

Mr. Colebrooke, to denote that modification of Sanskrit

termed generally Prakrit^ and which, in this have been the language of the Saraswata nation, "which occupied the banks of the

which

is

case, he supposes to

river Saraswati.'' ^

•

The

'

See Book

'

As. Res., Vol. v.,

»

Ibid., Vol., VII., p. 219.:

See

my

III.,

note in p.

Chapter VI., note ad finem. p.

3id., Vol.

II.,

.55.

f

XCVIIL, supra.

t Miscellaneous Essays, Vol. ;

river itself receives

p. 21,

II,,

p.

179.

its

appella-

CV

PREFACE.

tion from Saraswati, the goddess of learning, under whose auspices the sacred literature of the Hindus assumed shape and authority. These indications render it certain, that, whatever seeds were imported from

without,

it

was

in the

country adjacent to the Saras-

wati river that they were

and reared,

in

first

planted,

and

cultivated,

Hindusthan.

The tract of land thus assigned for the first establishment of Hinduism in India, is of very circumscribed extent, and could not have been the site of any numerous tribe or nation.

The

traditions that evidence the

early settlement of the Hindus in this quarter, ascribe to the settlers

more

of a philosophical and religious,

than of a secular, character, and combine, with the very

narrow bounds of the holy land,

to render

it

possible,

members, not of of a religious, community; that

that the earliest emigrants were the

a political, so much as they were a colony of priests, not in the restricted sense in which it

still

we

use the term, but in that in which

applies in India, to an Agrahara, a village or

hamlet of Brahmans, who, although married, and having families, and engaging in tillage, in domestic duties,

and in the conduct of secular interests affecting the community, are, still, supposed to devote their principal A attention to sacred study and religious offices. society of this description with its artificers and ser,

body of martial followers, the Brahmavarta of Manu, the land which, thence, was entitled 'the holy', or, more literally, 'the Brahman, region', and may have communicated to the rude, uncivilized, unlettered, vants, and, perhaps, with a

might have found a home

in

aborigines the rudiments of social organization, litera-

PREFACE.

CVI

ture, and religion; partly, in

all

probability, brought

along with them, and partly devised and fashioned, by degrees, for the growing necessities of new conditions of society.

whom

Those with

this civilization

commenced would have had ample inducements

to

prosecute their successful work; and, in the course of time, the improvement which germinated on the banks of the Saraswatl was extended beyond the borders of the

Jumna and

We

the Ganges. have no satisfactory intimation of the stages by political organization of the

which the

people of Upper

India traversed the space between the Saraswati and the more easterly region, where it seems to have taken a concentrated form, and whence

it

diverged, in various

directions, throughout Hindusthan.

The Manu

of the

present period, Vaivaswata, the son of the Sun,

is

re-

garded as the founder of Ayodhya; and that city continued to be the capital of the most celebrated branch of his descendants, the posterity of Ikshwaku, The

Vishnu

Purai'ia evidently intends to describe the radia-

tion of conquest or colonization

accounts

it

posterity; and, although

it is

what could have led early site, it is

from

this spot, in the

gives of the dispersion of Vaivaswata's difficult to

understand

settlers in India to

not inconveniently situated as a

such a

commanding

whence emigrations might proceed to the east, the west, and the south. This seems to have happened. A branch from the house of Ikshwaku spread

position

into Tirhoot, constituting the Maithila kings;

and the

posterity of another of Vaivaswata's sons reigned at Vaisali, in

Southern Tirhoot, or Sarun.

PREFACE.

CVII

The most adventurous emigrations, however, took place through the lunar dynasty, which, as observed

above, originates from the solar; making, in fact, but one race and source for the whole. Leaving out of consideration the legend of Sudyumna's double trans-

formation, the

first

prince of Pratishthana, a city south

from Ayodhya, was one of Vaivaswata's children, equally with Ikshwaku. The sons of Puriiravas, the second of

this

branch, extended, by themselves, or

their posterity, in every direction : to the east, to Kasi,

Magadha, Benares, and Behar; southwards, to the Vindhya hills, and, across them, to Vidarbha or Berar; westwai'ds, along the Narmada, to Kusasthali or Dwaraka

and, in a north-westerly direction, to

in Gujerat;

Mathura and Hastinapura. These movements are very distinctly discoverable amidst the circumstances nar-

rated in the fourth

book of the Vishnu Purana, and

are precisely such as might be expected from a radiation of colonies

from Ayodhya. Intimations also occur

of settlements in Banga, Kaiinga, and the Dakhin: but

they are brief and indistinct, and have the appearance of additions subsequent to the comprehension of those countries within the pale of Hinduism.

Besides these traces of migration and settlement, several curious circumstances, not likely to be unauthorized inventions, are hinted in these historical traditions.

The

distinction of castes

prior to the colonization.

was not fully developed

Of the sons

of Vaivaswata,

some, as kings, were Kshatriyas; but one founded a tribe of Brahmans, another became a Vaisya, and a fourth, a Sudra.

It is also said, of

other princes, that

they estabhshed the four castes amongst their sub-

CVm

PREFACE.

There

jects.^

are, also, various notices of

Brahmanical

Gotras or families, proceeding from Kshatriya races ;^

and there are several indications of severe struggles between the two ruling castes, not for temporal, but for spiritual, dominion, the right to teach the Vedas.

This seems to be the especial purport of the inveterate

between the Brahman Vasishtha and the Kshatriya Viswamitra, who, as the Rfimayana hostility that prevailed

relates,

compelled the gods to make him a Brahman

and w^hose posterity became very celebrated as the Kausika Brahmans. Other legends, again, such as Daksha's sacrifice, denote sectarial strife; and the also,

legend of Parasurama reveals a conflict even for temporal authority, between the

two ruling

castes.

More

or less weight will be attached to these conjectures,

according to the temperament of different inquirers. But, even whilst fully aware of the facility with which plausible deductions

may

disposed to relax

curb upon the imagination,

it difficult

all

cheat the fancy, and

little

I find

to regard these legends as wholly unsub-

stantial fictions,

or devoid of

all

resemblance to the

realities of the past.

After the date of the great war, the Vishnu Purana, in

common

lists,

with those Puranas which contain similar

specifies kings

cision,

and

and dynasties with greater pre-

offers political

and chronological particulars

to which, on the score of probability, there to object.

is

nothing

In truth, their general accuracy has been

incontrovertibly established.

Inscriptions on columns

'

See Book IV., Chapters VJII. and XVIII., &c.

3

See Book IV., Chapter XIX.

CIX

PREFACE.

of stone, on rocks, on coins, deciphered only of late years, through the extraordinary ingenuity and perseverance of Mr. James Prinsep, have verified the

—

names of races and titles of princes the Gupta and Andhra Rajas, mentioned in the Puranas and have placed beyond dispute the identity of Chandragupta

—

and Sandrocoptus; thus giving us a fixed point from to compute the date of other persons and events. Thus, the Vishnu Purana specifies the interval between Chandragupta and the Great War to be eleven hundred

which

years; and the occurence of the latter

fourteen centuries B.

C,

as

shown

in

more than

little

my

observations

on the passage,^ remarkably concurs with inferences of the like date from different premises. The historical notices that then follow are considerably confused;

but they probably afford an accurate picture of the political distractions of India at the time when they

were written: and much of the perplexity

arises

from

the corrupt state of the manuscripts, the obscure brevity of the record, and our total want of the means of collateral illustration.

The

fifth

book

of the

Vishnu Purana

occupied with the Jife of Krishna.

is

This

is

exclusively

one of the

distinguishing characteristics of the Purana, and

argument against

its

antiquity.

It is possible,

is

one

though

not yet proved, that Krishna, as an Avatara of Vishnu, is mentioned in an indisputably genuine text of the conspicuously prominent in the Maha-

Vedas.

He

jjharata,

but very contradictorily described there. The

is

part that he usually performs

'

See Book IV., Chapter

XXIV.

is

that of a

mere mortal;

ex

PREFACE.

although the passages are numerous that attach divinity to his person.

There

are,

however, no descriptions,

in

the Mahabharata, of his juvenile frolics, of his sports in

Vfindavana, his pastimes with the cow-boys, or even

his destruction of the stories have,

all,

Asuras sent to

kill

him.

These

a modern complexion; they do not

harmonize with the tone of the ancient legends, which is,

generally, grave, and, sometimes, majestic.

They are

the creations of a puerile taste and grovelling imagina-

These chapters of the Vishnu Purana

tion.

difficulties as to their originality.

as those

on the same subject

in

oifer some They are the same the Brahma Pm*aAa:

they are not very dissimilar to those of the Bhagavata.

The

latter has some incidents which the Vishnu has and may, therefore, be thought to have improved upon the prior narrative of the latter. On the other

not^

hand abridgment is equally a proof of posteriority as amplification. The simpler style of the Vishnu Purdna is, however, in favour of its priority; and the miscellaneous composition of the Brahma Purana renders it likely to have borrowed these chapters from the Vishnu. The life of Krishna in the Hari Vamsa and the Brahma ,

Vaivarta are, indisputably, of later date.

The

book contains an account of the dissolution its major and minor cataclysms; the particulars of the end of all thmgs by fire

last

of the world, in both

and, in

and water, as well as renovation that

'

,

were general Dr.

world on

in the principle of their

presents a

faitliful

in the ancient world. ^

Thomas Burnet has

perpetual

exhibition of opinions

The meta-

collected the opinions of the ancient

this subject, tracing

them, as he says, "to the

earliest

CXI

PREFACE.

physical annihilation of the universe, by the release of the spirit from bodily existence, offers, as already re-

marked, other analogies to doctrines and practices taught by Pythagoras and Plato, and by the Platonic Christians of later days.

The Vishnu Puraha has kept very from which an approximation

lars

conjectured.

No

ness has any

known

place

clear of particu-

to

its

date

may

be

described of which the sacred-

is

limit,

nor any work cited of pro-

The Vedas,

bable recent composition.

the Puranas,

other works forming the body of Sanskrit literature, are

named; and so

fore,

it is

adverted

is

the Mahdbharata, to which, there-

Both Bauddhas and Jainas are

subsequent. to.

It

was, therefore, written before the

But they

former had disappeared.

existed, in

some

parts of India, as late as the twelfth century, at least;

and

it is

probable that the PurAna was compiled before

The Gupta kings reigned in the seventh The historical record of the Puraiia which mentions them was, therefore, later: and there seems

that period.

century.*

little

doubt that the same alludes to the

of the

Mohammedans, which took

century; which brings latter

it still

dynasties, some,

if

first

incursioub

place in the eighth

lower. In describing the

not

ail,

of which were, no

doubt, contemporary, they are described as reigning, people, and the

first

appearances of wisdom after the Flood."

Sacred Theory of the Earth, account explains what tradition,

as handed

is

Book

III.,

Chapter

III.

The Hindu

imperfect or contradictory in ancient

down from

other and less carefully per-

petuated sources.

•

More recent researches haTe rendered

this conclusion doubtful.

PREFACE.

CXII

altogether, one thousand seven

Why

years.

hundred and ninety-six

duration should have been chosen

this

does not appear: unless, in conjunction with the number of years which are said to have elapsed between the

Great

War and

the last of the

Andhra dynasty, which

preceded these different races, and which amounted

two thousand three hundred and fifty, the compiler was influenced by the actual date at which he wrote. The aggregate of the two periods would be the Kali year 4146, equivalent to A. D. 1045. There are some to

variety and indistinctness in the enumeration of the

periods which compose this total: but the date which results

from

it is

to that of the It is

not unlikely to be an approximation

Vishnu Purana.

the boast of inductive philosophy, that

it

draws

conclusions from the careful observation and accu-

its

mulation of facts; and

it is,

equally, the bushiess of

philosophical research to determine

ventures upon speculation.

been observed

its

all

facts before

it

This procedure has not

in the investigation of the

mythology

and traditions of the Hindus. Impatience to generalize has availed itself greedily of whatever promised to afford materials for generalization; and the

most

er-

roneous views have been confidently advocated, because the guides to which their authors trusted were ignorant or insufficient. The information gleaned by Sir William Jones

was gathered

Sanskrit study, before the field

in

an early season of

was

cultivated.

same may be said of the writings of Paolino da

S.

The Bar-

tolomeo,^ with the further disadvantage of his having

'

Systeraa Brahmanicum, &c.

CXIII

PREFACE.

been imperfectly acquainted vnth the Sanskrit language and literature, and his veiling his deficiencies under loftiness of pretension

applied erudition.

and a prodigal display of misto which Wilford^

The documents

trusted proved to be, in great part, fabrications, and,

where genuine, were mixed up with so much loose and unauthenticated matter, and so overwhelmed with extravagance of speculation, that his citations need to be carefully and skilfully sifted, before they can be serviceably employed.

The

descriptions of

Ward^

are

too deeply tinctured by his prejudices to be implicitly

confided in; and they are also derived, in a great measure, from the oral or wiitten communications of

BengaU

pandits,

who

are not, in general, very deeply

read in the authorities of their mythology. The accounts of Polier^ were, in like manner, collected from questionable sources; and his Mythologie des Indous presents an heterogeneous mixture of popular and Pauranik tales, of ancient traditions, and legends apparently invented for the occasion, which renders the

pubHcation worse than useless, except in the hands of those who can distinguish the pure metal from the alloy.

Such are the authorities to which Maurice, Faber, and Creuzer have exclusively trusted, in their description of the Hindu mythology; and it is no marvel that there should have been an utter confounding of good and bad in their selection of materials, and an inextricable

*

'

Asiatic Researches.

View

of the History, Literature, and Religion of the Hindoos,

with a Description of their Manners and Customs. ^

I.

Mythologie des Indous, edited by

la

Chanoinesse de Poller.

h

PREFACE.

CXIV

mixture of truth and error in their conclusions. Their labours, accordingly, are far

from

entitled to that con-

fidence which their learning and industry would, else,

have secured; and a sound and comprehensive survey of the Hindu system is still wanting to the comparative analysis of the religious opinions of the ancient world,

and

to a satisfactory elucidation of an important chap-

ter in the history of the

human

race.

It is

with the

hope of supplying some of the necessary means for the accomplishment of these objects, that the following pages have been translated.

The

translation of the

from a

Vishnu Purana has been made

collation of various manuscripts in

my

posses-

had three, when I commenced the work; two in the Devanagari, and one in the Bengali, character. A fourth, from the west of India, was given to me by Major Jervis, when some progress had been made; sion.

I

and, in conducting the latter half of the translation

through the press,

I

have compared

it

with three other

copies in the library of the East India

Company.

these copies closely agree; presenting no other

All

diffe-

rences than occasional varieties of reading, owing, chiefly, to the inattention or inaccuracy of the trans-

Four of the copies were accompanied by a commentary, essentially the same, although occasionally varying, and ascribed, in part, at least, to two different scholiasts. The annotations on the first two criber.

books and the

fifth are, in

work of Sridhara hari,

and who

is,

two MSS., said to be the Parananda Nri-

Yati, the disciple of therefore, the

same

as Sridhara

Swa-

min, the commentator on the Bhagavata. In the other three books, these two

MSS. concur with other two

in

CXV

PREFACE.

nainlng the commei)tator Ratnagarblia Bhattacharya,

who,

ill

those two,

entire w^ork.

hhn

specify tlie

is

the author of the notes on the

The introductory verses* to be

the disciple

of his

comment

of Vidyavachaspati,

son of Hirariyagarblia, and grandson of Madhava,

who composed

his

commentary by

desire of Siiryakara,

son of RatinathaMlsra, son of Chandrakara, hereditary ministers of

some sovereign who

is

not particularized.

In the illustrations which are attributed to these rent writers, there

other

is

is

so

much

diffe-

conformity, that one or

largely indebted to his predecessor.

both refer to earlier commentaries. Srfdhara

They

cites the

works of Chitsukha Yogin and others, both more extensive and more concise; betvfeen which, bis own, which he terms Afcma- or Swa-prakasa, 'self-illuminator'.

*

The

versos referred tc are as follo-ws

At the end of Ratnagarbha's commentary we read

:

PREFACE,

CXVI

holds an intermediate character.* Ratnagarbha entitles his,

Vaishnavakuta-chandrika, 'the moonlight of devo-

The

tion to Vishnu.'

dates of these commentators are

not ascertainable, as far as I

am

aware, from any of

the particulars which they have specified.

have added to the translation, comparing the statements of the text with those of other Puranas, and pointing out the circumstances in which they differ or In the notes which

I

have been desirous,

I

chiefly, of

agree; so as to render the present publication a sort of concordance to the whole; as it is not very probable that many of them will be published or translated. that follows f has been made sufficiently copious to answer the purposes of a mythological and

The Index

historical dictionary,

greater

number

as far as the Puranas,

or the

of them, furnish materials.

In rendering the text into English, I have adhered to

as literally as

it

was compatible with some regard

to the usages of English composition. original presents

few

difficulties.

The

In general, the style of the

Pu-

very commonly, humble and easy; and the narrative is plainly and unpretendingly told. In the ranas

is,

addresses to the deities, in the expatiations upon the divine nature, in the descriptions of the universe, and

*

Sridbara, at the opening of his commentary, writes thus:

t

A

TT-RTWT^fr^ rl^l<^T new and

TTW^^ fwN*^

II

amplified Index will be given at the end of the last volume.

CXVn

PREFACE. in

argumentative and metaphysical discussion, there

occur passages in which the difficulty arising from the subject

itself is

enhanced by the brief and obscure

On such occasions, I it is treated. much aid from the commentary. But it is posthat I may have, sometimes, misapprehended and

manner

in

which

derived sible

misrepresented the original; and that I

may

have sometimes

it is,

also, possible

failed to express its pur-

port with sufficient precision to have made I trust,

however, that

this will

it

intelligible.

not often be the case,

and that the translation of the Vishnu Purana will be of service and of interest to the few who, in these times of utilitarian selfishness, conflicting opinion, party virulence,

and

political agitation,

can find a resting-place

for their thoughts in the tranquil contemplation of

those yet living pictures of the ancient world which are exhibited

Hindus.

by the

literature

and mythology of the

CONTENTS. BOOK

I.

CHAPTER Maitreya inquires

Invocation.

origin and nature of the universe. to

I.

Parasara,

the

Parasara performs a

rite

teacher,

of his

destroy the demons: reproved by Vasishtha,

he desists:

Pulastya appears, and bestows upon him divine knowledge:

he repeats the Vishnu Parana.

and end of

Vishnu the origin, existence,

all things.

CHAPTER Prayer of Parasara

Explanation of Vasudeva: his existence before crea-

Puraiia. tion

:

n.

Successive narration of the Vishnu

to Vishria.

his first manifestations.

chief principle of things.

Description of Pradhana or the

Cosmogony.

Of Prakrita

terial creation; of time; of the active cause.

effects;

sense;

or

ma-

Development of

Mahat; Aharfikara; Tanmatras; element*; objects of Vishnu the same as of the mundane egg.

senses;

Brahma

Vishnu the preserver, Rudra the de-

the creator,

stroyer.

CHAPTER Measure of time. fortnight,

Moments

HI.

or Kashthas, &c.; day and night;

month, year, divine year: Yugas or ages: Mahay uga

or great age: day of

Brahma: periods of

the

Manus: a Man-

wautara: night of Brahma and destruction of the world: a year of

Brahma:

his life: a

Kalpa: aParardha: the past or Padma

Kalpa: the present or Varaha.

CXX

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Varaha or boar:

IV.

in the beginning of the

Narayana's appearance,

Kalpa, as the

Prithivi (Earth) addresses him: he raises the

world from beneath the waters: hymned by Sanandana and

The earth floats on the ocean The lower spheres of the universe

the Yogins.

zones.

:

divided into seven

Creation

restored.

renewed.

CHAPTER

V.

Vishnu, as Brahma, creates the world.

Brahma

creation.

meditates,

General characteristics of

and gives origin

to

immovable

Specific creation of nine kinds:

things, animals, gods, men.

Mahat, Tanmatra, Aindriya, inanimate objects, animals, gods, men, Anugraha, and Kaumara. More particular account of Origin of different orders of beings fi*om Brahma's

creation.

body under

different conditions,

and of the Vedas from his

All things created again as they existed in a former

mouths. Kalpa.

CHAPTER

VI.

Progress of

Origin of the four castes: their primitive state. Different kinds of grain.

society.

of

men

:

Efficacy of sacrifice.

Duties

regions assigned them after death.

CHAPTER

VII.

Creation continued. Production of the mind-born sons of Brahma; of the Prajapatis; of Sanandana and others; of Rudra and the

Manu Swayambhuva and his wife SataThe daughters of Daksha, and their Dharma and others. The progeny of Dharma and The perpetual succession of worlds and different

eleven Rudras ; of the

rupa; of their children. marriage to Adharraa.

,

modes of mundane

dissolution.

CHAPTER

VIII.

Origin of Rudra: his becoming eight Rudras: their wives and children.

The

posterity of Bhfigu.

junction with Vishnu.

(Sacrifice of

Account of Sri Daksha.)

in con-

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Legend of Lakshmi. it

CXXr

IX.

Durvasas gives a garland

disrespectfully,

and

is

to Indra:

he treats

The power

cursed by the Muni.

of

the gods impaired: they are oppressed by the Danavas, and

have recourse

to

Vishnu.

The churning

of the ocean.

Praises

of Sri.

CHAPTER The descendants

CHAPTER Legend by

X.

Daksha married

of the daughters of

to the Rishis.

XI.

of Dhruva, the son of Uttanapada : he

is

unkindly treated

his father's second wife: applies to his mother: her advice:

he resolves to engage in religious exercises: sees the seven r

Rishis,

who recommend him

to propitiate

CHAPTER

Vishnu.

XII.

Dhruva commences a course of religious

Unsuccessful

austerities.

attempts of Indra and his ministers to distract Dhruva's attention

:

they appeal to Vishnu,

to Dhruva.

Dhruva

who

allays their fears, and appears

praises Vishnu, and

is

raised to the skies,

as the pole-star.

CHAPTER Posterity of Dhruva.

Nishada and Prithu

:

:

his impiety :

Anarchy ensues.

death by the Rishis.

of Suta and

XIII.

Legend of Vena the latter the

first

he

is

put to

The production of king. The origin of

Magadha: they enumerate the

duties of kings.

Prithu compels Earth to acknowledge his authority: he levels it:

introduces cultivation: erects

cities.

Earth called, after him,

Pfitbivi: typified as a cow.

CHAPTER Descendants of Prithu. sired,

by

Legend of

their father,

to

XIV. the Prachetasas

:

they are de-

multiply mankind, by worshipping

Vishnu: they plunge into the sea, and meditate on and praise him; he appears, and grants their wishes.

CXXir

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XV. The world overrun with tasas.

Soma

pacifies

trees: they are destroyed by the Prachethem, and gives them Marishii to wife:

her story: the daughter of the of Karidu.

nymph Pramlocha. Legend Daksha the son of the

Marisha's former history.

Prachetasas: his different characters: his sons: his daughters: theirraarriages and progeny

:

allusion to Prahhida, his descendant.

CHAPTER

XVI.

Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlada.

CHAPTER Legend of Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu

XVII. the sovereign of the universe:

the gods dispersed, or in servitude to him: Prahlada, his son,

remains devoted to Vishiiu: questioned by his father, he praises Vishnu: Hiranyakasipu orders him to be put to death, but in vain: his repeated deliverance: he teaches his companions to

adore Vishnu.

CHAPTER

XVIII.

Hiranyakasipu's reiterated attempts to destroy his son

:

their being

always frustrated.

CHAPTER

XIX.

Dialogue between Prahlada and his father: he

is

cast

top of the palace unhurt: baffles the incantations of

he

is

thrown, fettered, into the sea

:

from the

Sambara

he praises Vishnu.

CHAPTER XX. Vishnu appears to Prahlada. conciled to his son siniha. fruit of

:

he

is

Hiranyakasipu relents, and

is

re-

put to death by Vishnu as the Nii-

Prahlada becomes king of the Daityas

:

his posterity

hearing his story.

CHAPTER Families of the Daityas.

XXI.

Descendants of Kasyapa by Danu.

Children of Kasyapa by his other wives. the sons of Diti.

Birth of the Marutas,

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Dominion over

XXTI.

different provinces of creation assigned to different

Four

Universality of Vishnu.

beings.

contemplation. attributes

CXXlir

Two

of Vishnu

Vishnu everything.

varieties of spiritual

The

conditions of spirit.

perceptible

types of his imperceptible properties.

Merit of hearing the

first

book of

the

Vishnu Parana.

BOOK

11.

CHAPTER

I.

Descendants of Priyavrata, the eldest son of Swayariibhuva Manu his ten sons: three adopt a religious life; the

others

kings of the seven Dwipas or isles of the earth.

king of Jambu-dwipa, divides distributes

it

into nine portions,

become

Agnidhra,

which he

Nabhi, king of the south, suc-

amongst his sons.

ceeded by Rishabha, and he, by Bluirata: India named, after him, Bharata: his descendants reign during the Swayaihbhuva

Manwantara.

CHAPTER Description of the earth.

Jambu-dwipa. Mount Meru: of Ilavrita. gods.

IL

The seven Dwipas and seven its

seas.

extent and boundaries. Extent

Groves, lakes, and brandies of Meru. Cities of the

Rivers.

The forms

of Vishnu worshipped in different

Varshas.

CHAPTER Description divisions:

of Bharata -varsha:

ni.

extent:

chief mountains:

nine

principal rivers and mountains of Bharata proper:

principal nations: superiority over other Varshas, especially

as the seat of religious acts.

(Topographical

CHAPTER Account of kings,

lists.)

IV.

divisions, mouiiiaius, rivers,

and inhabitants of

the other Dwipas, viz.,Plaksha, Salmala, Kusa, Krauncha, Saka,

CXXIV

CONTENTS.

and Pushkara: of the oceans separating them: of the the confines of the earth

the

:

Lokaloka mountain.

tides: of

Extent of

the whole.

CHAPTER Of

the seven regions of Patala,

V.

below the

Account of the serpent astronomy and astrology. of Patala.

CHAPTER Of

earth.

»Sesha.

Narada's praises First teacher

of

VI.

the different hells, or divisions of

Naraka, below Patala: the

crimes punished in them, respectively: efficacy of expiation: meditation on Vishnu the most effective expiation.

CHAPTER Vn. Extent and situation of the seven spheres,

sky, planets,

viz. earth,

Mahar-loka, Jana-loka, Tapo-loka, and Satya-loka. egg of Brahma, and

its

elementary envelopes.

Of

Of

the

the influence

of the energy of Vishnu.

CHAPTER

VHI.

Description of the sun: his chariot;

The

cities

course

:

its

two axles:

his horses.

of the regents of the cardinal points.

nature of his rays

:

The

his path along the ecliptic.

sun's

Length

of day and night.

Divisions of time: equinoxes and solstices,

months, years, the

cyclical

and southern

declinations.

Yuga

or age of five years. Northern

Saints on the

Lokaloka mountain.

Celestial paths of the Pitfis, gods, Vishnu.

Origin of Ganga,

and separation, on the top of Meru, into four great

CHAPTER

rivers.

IX.

Planetary system, under the type of a Sisumara or porpoise. earth nourished by the sun.

Of

rain from clouds.

thence, of animal

life,

Of

The

rain whilst the sun shines.

Rain the support of vegetation, and, Narayaria the support of

all beings.

CXXV

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Names

X,

Names

of the twelve Adityas.

of the Rishis, Gandliarvas,

Apsarasas, Yakshas, Uragas, and Rakshasas, chariot of the sun in eacli

month of the

year.

who

attend the

Their respective

functions.

CHAPTER The sun car:

distinct

identical

XI,

from, and supreme over, the attendants on his with the three Vedas and with Vishnu:

his

functions.

CHAPTER

XII.

Description of the moon: his chariot, horses, and course: fed by the sun: drained, periodically, of ambrosia

The

and gods. orbits

their

members of

by the progenitors

chariots and horses of the planets: kept in

by

aerial

chains attached to Dhruva,

the planetary porpoise.

CHAPTER Legend of Bharata.

Typical

Vasudeva alone

real.

XIII.

Bharata abdicates his throne and becomes

an ascetic: cherishes a fawn, and becomes so much attached to

it,

as to neglect his devotions: he dies: his successive births:

works

in the fields,

and

is

pressed, as a palankin-bearer, for

the Raja of Sauvira: rebuked for his

awkwardness:

his reply:

dialogue between him and the king.

CHAPTER Dialogue continued. the end of life,

XIV.

Bharata expounds the nature of existence,

and the

identification of individual with uni-

versal spirit.

CHAPTER

XV.

Bharata relates the story of Ribhu and Nidagha. pupil of the former, becomes a prince, and preceptor, departs.

who

The is

latter, the

visited

by

his

explains to him the principles of unity, and

CXXVI

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

XVI.

liibhu returns to his disciple, and perfects

The same recommended upon, obtains

final liberation.

him by

to the Raja,

in divine

Bhjirata,

Consequences of hearing this legend.

BOOK

III.

CHAPTER

I.

Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras. the second Mjinu

the divinities, the Indra,

:

knowledge.

who, there-

Swarochisha

the seven Rishis,

of his period, and his sons. Similar details of Auttami, Tamasa,

Raivata, Chakshusha, and Vaivaswata. as the preserver, in each Manwantara.

CHAPTER Of the seven

divinities, &c. of their respec-

Appearance of Vishnu

CHAPTER Division of the

Dwapara

age.

Manwantara.

Veda

of Sanjna and

son of Chhtiya, the eighth

Savarrii,

His successors, with the

tive periods.

n.

Manus and Manwantaras. Story

future

Chhaya, wives of the sun.

Manu.

The forms of Vishnu, The meaning of Vishnu.

in

each of the four Yugas,

HI.

into four portions,

by a Vyasa,

in

every

List of the twenty-eight Vyasas of the present

Meaning of

the

word Brahma.

CHAPTER

IV.

Dwapara age, by the Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana. Paila made reader of the Rich; Vaisampayana, of the Yajus; Jaimini, of the Saman; and Sumantu,

Division of the Veda,

in

the last

r

of the Atharvan.

Siita

appointed to teach the historical poems.

Origin of the four parts of the Veda.

CHAPTER Divisions of the Yajur-veda.

Samhitas of the Rig-veda.

V.

Story of Yajnavalkya: forced to

give up what he has learned: picked up by others, the Taittiriya-yajus.

communicates

to

forming

Yajnavalkya. worships the sun,

him the Vajasaneyi'-yajus.

who

CXXVII

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

VI.

Pauriinik Divisions of the Sama-veda: of the Atharva-veda. Four knowSambitas. Names of the eighteen Puranas. Branches of ledge.

Classes of Rishis.

CHAPTER VH. By what means men

are exempted from the authority of

Yama,

Dialogue between

Yama

as narrated by Bhishma to Nakula.

not subject and one of his attendants. Worshippers of Vishnu known. be to are they How Yama. to

CHAPTER How

Vishnu

is

VHI.

to be worshipped, as related

Duties of the four castes, severally and

by Aurva in

to Sagara.

common:

also in

time of distress.

CHAPTER

IX.

hermit, and mendicant. Duties of the religious student, householder,

CHAPTER Of

to

Different

modes of marrying.

CHAPTER Of

X.

be observed at the birth and naming of a child. manying, or leading a religious life. Choice of a wife.

Ceremonies

XI. householder.

of a the Sadacharas or and oblations: hospiDaily purifications, ablutions, libations, to be observed at meals, at tality: obsequial rites: ceremonies

perpetual obligations

morning and evening worship, and on going

CHAPTER

to rest.

XII.

ceremonial, and moral. Miscellaneous obligations, purificatory,

CHAPTER Of Sraddhas occasions

XIII.

be performed on or rites in honour of ancestors, to Of the Ekodof rejoicing. Obsequial ceremonies.

Sapindana or annual one. dishta or monthly Sraddha, and the

Bv whom

to be performed.

CXXVm

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Of

XIV.

occasional Sraddhas or obsequial ceremonies cacious, and at

what

:

when most

effi-

places.

CHAPTER

XV. r

What Brahmans

are

be entertained

to

at

Different

Sraddhas.

Offerings of food to be presented to

prayers to be recited.

deceased ancestors.

CHAPTER Things proper

to

hibited things.

avoided.

Circumstances vitiating a Sraddba:

Song of

:

how

proto be

the Pitris or progenitors, heard by Ikshwakn.

CHAPTER Of

XVI.

be offered, as food, to deceased ancestors

heretics, or those

who

origin, as described

XVII.

reject the authority of the

by Vasishtha

to

Vedas:

their

Bhishma: the gods, de-

feated by the Daityas, praise Vishnu: an illusory being, or

Buddha, produced from

his body.

CHAPTER Buddha goes

to the earth

XVIII.

and teaches the Daityas to contemn

the Vedas: his sceptical doctrines: his prohibition of animal sacrifices.

Meaning of

the term Bauddha. Jainas and

The Daityas

their tenets.

by the gods.

lose their power,

Meaning of the term Nagna.

neglect of duty.

Communion with

Story

of Satadhanu and

I.

Origin of the solar dynasty from Brahma.

Sons of the Manu Vairaswata. Nedishta.

Saivya.

IV.

CHAPTER

Sudyumna.

Consequences of his wife

heretics to be shunned.

BOOK Dynasties of kings.

Bauddhas:

and are overcome

Transformations of

Ua

or

Descendants of the sons of Vaivaswat: those of Greatness of Marutta.

dants of Saryati.

Kings of Vaisali.

Legend of Raivata:

married to Balarama.

his

Descen-

daughter Revati

CXXIX

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

II.

Dispersion of Revata's descendants : those of Nabhaga-.

Line of Vikukshi. of

Dhf ishta

those of

:

Birth of Ikshwaku, the son of Vaivaswata: his sons.

Yuvanaswa;

Legend of Kakutstha; of Dhundhumara of Mandhatfi:

his

CHAPTER

IIL

daughters

married to

Saubhari.

Saubhari and his wives adopt an ascetic Mandhatfi.

Trisanku.

life.

Descendants of

Legend of Narraada and Purukutsa. Legend of Bahu driven from his kingdom by the Haihayas

and Talajanghas. Birth of Sagara: he conquers the barbarians, imposes upon them distinguishing usages, and excludes them

from offerings

to fire

and the study of the Vedas.

CHAPTER The progeny

IV.

of Sagara: their wickedness: he performs an xiswa-

medha: the horse stolen by Kapila: found by Sagara's sons, who are all destroyed by the sage: the horse recovered by

Legend of Mitrasaha or KalmaLegend of Khatwanga. Birth of

Arasumat: his descendants. shapada, the son of Sudasa.

Rama of

Epitome of the history

and the other sons of Dasaratha.

Rama:

Kusa.

his descendants,

Bfihadbala, the

and those of his brothers.

last, killed in

CHAPTER

the Great

Line of

War.

V.

Kings of Mithila. Legend of Nimi, the son of Ikshwaku. Birth of Janaka. Sacrifice of Siradhwaja. Origin of Sita. Descendants of Kusadhwaja.

Kfita the last of the Maithila princes.

CHAPTER VL Kings of the lunar dynasty.

Origin of

and Asuras

,

in consequence

Budha: married his son

to Ila,

:

:

appeased by Brahma.

Pururavas and the nymph Urvasi

:

Birth of

Legend of

daughter of Vaivaswata.

offerings with fire: ascends to I.

or the moon: he war between the gods

Soma

carries off Tara, the wife of Bfihaspati

the former institutes

the sphere of the Gaudharvas. i

CONTENTS.

CXXX

CHAPTER Sons of Pururavas.

VII.

Indra born as

Descendants of Araavasu.

Legend of Richika and Satyavati. Birth of Jamadagni and Viswamitra. Parasurama the son of the former. (Legend the sons of Viswaof Parasurama.) Sunahsepha and others Gadhi.

,

mitra, forming the

Kausika

race.

CHAPTER

VIII.

Sons of Ayus. Line of Kshatravriddha, or kings of Kasi. Former Various names of Pratardana.

birth of Dhanwantari.

Great-

ness of Alarka.

CHAPTER Descendants of Raji , son of Ayus

him

:

claimed, after his death,

IX. Indra resigns his throne to

:

by

his sons,

who

apostatize from

the religion of theVedas, and are destroyed by Indra. Descendants of Pratikshatra, son of Kshatravriddlia.

CHAPTER The sons

of Nahusha.

The sons

X.

of Yayati

:

he

is

cursed by Sukra:

wishes his sons to exchange their vigour for his

Yayati restores him

Piiru alone consents.

infirmities.

his youth: divides

the earth amongst his sons, under the supremacy of Puru.

CHAPTER The Ytidava

XI.

race, or descendants of

Yadu.

Karttavirya obtains

a boon from Dattatreya: takes Ravana prisoner:

Parasurama:

is

killed

by

his descendants.

CHAPTER Descendants of Kroshtri.

XII.

Jyamagha's connubial

aftection for his

wife Saivya: their descendants kings of Vidarbha and Chedi.

CHAPTER

XIII.

Sons of Sattwata. Bhoja princes of Miittikavati. Surya the friend of Satrajit: appears to him in a bodily form: gives him the

Syamantaka gem:

its

brilliance

and marvellous properties.

CONTENTS. Satrajit gives

killed

it

to

Prasena,

who

by the bear Jambavat.

CXXXt killed

is

by a lion: the lion

Krishna, suspected of killing

Prasena, goes to look for him in the forests: traces the bear to bis cave

fignts

:

with him for the jewel

:

the contf 't pro-

longed: supposed, by his companions, to be slain: he overthrows

Jambavat and marries her and the jewel, to

and marries

his daughter

Dwaraka

:

Jambavati: returns, with

restores the jewel to Satrajit

his daughter Satyabhtima.

Satadhanwan: avenged by Krishna.

Satrajit

murdered by

Quarrel between Krishna

and Balarama. Akriira possessed of the jewel: leaves Dwaraka. Public calamities. Meeting of the Yadavas. Story of Akrura's birth:

the

he

invited to return: accused,

is

Syamantaka jewel: produces

in his chargfe

children of

cendants of Bhajamana.

Devaka and Ugrasena.

Paiidu by Madri.

des-

Yudhish-

The sons

of

Husbands and children of Sura's other

Previous births of Sisupala.

daughters.

CHAPTER Explanation of the reason

why

slain

XV.

Sisupala, in his previous births

as Hirariyakasipu and Ravaiia,

Sisupala.

The

Children of Sura: his son Vasudeva:

and his brothers; also Karna, by Aditya.

on being

remains

XIV.

his daughter Pritha married to Paiidu: her children,

thira

it

Anamitra, of Swaphalka and Chitraka, of

Sini, of

The

Andhaka.

by Krishna, of having

in full assembly:

Krishna acquitted of having purloined it

:

CHAPTER Descendants of

it

was not

by him, and was so

identified with Vishnu,

identified,

The wives of Vasudeva:

when

his children:

killed as

Balarama

and Krishna his sons by Devaki: born, apparently, of Rohini

and Yasoda.

The wives and

children of Krishna.

the descendants of Yadu.

CHAPTER

XVI.

Descendants of Turvasu.

CHAPTER Descendants of Druhyu.

XVII.

Multitude of

CXXXn

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Descendants of Ann.

XVIII.

Countries and towns

named

some of

after

them, as Anga, Banga, and others.

CHAPTER Descendants of Piiru. his sons killed

:

of Hastinapura.

XIX.

Birth of Bharata, the son of Dushyanta:

adopts Bharadwaja or Vitatha. Hastin, founder

Sons of Ajamidha, and the races derived from Kfipa and Kfipi found by Santanu.

them, as Panchalas, &c.

Descendants of Riksha, the son of Ajamidha.

named from Kuru. Jarasandha and

Kurukshetra

others, kings of

Magadha.

CHAPTER XX. Descendants of Kuru. Devapi abdicates the throne: assumed by Santanu he is confirmed by the Brahmans : Bhishma his son :

by Ganga:

his other sons.

and Vidura,

Birth of Dhritarashtra

The hundred sons

of Dhritarashtra.

Paridu,

,

The

sons of Pandu: man-ied to Draupadi: their posterity. kshit, the

five

Pari-

grandson of Arjuna, the reigning king.

CHAPTER Future kings.

XXI.

Descendants of Parikshit, ending with Kshemaka.

CHAPTER XXH. Future kings of the family of Ikshwaku , ending with Sumitra.

CHAPTER XXm. Future kings of Magadha, descendants of Brihadratha.

CHAPTER XXrV. Five princes of the line of Pradyota.

Future kings of Magadha.

Ten Saisunagas. Nine Nandas. Ten Mauryas. Ten Sungas. Four Kariwas. Thirty Andhrabhrityas. Kings of various tribes and

castes,

and periods of

their rule.

Ascendancy of barbarians.

Different races in different regions. Period of universal iniquity

and decay.

wicked

,

Coming

of Vishnu as Kalki.

Destruction of the

and restoration of the practices of the Vedas.

End

CXXXIII

CONTENTS. of the Kali, and return of the Krita. Kali.

Duration of the

age.

Verses chanted by Earth, and communicated by Asita

to Janaka.

End

of the fourth book.

BOOK

V.

CHAPTER

I.

Kamsa announced. Earth, oppressed by the Daityas, They accompany her to Vishnu, who applies to the gods. promises to give her relief. Kamsa imprisons Vasudeva and

The death

of

Vishnu's instructions to Yoganidra.

Devaki.

CHAPTER The

conception of Devaki:

n.

her appearance: she

is

praised by

the gods.

CHAPTER

HI.

Birth of Krishna: conveyed by Vasudeva to Mathura, and ex-

changed with the new-born daughter attempts to destroy the latter,

CHAPTER Karnsa

Yasoda.

of

who becomes

Kamsa

Yoganidra.

IV.

addresses his friends, announces their danger, and orders

male children to be put to death.

CHAPTER Nanda

V.

returns, with the infants Krishna

Putana

killed

by the former.

CHAPTER Krishna overturns a waggon: casts depart to Vrinddvana.

and Balarama, to Gokula.

Prayers of Nanda and Yasoda. VI.

down two

Sports of the boys.

trees.

The Gopas

Description of the

season of the rains.

CHAPTER

VII.

Krishna combats the serpentKaliya: alarm of his parents and companions: he overcomes the serpent, and is propitiated by him:

commands him

to depart

from the

Yamuna

river to the ocean.

CONTENTS.

CXXXIV

CHAPTER

VIII.

The demon Dheniika destroyed by Ranm.

CHAPTER amongst them:

is

IX.

Pralamba the Asura comes

Sports of the boys in the forest.

destroyed by

Rama,

at

the

command

of

Krishna.

CHAPTER Description of autumn.

X.

Krishna dissuados Nanda from worship-

ping Indra: recommends him and the Gopas to worship cattle

and the mountains.

CHAPTER XL Indra, offended by the loss of his offering*, causes heavy rains to deluge

Gokula. Krishna holds up the mountain Govardhana,

to shelter the

cowherds and

their cattle.

CHAPTER

XII.

Indra comes to Gokula: praises Krishna, and makes him prince over the

cattle.

Krishna promises to befriend Arjuna.

CHAPTER Krishna praised by the cowherds: their imitation

and love of him.

CHAPTER Krishna

kills the

demon Arishk,

XIII. his sports with the Gopis:

The Rasa XIV.

in the

CHAPTER

dance.

form of a

bull.

XV.

Karnsa informed by Narada of the existence of Krishna and Balarama: he sends Kesin to destroy them, and Akriira, to bring them to Mathura.

CHAPTER

XVI.

Kesin, in the form of a horse, slain by Krishna: he

by Narada.

is

praised

CXXXV

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

XVII.

Akriira's meditation on Krishna: his arrival at Gokula: his delight at seeing

Krishna and his brother.

CHAPTER

XVIII.

Grief of the Gopis on the departure of Krishna and Balaninia

with Akrura:

Akriira bathes in the

Gokula.

their leaving

Yamuna; beholds

the divine forms of the

two youths, and

praises Vishnu.

CHAPTER Akrura conveys Krishna and them

:

him

Rama

kills

him.

near to Mathura, and leaves

Insolence of Kamsa's washerman

they enter the town.

Krishna

XIX.

Krishna gives

Civility of a flower-seller:

his benediction.

CHAPTER XX. Krishna and Balarama meet Kubja; she

is

intended for a

Public games.

trial

Kamsa's orders

of arms.

straight

by the

bow

to his servants.

Krishna and his brother enter the arena: the

former wrestles with Chaniira, the king's wrestlers;

slays

made

Krishna breaks a

former: they proceed to the palace.

who

latter,

are both killed.

with Mushtika, the

Krishna attacks and

Kamsa: he and Balarama do homage

to

Vasudeva and

Devaki: the former praises Krishna.

CHAPTER Krishna encourages

becomes the pupil of Sandipani the sea: he kills the marine

horn of his

,

Ugrasena on the throne;

whose son

lie

recovers from

demon Panchajana, and makes a

shell.

CHAPTER Jarasandha besieges Mathura the attack.

XXI.

his parents; places

;

is

XXII.

defeated, but repeatedly renews

CONTENTS.

CXXXVI

CHAPTER XXm. Birth

he advances

of Kalayavana:

Krishna

against Mathura.

Yadava tribe: he leads Kalayavana into the cave of Muchukunda: the latter awakes, consumes the Yavana king, and praises Krishna. Dwaraka, and sends

builds

thither the

CHAPTER XXIV. Muchukunda goes

to

and treasures of Kalayavana, and

Balarama

visits

Krishna takes the army

perform penance.

Vraja

:

repairs, with them, to

Dwaraka.

inquiries of its inhabitants after Krishna,

CHAPTER XXV. Balarama

wine

finds

commands

the

hollow of a tree; becomes inebriated;

in the

Yamuna

to

come

him, and, on her

to

refusal,

drags her out of her course: Lakshmi gives him ornaments

and a dress: he returns

to

Dwaraka and

marries Revati.

CHAPTER XXVI. the princes who come to rescue her Rukmin overthrown, but, spared by Krishna, founds Bhojakata. Pradyumna bom of Rukmini.

Krishna carries

off

Rukmini

:

repulsed by Balarama.

CHAPTER Pradyumna by a

stolen

fish;

XXVII.

by Sambara; thrown

found by Mayadevi:

into the sea,

he

kills

and swallowed

Sambara,

marries

Mayadev!, and returns, with her, to Dwaraka. Joy of Rukmini

and Krishna.

CHAPTER XXVHI. Wives of Krishna. latter.

Pradyumna has Aniruddha:

Balarama, beat

Rukmin and

at dice,

nuptials of the

becomes incensed, and slays

others.

CHAPTER XXIX. Indra comes to Dwaraka, and reports to Krishna the tyranny of

Naraka.

Krishna goes

Earth gives the

to his

city,

eai-rings of Aditi to

and puts him to death.

Krishna, and praises him.

CXXXVJi

CONTENTS.

He to

liberates

made

the princesses

Dwaraka, and goes

to

captive by

Naraka, sends

Swarga, with Satyabhama.

CHAPTER XXX. Krishna restores her earrings to Aditi, and

Sachi excites Indra to

carries off the Parijata tree.

Conflict

praised by her

is

:

he

gardens of Indra, and, at the desire of Satyabhama,

visits the

who

between the gods and Krishna,

They

Satyabhama derides them.

its

rescue.

defeats them.

praise Krishna.

CHAPTER XXXI. Krishna, with India's consent, takes the Parijata tree to Dwaraka; marries the princesses rescued from Naraka.

CHAPTER Children of Krishna. in a

XXXII.

Usha, the daughter of Baiia, sees Aniruddha

dream, and becomes enamoured of him.

CHAPTER Bana

solicits

makes him

XXXIII.

Siva for war: finds Aniruddha in the palace, and prisoner.

Krishna, Balarama, and Pradyumna come

Siva and Skanda aid Baua: the former

to his rescue.

abled; the latter, put to cuts off all his arms,

and

is dis-

Bana enconnters Krishna, who

flight.

about to put him to death.

is

intercedes, and Krishna spares his

life.

Siva

Vishnu and Siva are

the same.

CHAPTER XXXIV. Paundraka, a Vasudeva, assumes the insignia and supported by the king of Kasi. destroys them.

The son

of the king sends a magical being

against Krishna: destroyed

nares on

fire,

style of Krishna,

Krishna marches against and

by

and consumes

it

his discus,

and

its

which also

sets

Be-

inhabitants.

CHAPTER XXXV. SaJEoba carries off the daughter of

soner. I.

Balarama comes

to

Duryodhana, but

Hastinapura,

is

taken pri-

and demands k

his

CONTENTS.

CXXXVIII refused

liberation

:

him,

throw

to

it is

Samba and

:

in his

wrath, he drags the city towards

The Kuru

the river.

into

it

up

chiefs give

his wife.

CHAPTER XXXVI. The Asura Dwivida,

in the

form of an ape, destroyed by Balarama.

CHAPTER XXXVn. San)ba and others deceive and

Destruction of the Yadavas.

ridi-

The former bears an iron pestle: it is broken, and thrown into the sea. The Yadavas go to Prabhasa, by desire of Krishna: they quarrel and fight, and all perish. The great serpent Sesha issues from the mouth of Rama, Krishna

cule the Rishis.

is

shot by a hunter, and again becomes one with universal

spirit.

CHAPTER XXXVni. Arjuna comes

to

the surviving

Dwaraka, and burns inhabitants.

the dea,d, and takes

Commencement

Shepherds and thieves attack Arjuna, and carry

and wealth. Arjuna regrets the

who

and

consoles him,

cursing the Apsarasas. kshit on the throne

,

tells

loss of his

away

of the Kali age. off the

prowess

to

women Vyasa;

him the story of Ashfavakra's

Arjuna and

his brothers place Pari-

and go to the forests.

End

of the

fifth

book.

BOOK

VI.

CHAPTER Of

I.

the dissolution of the world: the four ages: the decline of all things, and deterioration of

mankind,

CHAPTER Redeeming

in the Kali age.

il.

properties of the Kali age.

Devotion

ficient to salvation, in that age, for all castes

to

Vishnu

and persons.

suf-

CXXXIX

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Three

III.

different kinds of dissolution.

The

Duration of a Parardha.

The

clepsydra or vessel for measuring time.

that occurs at the end of a day of

dissolution

Brahma.

CHAPTER

IV.

Continuation of the account of the

first

Of

kind of dissolution.

the second kind, or elemental dissolution ; of all being resolved into primary spirit.

CHAPTER The

V.

from existence.

third kind of dissolution, or final liberation

Evils of worldly

Pains of birth

Sufferings in infancy, manhood, old age.

life.

Exemption from

Imperfect felicity of heaven.

hell.

desirable

by the wise.

The nature

of spirit or god.

Meaning of the terms Bhagavat and Vasudeva.

CHAPTER Means of

attaining

Kesidhwaja.

liberation.

The former

VI.

Anecdotes of Kharidikya and

instructs the latter

permitting the death of a cow.

and he desires to be instructed

quital,

CHAPTER

bow

Kesidhwaja

to atone for

offers

in spiritual

him a

VII.

Kesidhwaja describes the nature of ignorance, and the of the

Yoga

or contemplative devotion.

Of

the adept in the performance of the Yoga.

formed.

The

first

re-

knowledge.

benefits

the novice and

How

it

is

stage, proficiency in acts of restraint

moral duty: the second, particular mode of

per-

and

sitting: the third,

Prariayama, modes of breathing: the fourth, Pratyahara, restraint of thought:

the

retention of the idea. versal

fifth,

forms of Vishnu.

liberation.

apprehension of

spirit: the sixth,

Meditation on the individual and uni-

Acquirement of knowledge.

Final

CXL

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

VIII.

Conclusion of the dialogue between Paraiara and Maitreya. capitulation of the contents of the

hearing

it:

ding prayer.

how handed down.

Re-

Vishnu Puraaa; merit of

Praises of Vishnu.

Conclu-

VISHNU PURANA BOOK

I.

CHAPTER Maitreya inquires

Invocation.

origin and nature of the universe. to destroy the

I.

Parasara,

the

Parasara performs a

rite

of his

teacher,

demons: reproved by Vasishtha, he

desists:

Puiastya appears, and bestows upon him divine knowledge:

Vishnu the origin, existence,

he repeats the Vishiin Puraiia. and end of

all things.

—

\JM! glory to Vasudeva.^ Victory be to thee, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to thee, Viswabhavana: '

T^fl.

•Wt

I

'^T^^

^m

I

An

address of this kind, to cue

or other Hindu divinity, usually introduces Sanskrit compositions, especially those considered sacred.

or brief prayer, of letters

invested

In the Vedas, Purarias,

Om

it

is

it is

or Omkara,

first

known

of all

term of

Thus,

in the

Om,

prayers:

Uttara

all

such formulae as

Khanda*

of the

the mysterious name, or let

it,

therefore,

(Siva addresses Durga,) be employed

*

L

Chapter

XXXII.

Mantra

by Hindu mysticism with peculiar sanctiiy. comprehend all the gods; and, in the

in

O

^r^ wtrr ^p^m^i

'^

Padma

Brahma,

is

lovely -faced,

the beginning of all

prayers '

'^rr^

this

as a combination

said to

Purana: 'The syllable leader

The well

directed to be prefixed to

that of the text.

the

is

^gnr^

ii

VISHNU PURaNA.

Mahapurusha and Pur-

glory be to thee, Hrishikesa, vaja.

^

According to the same authority, one of the mystical iniporfs of the term

is

the collective enunciation of Vishnu, expressed by a;

of Sri, his bride, intimated by u; and of their joint worshipper, designat«^d

A

by m.

^«JiT^X;

meaning which

W^

text of the

'Om,

I

Vedas

is

monosyllable Brahma';

the

is

de-

there cited: "'^ht'Tthe latter

supreme being, or the Vedas collectively, of

cither the

this

whole chapter of the Vayu Purana

A

voted to this term.

monosyllable

the type.

is

It is

also said to typify

the three spheres of the world, the three holy fires, the three steps of Vishnu, &c.

Frequent meditation upon

and repetition of

it

it

ensure release

from worldly existence:

^^ %^^ ^mrai'^rr WRrfrf

WR fipf Trr^t^^ir"?^:

^?R^ f^if See, also,

Manu,

according to

is,

vative

implying

II. , 76. its

'

ii

ii

Vasudeva, a name of Vishnu or Krishna,

grammatical etymolog)', a patronymic deri-

son

of

Vasudeva.

however, devise other explanations. again, b. VI.,

tt yr:

The Vaishnava

Purarias,

See the next chapter, and,

c. 5.

In this stanza occurs a series of the appellations of Vishnu:

Puridarikaksha (^'I^O'"!^)? having eyes like a lotos,

1.

heart-pervading: or Puhdarika

is

or

explained supreme glory, and

Aksha, imperishable. The first is the most usual etymon. 2. Viswabhavana (f^^^fT^f), the creator of the universe, or the cause of the existence of

'

This verse

is

also

all

things.

3.

Hrishikesa ( ilMt^IJ

found in the Mdrkandeya-purdna, XLII., 8;

the edition in the Dibliotheea Indica.

p.

),

241 of

BOOK

May

that Vishnu,

Brahma; who

who

three qualities,^

lord of the senses.*

sete).

before creation; c.

Vishnu

18,

is

the parent of nature, intellect,

Mahapurusha (^'fTH^)'

4.

Purusha meaning that which abides or

body (puri

in

is

5.

Piirvaja

the Orphic

(^^)5

In the

2.

fifth

book,

Pradhanatnian (TT^nTTWl^), 3.

Indriyatman (^fij^-

"irnJR^)) one with the senses, or Hfishikesa; 4.

supreme

living

or su-

quiescent

Bhutatnian (^R^IrJI^yi one with

1.

one with crude nature, or Viswabhavana;

soul,

is

described by five appellations which are con-

sidered analogous to these; or:

,

i^^^^^

produced or appearing

TiQioiayovog.

created things, or Pundarikaksha;

*!T
who, with the

is spirit;'"^

the cause of creation, preservation,

is

and destruction; who

preJiie spirit;

3

I.

the exis^tent, imperishable

is

who

Iswara;^

is

CHAP.

r.,

spirit,

or

Mahapurusha

;

Paramatmau

and Atman

animating nature and existing before

soul,

(tp^-

('4(|'3l»l^),

it,

or

Piirvaja.

Brahma (w^f'l),

'

and Iswara

spirit;

he

who

other

'

is

is

is

abstract

supreme

the deity in his active nature,

able to do or leave undone, or to do anything in any

manner

Puu'is

in the neuter form,

(I^Hii.)

that that in which

(to)

J

By

which

is

it

the

is

done

:

"cJi^Tr^^T^T^

same with Purusha,

^

incor-

and the two preceding terms, also, the commentator understands the text to signify, that Vishnu is any form of spiritual being that is acknowledged by different philo-

porated

spirit.

sophical

systems;

this,

or

(hat

he

is

the

Brahma

of the Vedanta,

the iswara of the Patanjala, and the Purusha of the Sankhya, school. '

The

to advert,

three qualities, to which

we

shall

have further occasion

are: Sattwa (lEPrf), goodness or purity, knowledge,

' In the Mahdhhdrata, Udyoga-parvan, 2564 and 2567, Puiiaarikaksha aud Hfishikesa are explained to a very different purport. The stanzas are quoted and translated in Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts. Part IV.,

pp. 182 and 183.

VISHNU PURANA.

and the other ingredients of the universe;^ be to u^ wealth, and final

the bestower of understanding, f mancipation.

Having adored Vishnu,^ the lord of

and paid

all,

quiescence; Rajas ('^;u^), foulness, passion, activity; and

(TTT^)

?

darkness

ignorance

,

inertia.

,

Pradhanabuddhyadijagatprapanchasub

'

Tamas

*

( I(Vi«ig«J(|f^«l«l^<-

This predicate of the deity distinguishes most of the Puraiias from several of the philosophical systems, which main-

qgw;).

as did the

tain,

Earliest

Grecian

systems

of cosmogony,

the

eternal and independent existence of the first principle of things,

Accordingly, the commentator no-

as nature, matter, or chaos. the

said,

How

this is

Pradhana being without beginning,

objection.

tices

can Vishnu be

its

parent?

To which he

it

is

replies, that

not so; for, in a period of worldly destruction (Pralaya), the creator desists from creating, nothing is generated by

when

any other energy or parent.

virtue of factory,

then the text

may

Or,

be not

this

if

satis-

be understood to imply that intellect

(Buddhi), &c., are formed through the materiality of crude nature

Pradhana.

01:

*

Vishnu

agreeably

commonly

is

Vis (f^Tn')»

t<^

derived, in the Puraiias, from the root

entering into or pervading the universe:

to the text of the

'Having created being, as our or property:

Matsya P.

enter;

,

comment observes, undistinguished by

egg: according to the

Padma

Moksha Dharma

derived from

*

1

^^pRT^J^^Mff) ^^^^T^TT^Tfi; the name alludes to his entering

the

I

place, time,

According

into the

(^),

See the editor's second note

to the

mundane

combining

spirit:

of the Mahiibharata,

root vi

I

P., to his entering into, or

with, Prakriti, as Purusha or

In the

Vedas: cTt^TfT 7!^^ 5 M fq «J ffi

that (world), he then afterwards enters into it;'

s.

165,

signifying motion,

in p. 26,

and note iu

p.

the

word

is

pervasion,

35, infra.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

5

I.

reverence to Brahma and the rest;' having also saluted the spiritual preceptor;^ in sanctity to the

prorlnctioii,

'

first

^

vi

Brahma and

from kram

the rest

said

is

See, also,

b.

VI.,

to

apply

to

its

to go,

*

the scries

to

Purana was transmitted

this

reputed author, Brahma,

actual narrator,

of

fi-om its

the sage

c. 8.

The Guru or spiritual preceptor The latter is included in

Saras wata.

the Purana.

('?j?l^),

(f^^, implying variously, prefixed.

whom

through

Paraaara.

nariute a Purana equal

radiance; or, irregularly,,

with the particle

teachers

I will

Vedas.

said to be Kapiln or

is

the series of teachers of

Parasara must be considered also as a disciple of

Kapila, as a teacher of the Sankhya philosophy. *

There seems

be a misnnderstanding, here, on the part of the

to

translator; for, in the passage of the

Mahdbhdraia reierred to by hira, Moksha-dharma, 13170

which can be no other than the ^dn(i-parvan,

and Villi— Vishnu

is

taken to be derived, with the

"to shine" and also "to move".

That passage

is

affix

^, from f^x.^,

subjoined;

Arjnna Misra, commenting on these yerses, derives the word from fe|-cQ^ He seems to admit this verb likewise in

in the acceptation of "to go".

the Vaidik sense of the text.

"to eat."

His words are:

In the Nigkanfu,

Gangadhara,

in

II.,

But the

latter

view

f^t^M^iSjcMpH^Trif

8,

^%f%

I

is

cot borne out by

^?r%f7T

I

f^"N^-

occurs as a .synonym of ""^fVf.

his metrical gloss

on the thousand names of ViijLnu,

expresses himself as follows, touching the six hundred and fdty- seventh of them:

^^

f^: ^ f^^^^^

^m ^

0<^1

^^ ff fi^ ^: ^rrf^T^fi?^ f^rrr

x^ ^fm^ tf f^^ ^Tft ^

II

^^rr^f?

:

i

i

VISHNU PURANA.

6

Maitreya,^ having saluted him reverentially, thus

— the excellent —who was versed

addressed Parasara, of Vasishtha,*

sage, the grandson

in traditional history

and the Puranas; who was acquainted with the Vedas and the branches of science dependent upon them, and skilled in law and philosophy;! and who had performed the morning Maitreya said you,

:

rites of devotion.

Master

have been instructed

I

!

of law and of sacred science.

me

I

am now

in piety, to

and how

my

foes, cannot ac-

of having been remiss in the acquirement of

knowledge.

found

by

I'hrough your favour,

other men, even though they be

cuse

,

the whole of the Vedas, and in the institutes

in

in

future

it

thou

desirous,

hear from thee

how

be? what

will

who

this

is its

art pro-

world was,

substance,

Brahman; and whence proceeded animate and inanimate thins^s? into what has it been resolved; and into what will its dissolution again occur? how were the elements manifested? whence proceeded the gods and other beings? what are the situation and extent of the oceans and the mountains, the earth, the sun, and the planets? what are the families of the gods and ^

Maitreya

Puraria to

is

Bliagavata, and s.

10),

death.

as

the disciple ofParasara,

He

liim. is

is

who

relates the

Vishnu

also one of the chief interlocutors in the

introduced, in the Mahabharata

a great Rishi

or sage,

In the Bhagavata, he

is

(Vana Parvan,

who denounces Dnryodhana's

also termed Kausaravi,

or the

son of Kusarava.

*

Literally,

" Vasisht'ha's son's

nientator remarks

\ "And ddi,

,

was

i
"and the

rest".

Saktri. is

the

soii

See

,

my

Parasara's father, as the com-

second note in

commentator's definition

p. 8, infra.

of the original

BOOK the

othei-s,

Man us,

I.,

CHAP.

7

I.

the periods called Manwantaras,

those termed Kalpas, and their subdivisions, and the four ages: the events that happen at the close of a

Kalpa, and the terminations of the several ages:' the great Muni, of the gods, the sages, and histories,

and how the Vedas were divided into branches (or schools), after they had been arranged by Vyasa:* the duties of the Brahmans and the other tribes, as

kings

;

well as of those

who

pass through the different, orders

All these things I wish to hear

of life?

from you,

grandson of Vasishtha. f Incline thy thoughts benevolently towards me, that I may, through thy favour, be informed of all I desire to know.

Well inquired, pious Maitreya. You recall to my recollection that which was of old narrated by my father's father, Vasishtha. I had heard Parasara replied:

that

my

father

had been devoured by a Rakshasa emViolent anger seized me; and

ployed by Viswamitra. I

coinmenced a

Rakshasas.

by the

rite;

sacrifice

for the

destruction of the

Hundreds of them were reduced to ashes when, as they were about to be entirely

my grandfather Vasishtha thus spake to Enough, my child; let thy wrath be appeased:

extirpated,

me:

the Rakshasas are not culpable: thy father's death was the work of destiny. Anger is the passion of fools; it

becometh not a wise man.

By whom,

it

may

be asked,

One copy reads Yugadharraa, the duties peculiar to the four ages, or their characteristic properties, instead of Yuganta. ^

•

Vydsa-kartrika has,

rather,

the

signification

of

"coraposed by

Vyasa".

f To

the letter, "son of Vasishfha",

whose father

vras "Vasishtha.

VISHNU PURANA.

8

killed ? Every man reaps the consequences own acts. Anger, my son, is the destniction of that man obtains, by arduous exertions, of fame

any one

is

of his all

and of devout

austerities,

and prevents the attainment Tlie chief sages always

of heaven or of emancipation.

my

shun wi-ath: be not thou, darkness be consumed. *

Mercy

is

of Parasara.

Sacrifice

The

story

Parasara's

of

narrated in detail in the Mahabbarata (Adi Parvan,

Kalmashapada, meeting narrow path

The sage

of

spirits

the might of the

^

righteous. '

child, subject to its in-

Let no more of these unoffending

fluence.

•with Sakti,

birth

is

Ring

s. 176).

of Vasishtha, in a

the son

a thicket, desired him to stand out of his way.

in

refused; on which the Raja beat

him with

his

whip;

and Sakti cursed him to become a Rakshasa, a man-devouring

The Raja,

spirit.

in this

transformation,

killed

and

ate

its

author, or Sakti, together with all the other sons of Vasishtha.

Sakti

his wife, Adfisyanti, pregnant;

left

who was brougiu up by

Parasara,

grew up

and was informed of his

,

sacrifice for the

suaded from

its

when he it

,

When was

dis-

completion by Vasishtha and other sages,

and Kratu.

he

he instituted a

The Mahabharata

or

adds, that,

desisted from the rite, he scattered the remaining sacri-

upon

fire

where

father's death

destruction of all the Rakshasas, but

Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha,

ficial

and she gave birth to

his grandfather.

still

the

northern

face

of the

Himalaya mountain,

blazes forth, at the phases of the

moon, consuming

The legend alludes, possome trans-himalayan volcano. The transformation of

Rakshasas, forests, and mountains. sibly,

to

Kalmashapada but

he

Saktri

*

-J-

,

is

is

as the

name

Supply: "Let This

Saktri.

is

ascribed, in other places, to a different cause;

everywhere

regarded as the devourer of Sakti f

also occurs.

tbis thy sacrifice

hardly the

name

The

story

cease":

of a male.

is

%

told in the

^f^ f^TT7T^rtf
or

Linga

I

to be

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

Being thus admonished by

y

T.

my

venerable grandsire,

I immediately desisted from the rite, in obedience to his injimctions; and Vasishtha, the most excellent of sages, was content with me. Then arrived Pulastya,

Purada (Purvardha,

s.

64) in tho

same manner, with

the addition,

conformably to the Saiva tendency of that work, that Parasara begins his sacrifice by propitiatijig Maliadeva.

Vasishtha's dis-

suasion and Pulastya's appearance are given in the very words of our text; and the story concludes: 'Thus, through the favour

of Pulastya and of the wise Vasishtha

,

Parasara composed the

Vaishriava (Vishnu) Purana, containing teu thousand stanzas, and

being the third of the Purana compilations' (Purana-saifihitJi).* The Bhagavata (b. Ill s. 8) also alludes, though obscurely, to ,

In recapitulating the succession of the narrators of

this legend.

part of the Bhagavata, Maitreya states, that this

communicated desired

i,

e.,

to

him by

his

Guru, Parasara,

first

as

Purana was

he had been

by Pulastya:

according to the commenUitor, agreeably to the boon given to Parasara, saying, 'You shall be a narrator pf

by Pulastya

The Mahabharata makes i Hr^^f^)( ijilUmHi T no mention of the communicatiou of this faculty to Parasara by Pulastya; and, as the Bhagavata could net derive this particular Puraiias';

The lithographed Bombay this passage difFerently

,

edition of tho

Linga-purdna gives tne end of

so as to reduce the

sand stanzas, and to reckon

it

Vishnu-purdna

"^ ff ^rn^rr^t ^t%mf ^ifiwrFc t An Fdnini,

oversight of

Uu

to six thou-

as the fourth of the Pnrauas:

quotation,

f..r

^TWRTHrT-

Place in Sanskrit Literaiure, pp. 145

ii

See GoldstucVer's

et seq.

VISHNU PUR ANA.

10 the son of father,

Brahma/ who was

my

by

received,

grand-

The

with the customaiy marks of respect.

illustrious

brother* of Pulaha said to me: Since, in

the violence of animosity, you have listened to the

words of your progenitor, and have exercised clemency, therefore you shall become learned in every science. Since you have forborne, even though incensed, to destroy my posterity, I will bestow upon you another boon; and you shall become the author of a summaiy of the Puranas.

Yo«

^

the deities, as

it

from that source,

it

*

the true nature of

whether engaged

the naind-born sons of Brahma.

named,

is

Pulastya

another.

of the Rakshasas ; as he

Ravana and Vana Parvan,

his s.

in

Vishnu Parana.

to the

,

Pulastya, as will be presently seen,

who were also

know

here, most probably, refers, unavowedly, as

Linga does avowedly

the

shall

really is;f and,

is

one of the Rishis

Padma

Uttara Pur.

who

Pulaha,

here

is

considered as the imcestor

the father of Visravas

brethren.

272.

is

is

Ramayaria.

Linga Pur.,

s.

,

the lather of

Mahabharata. 63.

shall be a maker t of the Samhita or compendium of the Puranas, or of the Vishnu Puraria, considered as a summary or compendium of Pauranik traditions. In either sense, it is incom-

You

patible with the general attribution of all the

'

f

Head "elder brother

is said

*

"You

shall obtain in

the highest object derivable from appre1\etmon to be

lide

"knowledge conducive

under exposition

Kartri

is,

Vyasa.

to

agraja.

Rather, agreeably to the commentator:

manner

The

.

Puranas

is as

to

emancipation".

a

of deity".

proper

This

In the Sanskrit:

follows:

however, elucidated, in the commentary, by pravarlaka,

"publisher" only.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

11

I.

from their pei*formance, *

religious rites, or abstaining

your unrlerstanding, through

my

favour, shall be per-

and exempt from doubts. Then my grandsire Vasishtha added: Whatever has been said to thee by

fect,

Pulastya shall assuredly come to pass.

Now

was

truly all that

me

told

formerly by Va-

and by the wise Pulastya, has been brought recollection by your questions; and I will relate

sishtha, to

my

to

you the whole, even its

compendium The world was produced from Vishnu:

tenor.

him: he

exists in

it

Listen to

of the Purdnas, according

the complete to

you have asked.

all

cessation:* he

is

the cause of

is

the world.

its

continuance and

-^

Whether performing the usual ceremonies of the Brahmans, life of devotion and penance, which supersedes the

'

or leading a

necessity of rites and sacrifices.

These are,

'

questions (p. 6).

How

will

ber

it

in

or:

At

fact,

How

replies

six

Maitreyti's

to

the

brief

was

the world created?

the periods of dissolution,

By it

Vishnu.

will be in

Whence proceeded animate and inanimate things? From Vishnu. Of what is the substance of the world? Vishnu. Into Vishnu.

what has is,

it

been, and will

it

universe.

'The answer

and material cause of the

"He

inquiry as to the material cause

^IrfT 'SRW

^

the universe,

(it

"whence"

to the

as to the instrumental cause:

'

:

He

Vishnu.

again be, resolved?

therefore, both the instrumental

is

the

replies to the

world"

query

replies to the

^^?T%rT^[^ f*lf*iTl«^-

^I*!"*!

'And by this explanat< gjm<MH^*^-rt<-H. tion of the agency of the materiality, &c. of Vishnu, as regards

will repose in,

(

!

follows that)

him':

all will

be produced from, and

all

4H^c« f^rwt: ^^^JI^MI^M^M^h.^^^T-

f^^«^i?^ tT«5lT^tl1Wf?T

T^ -mW^^

I

t

^^

have

* Samyama. See the editor's first note in p. 26, infra. f These two extracts are from the commentary on the Vishnu-purdna,

The

first is

a

little

abridged.

VISHNU PURANA.

12

here precisely the xn rcav of the Orphic doctrinee; and fancy, that

when he [lege

describes

Vishnum]

ex se dedisse;

them

et

these words:

in

summum

sive

** omnia ex

Ex

"CorUinuisse Jovem

se genuisse,

et

quibus necessario sequitur omnia ia

Hist. Philos., I., 388.

from the Deity, and

ex sua proi^egit, vivificat,

sum

Jamblichus and Proclvis also

the Pythagorean doctrines

Cudworth,

might

deunj in se omnia,, omnibus ortum

duxisse essentia; Spiritum esse universi, qni omnia estque **

we

Brucker was translating n passage from a Purana,

its

redittira." testify that

of the origin of the material world

identity with

him, were much tbe same.

Intell. Syst., Vol. I., p. 346.

CHAPTER

Successive narration of the Vishnu

to Vishnu.

Prayer of Parasara

11.

Explanation of Vasudeva: his existence before crea-

Puraiia.

tion: his first manifestations.

chief principle of things.

Description of Pradhnna or the

Of Prakfita or ma-

Cosmogony.

Development of

terial creation; of time; of the active cause.

Mahat; Aheriikara; Tanmatras; elements;

effects;

of the

senses;

sense;

Brahma

mundane

objects of

Vishnu the same as

egg,

Vishnu the preserver: Rudra the de-

the creator;

stroyer,

Parasara eternal,

said: Glory to the imchangeable, holy, supreme Vishnu, of one universal nature, the

mighty over

all: to

and Sankara,

^

The

'

is

egg.

Hari (iffr)

all

Hiranyagarbha, Hari,

is

three hypostases of Vishnu.

a name of Brahma; he

;flf^)

VJshiiu

him who

the creator, the preserver, and destroyer

who

is

is

Hiranyagarbha (ffX!^born from the golden

who was

Vishnu; and Sankara (l^'IfT), Siva. The is the supreme being in

the subject of our text

these three divinities or hypostases, in his different characters

of creator, preserver, and destroyer.

Thus,

in the

'Accordingly, as the primal all-pervading spirit

by

attributes in creation

and the

that of (lit.,

,

he

is

quiescent

hypostases) of the self-born.

tivity; is

Vishnu

in that of

;

Rudra,

distinguished

he obtains the denomi-

rest, so

nation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva.

he creates the worlds

Markandeya:*

is

In the capacity of Brahma,

Rudra

,

he destroys them

;

in

These are the three Avasthas

Brahma

is

the quality of ac-

that of darkness; Vishnu, the lord of the world,

goodness. So, therefore, the three gods are the three qualities.

•

XLVI., 16

et seq.

discrepant readings.

The

edition in the Bibliotheca Indica gives several

VISHNU PURANA.

14

of the world: to Vasndeva, the liberator of his wor-

shippers:* to

manifold;

wliose essence

hill)

who

both single and

is

both subtile and corporeal, indiscrete

is

and discrete: to Vishnu, the cause of fmal emancipation.

They

Glory to the supreme Vishnu, the cause

*

(»

are ever combined with, and dependent upon, one another;

and they are never

an instant separate; they never quit each

for

other :'

WT

Twt

The notion

is

cwl- ^5ft

common

one

f^:

Wf^

^''[r^f^:

I

to all antiquity, although less philo-

sophically conceived, or, perhaps, less distinctly expressed, in the

passages which

have

come down

to

us.

The TQ£ig

aQX'xceg

ill.),

upon the

vTifioiaatiq of Plato are said, by Cudworth

(I.,

authority of Plotinus, to be an ancient doctrine,

And he also Plato who ,

,

nctXaia

di't^K,

observes: '"For, since Orpheus, Pythagoras, and all

of them

,

asserted a trinity of divine hypostases,

unquestionably derived much of their doctrine from the Egyptians, it

may

be reasonably suspected, that these Egyptians did the like

before them.''

As, however, the Grecian accounts and those of

the Egyptians are

much more perplexed and

those of the Hindus

them the doctrine and

,

it

in its

is

most probable

most

unsatisfactory than

that

we

original, as well as

find

amongst

most methodical

significant, form. '

This address to Vishnu pursues the notion that he, as the

supreme being,

He

Avikara, not sub-

is

one, whilst he

is all.

The words "of

his worshippers "

are supplied I'rom the commentary.

is

BOOK

15

CHAP. n.

r.,

world; of the creation, existence, and end of this of the consists who and who is the root of the world, world.

^

Having things;

him who

glorified

who

is

the support of

who

the smallest of the small;*'

is

is

all

in all

created things; the unchanged,* im]-erishable' Puru-

Sadaikarupft

ject to change:

he

one invariable nature:

,

is

tbe

oceaa of liberator (Tara), or be -who bears mortals across th« be

existence:

he

is

both single and manifold (Ekanekarupa): and as well as

is

the indiscrete (Avyakta) cause of the world,

or the invisible

the discrete (Vyakta) effect;

cause and visible

creation. '

Jaganniaya, made up, or consisting substantially (W^)-, of Maya is an affix denoting 'made' or 'consisting of;

the world.

not

therefore, as Kashthaniuya, 'made of wood'. The world is, but regarded, by the Paurauiks, as an emanation, or an illusion,

as consubstantial with '

its first

Anivaihsam aniyaaam

of the atomic';

cause.

(wt5mW3^^EWt)5

'^»e most atomic

alluding to the atomic theory of the

Nyaya

or

logical school. ^

Or Achyuta

(

ny-^ f{ )

privative, and Chyuta,

who

does not

interprets final

it,

in

perish with

a

common name

created

things'.

one place, to mean 'he

decay' (^^?fV^)Skanda Puraiia explains

from his

own proper

who

comment, 'he

The Mahabharala is

not distinct from

to signify

'exempt from

commentator on the Kasikhanda of the it

is

who never declines ^^^^T^TT^ST^ it

'he

nature:'

In the original there

of Vishnu, from a

according to our

emancipation'; and, in another,

A

*

;

fallen:

(or varies)

no term to which this corresponds.

16

VISHNU PTJRANA»

who

shottama;^

known ;^

eternal

through objects:

by the nature of

false appearances,

't having bowed

This

'

is one with true wisdom, as truly and incorrupt;* and who is known,

anottier

is

common

to Vishnu,

of

title

\'i,«in'm

,

implying supremey

best (IJttama), spirit (Purusha), or male, or sacrifice,

Moksba Dhartna, whatever

cording to the Mahabh.^

may

ruslia

or, ac-

sense Pu-

bear.

Paramarthatah (icn^in'i^O'

'

visible

the destroyer,

'

^^ through thermal object,

^^-^

or sense; through actual truth.' Bhrantidarsanatali (^JTrf^fT^llffJ

'

Artha

(^ST^^^^flir) :

to be,

That

true nature, or relation to Yishriu, is

•

"

Who

is,

essentially,

'false

appearances,' in visible objects'

is, visible objects Jlre not

independent existences; they are essen-

and knowledge of their

one with their original source;

tially

,

explained by Drisya ("^1^), 'visible';

is

Swaruperia, by 'the nature of.

what they seem

:)

'By the nature of

opposition to actual truth.

knowledge of Yishnu him-

one with intelligence, transcendent, and without

spot:'

f

Preferably: "ConceiTed

of,

by

reason

v.

erroneous apprehension,

as a material form":

The commentary runs: fJ^TT

"Wiftfl*?,

^^P^'^l^^ ^^^fl^'Of ^8<^«(lf ir^WtJI^Il Tbe "erroneous apprehension" spoken of is here ex-

\

plained as arising from tbe conception of tbe individual soul. X

In the Harivathh, 11358,

''Purusha, that

—

all that,

known

The word

is

a

is

wo

find:

to say, sacrifice, or

for bigh'^st

(para),

whatever else is

is

meant by purusha,

called Puntskotfamn."

karmadhdr'jm compound, not a taipuruska.

BOOK

CHAP. n.

I.,

17

and lord of creation and preservation; the ruler of the unborn, imperishable, undecaying:* I will

world;

you that which was originally imparted by all (Brahmaf), in answer to the questions of Daksha and other venerable sages, and repeated by them to Purukutsa, a king who reigned on the banks of the Narmada. It was next related by him to Saraswata, and by Saraswata to me.^ \VTio can describe him who is not to be apprehended by the senses: who is the best of all things; the supreme soul, self- existent: who is devoid of all the relate to

the great father of

distinguishing characteristics of complexion, caste, or

the like; and

exempt from

is

who

is

everywhere, and

in

or decay :+

w^ho

self.

This

sion,

which alone,

is

whom

all

not the doctrine of

He

Maya,

oi-

exists

Brah

is

the influence of illu-

according to Vedanta idealism,

belief in the existence of matter:

the Purai'ias, and

who

things here exist; and

named Vasudeva?^

thence,

is,

birth, vicissitude, death,

always, and alone:

a doctrine foreign

constitutes to^

most of

introduced amongst them, apparently, by

first

the Bhagavata. '

A

different

and more detailed account of the transniissi6n

of the Vishnu Purana '

The

above

ordinary

(p. 2).

Here

\ishuu'8 abiding in

^

it

is

of Vasudeva

derived from Vas,

all things,

and

all

in

,

c. 8.

has

him:

'to

been

noticed

dwell,' from

^T^TT^

•'EIT^

The Mahabharata explains Vasu in the same manand Deva to signify radiant, shining: ^f^ ^'f<^l
^HMW^

ner,

given in the last book

is

derivation

I

* Avyaya. Here and elsewhere the commentator gives aparindmin, "immutable", as its synonym, f Expressed by Abjayoni, "Lotos-born". I I.

Add "increase",

riddhi.

2

VISHNU PURANA.

18

m^,* supreme, lord, eternal, unborn, imperishable, undecaying; of one essence; ever pure, as free from defects. He, that Brahma, was all things; comprehending in his o^vn nature the indiscrete

and

He

discrete.

then

existed in the forms of Purusha and of Kala. Purusha (spirit) is the first form of the supreme; next proceeded two other forms, the discrete and indiscrete; and Kala Pradhana (primary (time) was the last.* These four

—

^^%t7f

Tre^^l

he abides in as the sun,

he

I

Deva: and he who

is called

nominated Vasudeva.' '

'He causes all things to dwell in him; and Being resplendent is named Vasu.

whence he

all:

The commentator

See also

is

both these

de-

is

b. VI., c. 5.

argues, that Vasudeva must be the

Brahma

or supreme being of the Vedas, because the same circumstances

=ii7f»i«4j%

"That Brahma,

TT^TT^

^

^rraw^rnTT'i

loth evolved and unevolved, and also the aspect of of time.

Spirit,

The next

is

and time It

is

ii

in its totality, has, essentially, the aspect of prakriti,

twice-born,

is

and the aspect supreme Brahma.

spirit,

the leading aspect of the

a twofold aspect, viz., prakriti, both evolved and unevolved; the last."

seems, therefore, not that ^raA:/t7j,

spirit,

and time originated from

Brahma, but that Brahma offers itself under these modes of apprehension. These modes are coessential with Brahma. The last line of the text cited above admitting of two interpretations, that has been chosen which harmonizes the doctrine of the writer of the

Puraiia with the doctrine of his quotation in pp. 23 that his

own enunciation here undoubtedly

is

— 25,

infra;

for

on

founded.

Professor Wilson adopted the following reading of the

first

line of the

verses in question

f These words have an

etymology given

the appearance of being a glossarial expansion of

in

the

Mahdbhdrata, or some similar work.

The

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

1?

IT.

Vyakta

(visible

the pure and supreme condition of Vishnu.^

These

or crude matter), Purusha substance), and Kala (time)

(spirit),

— the wise consider

to be

four forms, in their due proportions, are the causes of the production of the

phenomena

vation, and destruction.

and

of creation, preser-

Vishnu, being thus discrete

indiscrete substance, spirit,

and time, sports

like

are predicated of both, as eternity, omnipresence, omnipotence,

&c.; but be does not adduce any scriptural text witti the

name

Vasudeva. '

Time

is

element of the

not usually first

enumerated,

cause; but the

agree with the Vishnu in including

in

the Puranas,

P. and (he Bhagavata

It

appears to have been

it.

regarded, at an earlier date, as an independent cause.

mentator on the Moksha

which he understands

Dharma

to

as an

Padma

cites

The com-

a passage from the V'edas,

allude to the different theories of the

eause of creation

Time, inherent nature, consequence of

acts, self-will,

elementary

atoms, matter, and

spirit, asserted, severally,

by the Astrologers,

the Buddhists, the

Mimamsakas,

the Logicians,

the

Sankhyas, and the Vedantins. KQovog was also one of the

first

the Jainas,

generated agents in creation, according to the Orphic theogony.

commentary on

the

^nETTT^ftfRTt^

Vishnu- purdna has:

^f^fH

TT^^ f^Tf^ 'TtWW^

In the Mahdbhdrata, ^dnti-parvnn, 131G9,

*

From

Vol. VII

,

the p.

Swetdswatara

Upanishad.

^^^T^

I

f^i^-

WRTm

I

we read-

Seo

the

BibliotJi^ca

275.

r

Indica,

VISHNU PURANA.

20

a playful boy, as you frolics.

shall learn

by

listening to his

^

That chief principle (Pradhana), which is the inis called, by the sages, also Prakriti (nature) it is subtile, uniform, and comprehends what discrete cause, :

is

and what

is

not (or both causes and effects);*

and possessing

devoid of sound or touch,

stable;

is

undecaying, and

durable, self-sustained, illimitable,

endowed with the three qualities (in equilibrium); the mother of the world; without beginning:^ and that into which all that is produced neither colour nor form;

The

'

creation of the world

be the Lila

The

'

('^^),

sport or

attributes of

is

very

commonly considered

amusement, of the supreme

to

being.

Pradhana, the chief (principle or element),

here specified, conform, generally, to those ascribed to

Sankhya philosophy (Sankhya Karika, p. of them are incompaliblc with its origin

16,

it

by the

&c.); although

some

from, a first cause, f

In

the Suiikhya. this incongruity does not occur; for there Pradhana is

independent, and coordinate with primary

spirit.

The Puranas

give rise to the inconsistency, by a lax use of both philosophical

and pantheistical expressions.

The most incongruous

epithets in

our text are, however, explained away in the comment.

Nitya (f^fW)v 'eternal', increase or diminution':

is said to

f^

mean 'uniform, not

l^^S^^ ^l^lt^ift^

Thus, liable to I

Sada-

sadatmaka (^^^S^TW^), 'comprehending what is and what is not', means 'having the power of both cause and effect (^TT^'

"RTIT!J^f^'^lS)i as proceeding from Vishnu, and as giving origin to material things. Anadi (ir«n1^)» 'without beginning', means

• is

The

literal

euii^hatically

translation is this: called,

l)y

"That which

is

the

unevoWed cause

the most einiuent sages, p'adhdna,

base, vjhich is subtile prakriti, viz., that is and is not, or is mere process" The Sanskrit is li: noW. 2 of this page

which

is

original

eternal, and which at

once

t

?

I

cannot translate prakriti.

BOOK

'

By

resolved.*

is

I.,

CHAP.

21

II.

that principle

things were in-

all

without birth' (^•IK^WS), not being engendered by any created

thing, but proceeding imnaediately from the

mother',

means

or,

cause.

first

'The

of the Avorld' (iR^sftf'T),

'the passive agent in creation', operated on, or influenced,

by the active they modify

ifNrr

irerfl!:

have:

'The

indiscrete cause,

whom

•of

the passage

it

own

after their

fashion.

In the

^m Urn ^w^m^fi

a

The Vayu, Brahmanda, and Kurnia Pu-

as above.

and

part

is:

rarias

effect,

first

one with several of the Purai'ias; but

and apply

it,

Vishnu, the original

rendered

The

will of the creator, f

in the text is a favourite

call

womb,

*the

literally,^

those

which

who

Pradhana and Prakriti,

uniform,

is

and both cause and

are acquainted with is

first

the uncognizable

principles

Brahma, who

was before all ^srf^-^ W^f^ ^^T^cfff § But the application of two synonyms of Prakriti to Brahma seems unnecessary, at least. The Brahma P. corrects the reading, apparently: the lirst ' :

I

line is as before; the second is:

* is

Prabhavdpyaya, "the place whence is the origination and into which So says the commentator, and rightly. Jagad-yoni, a little before, is scarcely so much "the mother of the the resolution of all things."

world", or "the

}

It

womb

of the

world", as "the material canse of the it by kdrana, "cause \

The commentator explains

world."

may

be generally remarfeed, with regard to these explanations of

terms used in the

had Professor

command

text,

WUson

and expounded by the Hindu cojnuientator, that, the advantages which are now at the

enjoyed

of the student of Indian philosophy, unquestionably he v-ould

here have expressed hiaiself differently. the "incongruity"

mind

,

and

Thus, the

that the text speaks of

Brahma

but as exhibiting different aspects of

,

of,

itself.

in the fourth chapter of the

if

ho bears in

not as putting forth evolutions,

Vdytt-purd/ta.

I

This

§

Compare the MdrkanAeyafurdna, XLV.

is

reader, will not find

"inconsistency" complained

,

32 and 34.

VISHNU PURANA.

22

vested in the period subsequent to the last dissolution

The passage and

is

— eternal

cause,

spirit

,

effect,

— which

was both matter this world was

(Fradhana and Purusha), from which

Instead

made.'

'There was an indiscrete

placed absolnteiy:

and cause and

of

t^5

some copies read

'such' or 'tkis',

'from which Iswara or god (the active deity or Brahma) made the world'. The Hari Vamsa has the same reading, except in the last term, which it makes t?!JT; that is, according to the

l^yf

;,

commentator,

the world,

'

which

is

The

Iswara, was made.'

sara<>

authority explains this indiscrete cause, Avyaktakarana, to denote

Brahma,

'the creator';

?f

%

is

being in the egg', &c. I.,

11.;

The

sishtha'.

iP^mTTH:

stated

is

I

and possibly

by the Bhavishya P.

is endowed with that which is the known, in the world, as Brahma: he, The passage is precisely the same in

which

spirit

indiscrete cause, &c.,

Manu,

^^TSK

not inaccurate,

if

founded on misapprehension of what

'That male or

WW

f^flf

an identification very unusual,

except that latter is

we have

'Visfishta' instead of 'Vi-

a questionable reading, and

wrong;

the sense of the former is,

means,

very consistently,

is,

probably,

'detached': and the whole

'embodied

spirit

detached from the

known as Brahma'.* The Padma ^^T^lf, Ac, but has:

indiscrete cause of the world, is

P. inserts the

first line,

^RT^^^Tf^

f^^W^

f^r^fVf^ f^rf%^^:

I

* VisrUMa, the only reading recopnized by Kulluka and Medhatithi, commentators on tho Mdnava - dharma - Nostra, means, as explained by

them, uipddila, "produced " or "created".

The Mi'.nnva-d/iarma-Mstra notably it

does not bold a duality of

Furauas, as

in

aspects of

differs

from the Saokhya, in that

pnnci])les.

And

still

vbich the dualistic principles are united

previously

supra.

first

remarked

— are

some supreme

deity.

not

evolutions

different are the

in Brahnja,

therefrom,

See the Translator's

first

bat so

and

—

many

cote in p. 15,

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

23

II.

For Brahmans

of the universe, and prior to creation.^

learned in the Vedas, and teaching truly their doc-

such passages as the following as

trines, explain

in-

tending the production of the chief principle (Pra-

"There was neither day nor night, nor sky nor earth, nor darkness nor light, nor any other thing, save only One, unapprehensible by intellect, or That dhana).

which

Brahma and

is

Purfis

and Pradhana

(spirit)

'Which creates, undoubtedly, Mahat and the other qualities"':* as the Vishnu does, to first epithets, therefore,

assigning the

Prakriti only.

alone, but

The Lingaf

makes

it

also refers ihe expression to Prakriti

a secondary cause:

'An indiscrete cause, which those acquainted with first principles Pradhana and Prakriti, proceeded from that Iswara (Siva).'

call

This passage

common

are

one another,

is

one of very many instances

to several Purarias, that

or from

them; especiidly in

The

^

this

seem

in

which expressions

borrowed from

to be

some common source older than any of instance, as the same text occurs in Manu. t

expression of the text

is

rather obscure

'All

:

was per-

vaded (or comprehended) bf that chief principle before (re-creation), after the (last) destruction':

The

ellipses are filled

total

dissolution;

This, he adds,

up by the commentator.

be regarded as the state of things

to

is

leaving,

at a

Mahapralaya or

therefore, crude matter, nature, or

chaos, as a coexistent element with the Supreme.

conformable to the pbilosophical doctrine,

is

that of the

•

such

Purahas

in general,

Read: "Which creates is

all,

nor that of our

This, which not, however,

text,

which states

from mahat to individual existences;

the conclusion of the scriptures.'^

LXX.,

is

f

Prior Section,

+

See the editor's note in the preceding page.

3.

24

VISHNU PURANA.

The

(matter).'

two forms which are other than

(b. VI., c. 4), that, at

dhana

itself

a Prakfita or elementary dissolution, Pra-

merges into the deity.*

Neither

is

apparently,

it,

the doctrine of the Vedas, although their language

is

somewhat

equivocal,

The metre here

'

common

one

is

but, in other respects, the language

The purport

compositions.

by

doubtful

The former

tator.

of the passage

is

|

Spirit:

explains Pradhanika, Pradhana eva, the same

a derivative word,

is

it

rendered somewhat

'One TJ^ "R'n^TTf^^ VT^ <j*<(<^4(4f|cl That, was.' The commentator

is:

Pradhanika Brahma but

Vedas, Trishtubh;

not characteristic of those

and by the explanation of the commen-

close

its

to the

is

which

may

word as Pradhana;

be used attributively,

implying 'having, or conjoined w^ith, Pradhana'.

however, interprets

tator,

'There was Pradhana and IJrahraa and Spirit; the period of dissolution':

ir5Rf ^itTifl^ it

He

IJ^TR

evidently,

existent effect':

flWT

was

^

^W

''^"

H^^^

not

call

— advances

Purdnas.

See the

f

which

r

at

^ ^*i(
however, understands

their con-

'So, according to

is

I

TRT^TO^

^^I^H-rttfliFi^ \t

not the Pauranik; and the

commentator—

more than supply ellipses, and does praknti, "at a Mabapralaya", "a coexistent element with the

Supreme" It 13

was

'

neither the non-existent cause nor the

^f^T:

The evolutionary doctrine who, on this occasion, does

for he adds:

this triad

joint existence as one only; for he continues:

the N^edas, then there

The commen-

the substantive;

as

it

have access,

3TOl*l*
I

nothing

editor's

the abridged

little

in

contradiction

second note in

comment the

p. 21,

to

the

and note

that is here cited.

teuor

In the copy of

passage extracted above begins:

TrryiR<* ?r^

^

l

The

fuller

the

of

in p. 22, supra.

comment has

:

it

to

i4|V4|f^^ TTnirTf'?^

t Thus opens a hymn of the Aig-veda; X., 129. See Colebrooke's Miscellaneous Essays, Vol. I., p. 33; Muiler's Ilixtory of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, pp. 559 et seq.; Literature, pp. 144 et seq.

and Goldstiicker's Pdnini, His Place in Sanskrit

The Sanskrit

new

translation, will be found in

and

4.

of the

hymn, accompanied by a

Original Sanskrit Tea;i8, Part IV., pp. 3

BOOK

I.

CHAP.

25

ir.

the essence of unmodified Vislinu are Pradhana (matter) and Purusha (spirit) and his other form, by which ;

those two are connected or separated, is called Kala (time)."'* When discrete substance is aggregated in crude nature, as in a foregone dissolution, that dissolution

meaning its

that there v/as

only

One Being,

in

whom

is

matter and

modifications were all comprehended. '

Or

it

might be rendered:

'Those two other forms (which

that proceed) from his supreme nature': faTSfV: ^^^STTf^T^: Nirupadhi or without 18, from the nature of Vishnu when he is I

adventitious attributes:

f^PI^TOt^Wf: ^^^?ilf^

I

'other'

(^);

the commentator states they are other, or separate from Vishiiu, only through Maya, 'illusion', but here implying 'false notion':

elements of creation being,

the

in

though, in existence, detached and

Pmt:

essence, one with Vishnu,

different.

w^^mx^ ft ^ 5%

"There was neither day nor night, neither heaven nor earth, nether And there was not aught else apprehensible by the light. Brahma, senses or by the mental faculties. There was then, however, one Vishnu which are essentially prakriti and spirit. For the two aspects of darkness nor

Brahspiiit, other than his sapreme essential aspect sro prakriti and man. When these two other mpects of his no longer subsist, 6w^ are dissolved, then that aspect

ceed anetc

See the

is

whence form and the

denominated time,

rest,

i.

e.,

creation, pro-

twice-boro."

editor's first note in p. 18, stipra.

Wilson have carried forward the inverted commas by which Professor There can be no question that it indicated the end of the quotation. preceded embraces two stanzas. They are in the trisMubh metre, and are I

and followed by verses

in the anu$iitubh.

26

VISHNU PLRANA.

termed elemental (Prakrits). The deity as Time out beginning, and his end

is

is

with-

not known; and from him

the revolutions of creation, continuance, and dissolu-

when,

tion unintermittingly succeed:* for,

in the latter

season, the equilibrium of the qualities (Pradhana)

and

exists,

(Pums)

spirit

is

then the form of Vishnu which •

Pradhana, when unmodified,

detached from matter,

Time

is

abides.

Then

^

according to the Sankhyas

is,

and Pauraniks, nothing more than the three qualities f in equilibrio; or goodness, foulness, and darkness neutralizing each other;

(Sankhya Karika,

This state

So

p. 52).

in the

synonymous with

is

ducts, or with dissolution

and detached from

;

spirit.

Matsya P.:

the non-evolntion of material pro-

implying, however, separate existence,

This being the case,

it is

asked.

What

should sustain matter and spirit whilst separate, or renew their

combination so as to renovate creation?

which

is

when everything

else is not,

It

is

answered, Time,

and which,

at the

end of

a certain interval, unites Matter (Pradhana) and Purusha, and

We

here have a reference, apparently, to four

— not

simply to three

conditions of things, the last of which, smityama, "delitescence", denotes the state that prevails during the nights

of

Brahma, when all concrete The word has occurred

forms are resolved into their original elements. before: see p. 11, supra.

The commentator, for the

third

at

Also

first,

.see

takes

the Mdrkandeya-purdna,

samyama — i.

condition, qualified by

e,,

XLVI.,

7.

he says, samhdra

anta=an(e, "at last".

—

Alternati-

makes anta the third of the conditions, and governs the names by saniyamah, in the sense of niyamdIL For nryama., in place of samyama, in a classification similar to that of the text, see Sankara Acharya's Commentary on the SwetdJwatara Upanishad: Bibliovely, he

of all three

theca Indica, Vol. VII., pp. 275 and 276.

f On

rendering the Sankhya or Pauranik guna, as here meant, by

"quality", see

my

translation

of Pandit

Nehemiah Nilakanfha

Sastrin's

Rational Refntntion nf the Hindu Philosophical Systems, pp. 43 and 44, foot-note, and pp. 219

et se(/.,

foot-note.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

27

JI.

substance the supreme Brahma, the supreme soul, the universal the creatures, all of lord the world,* of the

supreme

soul, the

and immutable

own

ruler, Hari, of his

entered into matter and

spirit,

will

having

agitated the mutable

principles, the season of creation being

as fragrance affects the

arrived. In the

same manner

mind

proximity merely, and not from any

fi-om its

immediate operation upon mind

itself,

influenced the elements of creation. Conceptions of

produces creation.

so the

*

Supreme

Purushottama

kind are evidently com-

this

of the cooperaprised in the Orphic triad, or the ancient notion or Eros, Pbanes as creation, in tion of three such principles,

which

Hindu

the

is

spirit

Chaos, matter or Pra-

or Purusha;

dhana; and Chronos, or Kala, time. be exPradhana is styled Vyaya (^9^), 'that which may modified': be may 'which pended';! or Parinamin (trfwrf^K). '

and Purusha aparinamin

Avyaya (^?!n5^), 'inconsumable', or The expressions ^""mutable'. (^rtrfTWTm^) is

called

,

-agitated', recall irfinj, 'having entered into', and ^fW^T^TR, voHc, was conmens, intelligence, divine which the mode in

ceived, by the ancients, to operate upon matter: 0QTJV ... fpQovTiai TioOfiovarravia, .

.

.

.

xata'i'ooovoa

'^orjaiv;

or as in a more familiar passage: artus, Spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per miscet: agitat molem, et magno se corpore

Mens or, perhaps,

mogonv,

in

it

more

which a

rise to' creation,

mixture

is

cosclosely approximates to the Phoenician gives spirit, mixing with its own principles,

Brucker,

not mechanical;

As

I., 240. it

is

presently explained, the

ac influence or

effect

exerted

perfumes do upon intermediate agents which produce effects; as the impression by but contact, actual mind by the not delight

* .

Supply "all-permeant" mrvaga.

"perishable", t "Passing away', or

is

more

literal.

28 is

VISHNU PURANA. both the agitator and the thing to be agitated; being

present in the essence of matter, both tbey

when

it is

con-

make upon the sense of smelling, which communicates it The entrance of the supreme Vishnu into spirit,

the mind.

well as matter, of

it,

is

less intelligible than the

'He who

is

Achyuta;

and

So

view elsewhere taken

as the infusion of spirit, identified with the

Thus,

Frakfiti or matter alone.

male

called the that

in the

(spirit)

to

as

Supreme,

into

Padma Purana:*

of Prakfiti

is

same divine Vishnu entered

here named

into Prakfiti,'

the Bfihan Naradt'ya:

'The lord of the world, who

From

tation in Prakfiti.'

is

called Purasha, producing agi-

the notion of influence

produced on matter through or with

fication led to actual or vicarious admixture.

vata, identifying

Maya

or agitation

abuse of personi-

spirit, the

Thus,

the Bhaga-

with Prakfiti, has:

'Through the operation of time, the Mighty One, who to the pure,

implanted a seed in

as Purusha, which

Bhavishya:

is

Maya endowed with

one with himself.' f B.

'Some learned men say,

III., s. 5.

that the

desirous to create beings, creates, in the

present

is

qualities,

And

supreme

commencement of

Kalpa, a body of soul (or an incorporeal substance)

;

the

being,

which

the

soul,

created by him, enters into Prakfiti; and Prakfiti, being thereby agitated, creates

^ ^

many

i^T5rf^

•

material elements':

itoW^: ^n^TTtwn^ ^^ ?^n

%i^ w^"RTft w^:^f^

I

it

Uttara-kaMa, XXXIV.

f Burnouf-— Vol. I., p. 176— bas: "Lorsque raction du temps eut devoloppe an sein de Maya les qnalites, Adhokcbaja, douo de vigaeiu, se manifeslant sous la forme de Purucba , deijosa en elle sa semence." For Adhokfhaja, see Goldstiicker's Sanskrit Dictionary, sub voce: also Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., pp. 182 and 183.

BOOK

CHAP. n.

I.,

tracted and expanded.*

supreme, atomic

29

Vishnu, supreme over the

of the nature of discrete fonns in the

is

Brahma and

productions,

men, &c.). Then from

the

rest

(gods,

that equilibrium of the qualities (Pra-

dhana), presided over by soul,^ proceeds the unequal development of those qualities (constituting the principle

But

Mahat or

may

these

Intellect) at the

be regarded as notions of a later date.

Mababharata, the

firsi

cause

The

time of creation.^

In the

declared to be 'Intellectual',

ia

who

creates by his mind or will:

iTR^ 'The

first

m^

(being)

is

^

^f^

called

celebrated by great sages: he

f^^^ %

Manasa is

'

The '

f^f^

Intellectual created

And

and

is

so

again:

wmt Mml s^\

many

Contraction, Sankocha

(intellectual),

i

god, without beginning or end,

indivisible, immortal, andecaying.'

3T5iTf%^

^f^^f*!:

\

kinds of creatures by his mind.'

(^^t^),

is

explained by

Samya

(^91^), sameness or eqailibrium of the three qualities, or inert Pradhana; and Expansion, Vikasa (t^^JTl!?), is the destruction

by previous agitation and consequent development of material prodact-e. ' The term here is Kshecrajna, 'embodied spirit', or that

of this equipoise,

which knows the Kshetra or 'body'; implying the combination of spirit with form or matter, for the purpose of creating. ^

The

first

prodoct of Pradhana, sensible to divine, though

not to mere human, organs,

is,

both according to the Sankhya

and Paurariik doctrines, the principle called Mabat,

liferally, 'the

Great'; explained in other places, as in our text, 'the production of the manifestation of the qualities': in the

Vayu:

WS^f^R^^^ff?

I

<>s',

as

so

VISHNU PURANA.

Chief principle then Invests that Great principle, Intellect; qualit)'

We

and

becomes

it

threefold, as aftected

bav«, ia the

same Furaria,

This

this terra, as:

stanza occurs in the fourth chapter of the

mediately following

it

Brahmahiia and

as well as in the

Linga, a number of synonyms for

*

by the

of goodness, foulness, or darkness, and invested

Vdyu-purd/ia.

translated

€i"W#^ f^f^Hl %^ w^^ ijil^

^psRT^^

f^nrfcNr^

iTTrfsTf^

^'^T^'^^^ %^ %^

¥T^TM^

^^

jm:

^^ 9n*\\A ^rrt^

yiTwm^NwT%r ^n^fft fr^Tf f^ir^iw ^TTRt

^RfHr:

%^

II

^:

^ftr

^

^:

it

i

ii

^fflft^i^^id.

ff%^T«m

f^^TSTTfrr TrfT(?TT

^onirr^inff^fT

f^Ntf^T

Im

are these definitions, vfhich Professor Wilson has

vt^t >3»

I

I!

^ %'^:

^ ^^^

^!r^T^r^ %^Pfft f^rf^^T^

^rc?t ^ET^T^Tfw '^^rr^

^ttv^

I

ii

ii

ii

BOOK

by the Chief They

also

are

principle (matter), as seed

%^^ i

"Manas

-5!

I

^

very

^Ri:

^''

its

skin.

to

the

I

11^

'^^

H^^e^TRWiT^^Tmn

Bhikshu, at

by

distinctly,

^^

fT^nr^^ I

to Vijnaiia

is

which considers the conse-

r<^Vlf^4<«( r^^^jfifTT

TT^W^: According

that

is

U a M K °h<^ 1^

^l^lf^^^^'^

HfM

not

though

explained,

following purport:

31

'

CiiAP. V.

I.,

I

II

least the first half of the stanza of

well synonyms, quoted* by Professor Wilson, is in the Matsya-purdna is See my edition of the Sdnkhya-pravachaiui-bfmhya as in the Vdyu.

published in the Biblioilieca Jndica

—

,

p.

The Linya-purdna, Prior Section, LXX., in having brahma and chit-para or visweia Its

117.

12

from the Vdyu

For fl(«^H»

explanations of the terms also present several deviations.

&c., in definition of vipura,

it

gives:

f

or,

ei acq., differs

instead of brahtnd an d vipura.

fgg[Tgff ^fMO*-Mi. agreeably to another reading;

With nothing correspondent Vdyu,

it

In the

to

the

TTt^^:

next two stanzas and a half of the

then passes at once to the line beginning with

same

I

^

Puraiia, Prior Section, VIII.,

M^jci^^M^:.

67—74, we read

^UMr{: Mwi^l^ft Tf?n?i ^ 5%^
^^nf??:

:

ii

i

ii

^951^: ^Fr^rr^rrr

^nqiFHW^pr

^t^:

tifx^^m:

w^ "f^^ ^^ '^''

»

ii

I

VISHNU PURANA.

32

From

the gi'eat principle (Mahat) Intellect, threefold

quences of acts to

creatures, and provides for their happiness.

all

Mahat, the Great principle,

that of the rest.

Mati

so termed from being the

is

and from

the created principles,

which

is

implies

development and augmentation of created

effects the

Pur

tilings.

Brahma

by Soul.

objects preparatory to their fruition that

of

which discriminates and distinguishes

that

is

first

extension being greater than

its

by which the concurrence of nature occupies

that

Buddhi

and

fills all

the

knowledge of good and

bodies.

that

is

which communicates to soul Khyati

evil.

is

the

means of

indi-

vidual fruition, or the faculty of discriminating objects by appro-

and the

priate designations all

things as

if

Iswara

like,

they were present.

known.

properties of things are

Prajna

is is

Chiti is that

that

which knows

that by

which the

by which the con-

sequences of acts and species of knowledge are selected for the use of 3oal, present,

Smriti

the faculty of recognizing all things,

is

Samvid

or to come.

found or known, and which

Vipura

is

that which

is

is

free

is

that in

known

found or

from the

from ness;

its

its

exercising supremacy

Purusha, from it

its

is

Mahat

over

all

is

called

chiti, smriti, khyati,

as they Lere stand, to the

The reader

will

things; Bhava,

Swayambhu."*

its

Now,

— vt«toarfi!,

single-

in

its

this

mahat, prajna,

samvid, Uwaro, and mati

be able to verify la-st

noto.

this translation

Brahma

iiwara and bhava— was overlooked. Further,

"one."

as

— belong,

ifoga philosophy.

given at ihc beginning of tho

the sanio thing,

and

also called

abiding within the body; and, from

The tenus thus enumerated and elucidated manas, brahraa,

p.ast,

things are

in all things:

elementary existence; Eka, or 'the one', from

being ungenerated,

'

all

effects of contrarieties,

of knowledge and ignorance, and the like.

Iswara, from

which

for

— which

by the original

comes between "Eka" read saka, meaning

BOOK

CHAP.

1.,

33

II.

Egotism, (Ahamk^ra)/ denominated Vaikarika, 'pure': Taijasa, 'passionate'; andBliiitadi, 'rudimental',*

we have

nomenclature

chiefly

twd

Buddhi, Mati, signifying mind, design;

of words; one, as Manas,

sets

intelligence,

knowledge, wisdom,

and the other, as Brahma, Iswara,

active creator

pro-

is

and ruler of the universe

:

denoting an

&c.,

Vayu

as the

adds,

'Mahat, impelled by the desire to create, causes various creation*

and the Mahabbarata has: 7T^T«^^^r^'eK1<^¥(^ 'Mahat created Ahaiiikara.' The Puranas generally employ the same expression, I

attributing to

Mahat or

therefore, the divine

is,

Mahat

Intelligence the act of .creating.

mind

in creative operation, the

vnvg 6

dtaxnofiiov te xal naviiov al'iing of Anaxagoras ; 'an ordering

and disposing mind, which was the cause of

word

some

suggests

itself

which, like Mahat, was the

and matter

,

autem ejus turae et

and the

first

spiritus prodiit

omnium rerum

The

all things.'

relationship to the Phoenician Mot,

product of the mixture of

first

rudiment of creation

Mot

.

.

.

Hinc

**

spirit

"Ex connexione

seminium omnis crea-

Brucker,

creatio."

:

Mot,

I., 240.

true, appears to be a purely material substance; whilst

it is

Mahat

is

an incorporeal f substance :" but they agree in their place in the cosmogony, and are something alike in name. How far, also, the Phoenician system has been accurately described,

See Sankhya Karika,

of uncertainty. '

The Bense

matter

of Ahaiiikara cannot be very well rendered by any

European term.

It

means the

principle of individual existence,

that which appropriates perceptions

,

and on^ which depend the

by the pro-

notions, I think, I feel, I am.t It might be expressed

position of Descartes reversed;

"Sum, ergo

* In strict literality, "origin of the

Sdnkkya-sdra

is

p. 83.

— in

elements."

the Bibliotheca Indica

—

,

cogito, sentio",

See

my

&c.

edition of the

Preface, p. 31, foot-note.

t See, however, the Sdnkhya-pravachana, I., 6i; and the SdnkhyaXXII. between ahaihkdra and X But see the discussion of the distinction abhimdna in Goldstucker's Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 257.

kdrikd,

I.

3

VISHNU PURANA.

34

duced; the origin of the (subtile) elements, and of the organs of sense; invested, in consequence of its three qualities, by Intellect, as Intellect is by the Chief prin-

Elementary Egotism, then becoming productive, rudiment of sound, produced from it Ether,* of which sound is the characteristic, investing it with its rudiment of sound, f Ether, becoming productive, enciple.^

as the

equivalent employed by Mr. Colebrooke, egotism, has the

The

advantage of an analogous etymology; Ahaiiikara being derived

from Aharh (^B^), 'He (Brabnia),

as in the Hari Varhsa:

'1';

O Bharata,

said,

I

will create creatures.'

See also

S. Karika, p. 91. ^ These three varieties of Ahamkara are also described in the Sankhya Karika, p. 92. Vaikarika, that which is productive, or snsceptible of production, is the same as the Sattwika, or that

which

in

is

that

consequence of

which its

is

endowed with Tejas,

having the property of Rajas, 'passion' or

Tiimasa, or has the property of darkness.

proceed the senses;

"A

* it

from the

finite; bility

last,

From

the

is

first

the

kind

the rudimcntal unconscious

both kinds, which are equally of themselves inert, being

;

of akdia

characterization

represented by 'ether'.

is

'heat' or 'energy',

and the third kind, Bhutadi, or 'elementary',

'activity';

elements

Taijasa

combined with the property of goodness.

is

Ahamkara

it is

not

made up

do not appertain

to

space, I'swara, and soul.

In

will serve to

dimension,

it

show how inadequatively is, as

has been said, in-

of parts; and colour, taste, smell,

So

it.

far forth it

Its speciality, as

and tangi-

corresponds exactly to time,

compared therewith, consists

being the material cause of sound. Except for its being so, we might take it to be one with vacuity." Rational Refutation, &c., p. 120. "In Hindu opinion, the 'ether' is always essentially colourless and iu

its

pure, and only from error it is

said,

is

supposed to possess hue.

* *

The

ignorant,

think the blueuess of the sky to be the befoulment of 'ether'."

Ibid, p. 272.

t

On

the translation of this and subsequent passages, see the Sankhya-

sdra, Preface, p. 33, foot-note.

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

35

ir..

gendered the rudiment of touch; whence originated strong wind, the property of which

is

touch; andEther,

with the rudiment of sound, enveloped the rudiment of touch.

Then wind, becoming

productive, produced

the rudiment of form (colour); whence hght (or

proceeded, of which, form (colour)

is

fire)

the attribute;

and the rudiment of touch enveloped the wind with Light, becoming productive,

the rudiment of colour.

produced the rudiment of

taste;

whence proceed

all

which flavour resides; and the rudiment of colour invested the juices with the rudiment of taste. The waters, becoming productive, engendered the rudi-

juices in

ment of

smell;

of which smell

whence an aggregate is

the property.

*

(earth) originates,

In each several eie-

rendered productive by the cooperation of the second, the energetic or active modification of Ahaihkara, which is, therefore, said to * be the origin of both the sense!? and the elements. '

The

successive series of rudiments and elements

,

and. their

respectively engendering the rudiments and elements next in order,

The

occur in most of the Puranas, iu nearly the same words.

Bfihan Naradiya P. observes:

'

They

(the elements) in successive order acquire the property of

causality one to the other.'

*

The

Ahaihkdra, "the conception of

1 ',

order

is

also the

same;

or,

has a preponderance either of

satiwa, "pure quietude", or of rajas, "activity", or of tamas, "stagnancy". The first species, as Hke'Vvise the third, becomes productive, when assisted

Such is the genuine Sankbya doctrine. In the Purauas, the second. the second, besides serving as an auxiliary to production, of itself pro-

by

duces; since therefrom arise five "intellectual organs" and five "organs These organs, with manas, "the organ of imagination", are of action." derived, in the unmodified Sankhya, from the first species of ahaihkara.

See, for additional details, the Sdnkhya- idra

,

Preface,

pp. 30

foot-note.

3*

et se
VISHNU

36

ment resides

its

peculiar rudiment; tlience the property-

wind or

ether (Akasa),

PUEAjifA.

air (Vayu), fire or light (Tejas),

earth; except in one passage of the c.

9),

where

is

it

Empedocles was:

ether, water, fire, air, earth.* ether, fire, eartli, water, air.

of each element by

The investment (Avarana) and of each rudiment by

its

water and

Mahabharata (MokshaDharma.

The order of

Cudworth, its

own

I., 97.

rudiment,

preceding gross and rudimental ele-

most of the chief Puraiias, as the Vayu, Padma, Linga, and Bhagavata and traces of it are found amongst the ancient cosmogonists; for Anaximander supposed that, 'when

ments,

also

is

met with

in

;

the world

was made, a

from matter (the

certain sphere or flame of

encompassed the

Infinite),

the earth as the bark does a tree': KaTCt

air,

t/)v

fire,

separated

which invested ytveoiv tovde

zoo xoofiov anoxQii^rjvat, xai Tiva sx xoviov fpXoyog oq^al-

Qav

7i£Qi(pvfji'ai TU) rreQl rrjv yr^v

Euseb., Pr.,

Linga,

I.

,

Bhagavata,

oeqi

and Markandeya,

participation of properties

,

(xtg

rot dsvdQq) (pXoiov,

of the Purauas, as the Matsya, Vayu,

Some

15.

add a description

amongst the elements, which

is

of

a

rather

According to this notion, the elements add to their characteristic properties those of the elements which precede them. Akasa has the single property of sound: air has

Vedanta than Sankhya.

those of touch and sound:

water has

and the

taste,

rest,

fire

has colour, touch, and sound:

colour, touch, and sound: and earth has smell

thus having five properties: or, as the Linga

P.f

describes the series:

For

a

related

comment,

see

pp. 155 and 156, sub voce V(.' t Prior Section, LXX., 43—47.

Goldstucker's

Sanskrit

Dictionary,

BOOK

I.,

of tanmatratii* (type or rudiment)

elements. qualities;

37

CHAP. n. is

ascribed to these

Rudimental elements are not endowed with and therefore they are neither soothing, nor

nor stupefying.^* This is the elemental creation, proceeding from the principle of egotism affected by teiTific,

iFTfrn

'w^T^ ^?nt^^^

iTT'rn

^i.!^ ^grr^

Tanmatra, 'rudiment' or

'

Tasniin (fff^'^.),

'in

that'

the

also

characteristic

II

piW^ ^ ^^'

»

from Tad (TT^), 'that% for gross element, and matra (^fTTTT), 'typfr',

(WTTt ^f^

'subtile or rudimental form'

are

*i^irM*ii*i

^'Frfl)-t

The rudiments as the

properties of the elements:

Bhagavata: 'The rudiment of

mon

it

(ether) is also

its

and the object which

to

is

sound ;t as a com-

quality,

who

designation may^ denote both a person

be seen': that

is,

sees an object,

according to the

commentator, suppose a person behind a wall called aloud, '*An elephant an elephant!" the term would equally indicate that an I

elephant was visible, and that somebody saw

&c,

it.

Bhag,,

II., 5, 25.

properties here alluded to are not those of goodness, but other properties § assigned to perceptible objects by the

The

-

,

Sankhya

doctrines ; or Santi (ifTf^), 'placidity', Ghorata

'terror',

and Moha (^Ttf),

'dulness' or 'stupefaction'.

(^H^ni), S.

Karika,

\, 38. p. 119.

^dnta, gkora, mudha; "placid, commoved, torpid," Probably ghora connected with ghurn, "to whirl." "merely transcendental", is f With greater likelihood, tan- matra, u of tanu from tanu and mdtra, the latter considered as an affix; the •

is

being elided, as

it is,

for instance, in

conjugational forms of the *

§ II

Rather:

"Sound

is

its

fifth

tanmaK

and eighth

and

for laniimaK,

in similar

classes.

rudiment and also

its

quality."

"Goodness, &c." are causes; the "other properties", And see the Sdnkhyorpravachana, III., 1.

effects.

VISHNU PUR AN A.

38

The organs of sens? are same prin-

the property of darkness.

said to be the passionate products of the ciple, affected

by

fouhiess;

and the ten

divinities^ pro-

ceed from egotism affected by the principle of goodness; as does Mind, which

of sense are ten

is

the eleventh.

The organs

of the ten, five are the skin, eye, nose,

:

tongue, and ear; the object of which, combined with

apprehension of sound and the rest:

Intellect, is the

the organs of excretion and procreation, the hands, the feet, and the voice, form the other five; of which excretion

,

generation

Then, ether,

manipulation

,

speaking are the several

,

motion

and

,

acts.

air, light,

water, and earth, severally

imited with the properties of sound and the rest, existed distinguishable

as

according to their qualities,

as

soothing, terrific, or stupefying; but, possessing various

energies and beingunconnected, they could not, without

combination, create living beings, not having blended

with each other.

Having combined, therefore, with

one another, they assumed, through their mutual association, the character of one mass of entire unity; and,

from the direction of

spirit,

with the acquiescence of

the indiscrete Principle,^ Intellect and the rest, to the

'

The Bhagavata, which

origin of the elements, senses,

gives

and

a similar statement

be Dis (space), "air, the sun, Prachetas, the Aswins,

Upendra, Mitra, and

Ka

of the

divinities, specifies the last to fire,

Indra,

or Prajapati, presiding over the senses,

according to the comment, or, severally, over the ear, skin, eye,

tongue, nose, speech, hands, feet, and excretory and generative organs. ''

Bhag.,

II., 5, 31.

Avyaktanugrahena(^?ri5HiTgT!J%?!f).

thing equivocal; as

The expression

Aryakta may here apply

is

some-

either to the First

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

39

II.

gross elements inclusive, formed an egg,* which gradually expanded like a bubble of water.

This vast

compounded of the elements, and resting on the waters, was the excellentnatural abode ofVishnu in the foi-m of Brahma; and there Vishnu, the lord of the universe, whose essence is inscrutable, assumed a sage,

egg,

perceptible form; and even he himself abided in

Cause or

In either case, the notion

to matter.

the aggregation of the elements

The Avyakta

passive,

is

Mabat and the

may

in

Supreme

of the presidence of

eflFect

evolution and combination of

is,

no doubt, intended; but

is also

its

The term Anu-

implied.

also refer to a classification of the order of creation,

which will be again adverted It is

the

Pradhana

rest.

identification with the

'

same; and

the

is

in

without any active interference of the indiscrete principle.

spirit,

graba

the

is

it,

to.

impossible not to refer this notion to the same origin

as the widely diffused opinion of antiquity

of the

,

been a favourite symbol, and very ancient; and

among many

nations".

Bryant,

165.

III.,

first

mani-

"It seems to have

world in the form of an egg.

festation of the

we

find

it

Traces of

adopted it

occur

amongst the Syrians, Persians, and Egyptians; and, besides the Orphic egg amongst the Greeks, and that described by Aristophanes, Tixiai nQdjTiorov vnr^vauinv rv£

ri

jUEXavonTEQog woy,

part of the ceremony in the Dionysiaca and other mysteries consisted

of the

consecration of an egg;

Porphyry, was

signified the

xoofiov.

Whether

suppose,

is

this

egg typified the ark, as Bryant and Faber

a figure.

A

world, in the beginning, existed

similar account of the

the elements in the form of an egg

with the usual epithet in

Manu.

,

to

not material to the proof of the antiquity and wide

dififusion of the belief, that the

in such

by which, according

world: EQfirjt'£V£i di to ojov tov

I, 9.

Haima

is

first

aggregation of

given in all the Puranas,

or Hirariya,

'golden', as

it

occurs

40

VISHNU PURANA.

the character of Brahma.*

Its

womb,

vast as the

mountain Meru, was composed of the mountains;* and the mighty oceans were the waters that filled its cavity.

Brahman, were the continents and seas and mountains, the planets and divisions of the uniAnd this verse, the gods, the demons, and mankind.

In that egg,

egg was externally invested by seven natural envelopes ; or by water,

ether,

air, fire,

and Ahainkara,f the

origin of the elements, each tenfold the extent of that

which

it

invested

;

next came the principle of Litelli-

gence; and,* finally, the whole was surrounded by the indiscrete Principle: resembling, thus, the cocoa-nut, filled interiorly

with pulp, and exteriorly covered by

husk and rlnd.t Here

'

who,

we

as

another analogy to the doctrines of antiquity re-

is

lating to the

mundane egg: and,

as the first visible

shall hereafter see,

united in himself the nature of

either sex, abode in the egg, and issued from

born of the world,

was

whom

so "this

first-

the

mundane egg, was the were derived. He

the mortals and immortals

same as Dionysus,

the

it;

they represented under two shapes and

who sprang from

characters, » and

person from

whom

male being,

whom

they styled,

nQioioynvov

TQi'/ovnv Baxxslnv^'Avaxia^Liyfiinv aQQrjiov xQifpinv

iSi'(pvri

dixsQCoza dl^ioQCfov:''^ or,

with

the omission of one epithet,

dix4QCt}gi

*

The reading

seems

of

many MSS. and

of the commentator, and that which

to claim the preference, is

"Mem

was

its

amnion, and the other mountains were

its chorion.''

The word ahamkdra is supplied to the original by the translator. The commentary is silent. 1 A new translation of this entire paragraph and of the iirst sentence •}

of the

and 35.

next

will

be seen in

Original Sanskrit 2'exts,

P«rt IV., pp. 34

BOOK

CHAP.

1.,

41

ir.

Affecting then the quality of activity, Hari, the lord of

himself becoming Brahma, engaged in the creation of the universe. Vishnu, v^dth the quality of goodness, and of innneasurable power, preserves created things

all,

through successive ages,

until the close of the period

termed a Kalpa; when the same mighty deity, Janardana,^ invested with the qualit}^ of darkness, assumes the awful form of Rudra^ and swallows up the universe. Having thus devoured all things, and converted the the Supreme reposes upon mighty serpent-couch amidst the deep: he awakes after a season, and, again, as Brahma, becomes the author

world into one vast ocean

,

his

of creation.*

Thus the one only god, Janardana, takes the designation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, accordingly as he creates, preserves, or destroys.^

Janardana

'

is

derived from Jana

Vishnu, as creator,

(W^), -men', and Ardana

to mankind'. ('^ff"^),t 'worship*; 'the object of adoration ' This is the invariable doctrine of the Puranas, diversified

only according to the individual divinity to identity with

*

Paramatman or Parameswara.

Almost the whole of

this

Hi^

they ascribe

In our text, this

chapter and of the next occurs,

nearly word for word, in the Mdrk'andeya-purdna,

t

whom

signifies "solicitation".

But there

XLV.

is

often

et seq.

are preferable derivations

For instance, Sankara Acharya, in bis gloss on the thousand names of Vishiiu enumerated in the Anusdsana-parvan of the Maof Janardana,

hdihdrata, takes

its

constituent jaiia, "people", to stand for "the wicked",

and interprets ardana by "chastiser or extirpator". His words, in part, According to the Jl/aAaiAarato itself, are
and 183.

|

VISHNU PUR ANA.

42

creates himself; as preserver,

preserves himself; as

destroyer, destroys himself at the end of

This world of earth,

and the mind lord of

;

all

that

termed

is

things.

all

water, ether, the senses,

air, fire,

spirit;*

—

that also

the

is

elements, the universal form,^ and imperish-

all

Hence he is the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction; and the subject of the vicissitudes He is the object and inherent in elementary nature.

able.

Vishnu;

Saiva Puraiias, as in the "Linga,

in the

Brahma Vaivarta,

the

of the hypostases with the

unknown

incongruity not

Krishna.

it is

common

The

it

Siva; in

is

one

identification of

source of the triad was an

to other theogonies: for

Cneph, amongst

the Egyptians, appears, on the one hand, to have been identified with the supreme being, the indivisible unity; whilst, on the other, he

and

confounded with both

is

Emeph and Ptha,

third persons of the triad of hypostases.

the second

Cudworth,

I., 4. 18.

Zm^

termed spirit';* Ij4^m4^' ff 'which, indeed, explained, by the commentator, ^^^tpjtj^^ bears the appellation spirit'; conformably to the text of the Vedas, TC^ T^? W^l^ 'this universe is, indeed, spirit'. f This '

'The world

that

is

I

I

I

rather Vedanta than Sankhya, and appears to deny the existence of matter. And so it does , as an independent existence ; for the

is

of infinite substance is the deity or universal does not therefore imply the non-existence of the

origin and end spirit:

but

it

world as real substance. «

Vishnu of

or

both Bhutesa

is

things,

created

substance '.i ject to his

He

own

is,

and

(^^^:),

'lord of the elements',

Viswarupa (t^^R^i:), 'universal

therefore, as one with sensible things, sub-

control.

• Rather: "That which is termed spirit is the world." t See Colebrooke's Miscellaneoaa Essays, Vol. I., p. 47.

*

The commentary has:

^ST'^'^

I

Tnft

^tf

in the masculine,

5B[

Ij;^

4l4^r
t^g3^llf
means '^omniform".

'

I

I

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

43

If.

author of creation: he preserves, destroys, and

is

pre-

Brahma, and as all other beings, form. He is the Supreme, the giver of all

served. He, Vishnu, as is infinite

good, the fountain of

Varenya (if^;^:),

'

all

happiness.

^raost

^

excellent'; being the same,

cording to the commentator,* with supreme

" i.

He

e.,

writes:

'of a

T^^ T^CWhT^'l

form

svipreme felicity,"

to

:

felicity:

ac-

^^1^^«^^-

^T'fT^^^M^flT?^^

I

" Varenya,

be elected', on aecoant of his being, essentially,

CHAPTER Moments

Measure of time.

HI.

or Kasbthas, &c.

day and night;

;

Yugas or ages: Mahay uga periods of the Manus: a Man-

fortnight, month, year, divine year:

or great age: day of

Brahma

r

waDtara: night of Brahma and destruction of ihe world: a year of

Brahma:

his life: a

Kalpa: aParardha: the past or

PddmA

Kalpa: the present or Varaha.

Mai'J'Reya.

to that

—How can

Brahma who

creative agency be attributed

without qualities,

is

illimitable,

pure, and free from imperfection?

Parasara.

—The

of existent

properties

essential

things are objects of observation, of which no fore-

knowledge

attainable;

is

and creation and hundreds of

properties belong to Brahma,* as inseparable parts of chief of sages,

his essence; as heat,

*

Agency depends upon the Eajo-guiia,

or passion, which all qualities,

and

Omnis

is

is,

an imperfection.

enini per se

if inert for ever,

creation could not occur.

"Seeing that the potencies of knowledge of that

and the

like,

is

void of

—

i.

e.,

all

est

pace fruatur.

The

The objection is Brahma of in-

ascribing to

numerable and unappreciable properties

creation

fire.^

the quality of foulness

Perfect being

divom natnra necesse

summa cum

rather evaded than answered.

the

inherent in

therefore, inert:

Immortal! £evo

But,

is

is

supported, by the com-

existences are understood only through

Brahma

such potencies

— -vihich

is

of existences,

BraLiiui", &c.

Professor Wilson preferred "SJcflft to

^^ft "J^

I

beyond reasoning, are

referrible

to

BOOK

CHAP. m.

1.,

45

Hear, then, liow the deity Narayana, in the person of Brahma, the great parent of the world, created all existent things. „

.

,

,

,

r

-

.

,,,

.L

,

.

.III

I

-I

I

nientator, with vague and scarcely applicable texts of the Vedas. 'In liim there is neither rior, is

nowhere

instrument nor effect: his like, his supe-

seen:'

1 7T^ 'That supreme sou) sovereign

pf

t^lf^Mfdl*

power

his

all':

f^^

'^

^liT'lf

I

^

the subjugator of all, the ruler of all, the

is

^

^|^j*< | dj|

^^

|

^-

¥^#^"R:

i» various places of the Vedas, also,

I* is

^TT^

it is

said that

supreme, and that wisdom, power, and action are

his essential properties:

The

origin of creation

is

also imputed

,

in the

Vedas, to the rise

Supreme ;^ i^iT'nTrT "^W Wl H^ ^M ^ 'He wished, I may become manifold, 1 may create creatures.' The Bhagavata expresses the same doctrine: 'The supreme being of will or desite in the

was before stance.

as

all

\

things alone, the soul and lord

In consequence of his

own will, he

[

of spiritual sub-

secondarily defined,

is

of various nsiiwis':

if

^H3^^

*

:

^i^<*4y

Satapathu-f/rdhmana, XIV.,

Upanishad, IV.,

7,

f^:

"sffTarranrt

2,

24.

Compare

i

the Bfihad-drar'iyaka

4, 22.

t These verses are continuous with those above, beginning with «f ITiey are from the Swetdswatara Upanishad^ VI., 8. *

See the Saiapatha- brdhmaiia,

nishad, p. 398, has

The

:

fl^^fT

^^

XL,

^

5,

8,

The Chhdndoqya Upa-

1.

IT^TT^


I

qnptatioiis thus far in Professor Wilson's note are taken

frO»ai

the

commentary, which gives no precise clue to their derivation. § Bhagavata purdna. III., 5, 23. The second line may mean: "Sonl I.e.,

Bhagavat, Brahma, or

the

Absolute— fV^hcn

implies a variety of conceptions."

it

follows its

own

desire,

46

VISHliU PURANA.

Brahma

is

said to be born; a familiar phrase, to sig-

measure

nify his manifestation; and, as the pecuHar

of his presence, a hundred of his years

That period

stitute his life.

is

is

said to con-

and the

also called Para,

This will, however,, in the mysticism of the Bhagavata, sonified as

is

per-

Maya:

FT TT T?7T^ ^f^: ir^: jl^< fd(^l wn^ 'f^T'TFr ^sj^ ffm^ f^: ^

l

TR

I

*

ii

who was

'She (that desire) was the energy of the Supreme,

name is Maya, the lord made the universe.' This, which was, at first, a mere poetical personification of the divine will, came, in such contemplating (the uncreated world); and, by her, whose

works

as the Bhagavata,

to

denote a female divinity, coequal

and coeternal with the First Cause.

Vedas authorize such a of

it

mystification;

It

may

be doubted

if

the

and no very decided vestige

occurs in the Vishnu Purana.

Buruouf translates the stanza in these words:

"Au commencement

cet

uuivers etait Bhagavat, I'ame et le souverain maitre de toutes les ames;

Bhagavat

existait

sans qu'ancun attribut le manifestat, parce que

seul

tout desir etait eteint eu son co^ur."

The commentator OB

the Bhagavata, Sridhara

part of the stanza in three ways:

^\M\<1

*

'Or

1

'^rraprf

wNpfrsirran i^i^

Bkdgavata-purdna, I'energie

exjste

et

III, 5, 25.

n'existo pas

f^:

Burnoafs

de cet etre doue de vne,

ce qui

nomme Maya,

Swamin, explains

?T^ ^FTfSW^Wt 'TWf'T^

^^rv^

^

i

'TqT"

'n^'if;-

translation is as follows;

energie qui est a la fois ce qui

[pour nos organes],

et c'est par elle, iliustre guerrier,

toutes choses crea cet univers."

the latter

^»

c'est

la

ce qui se

que I'Etre qui penetre

BOOK half of

it,

Parardha. *

I.,

I

CHAP.

47

III.

have already declared to you,

Brahman, that Time is a form of Vishnu. Hear, now, how it is applied to measure the duration sinless

of

Brahma and

of

all

other sentient beings, as well as

of those which are unconscious; as* the mountains, oceans, and the like.

O

best of sages, fifteen twinklings of the eye

aKashtha;

thirty Kashthas,

Thirty Muhurtas constitute a day and

one Muhiirta. *

'

This term

'

The

last

also applied to a different

is

See

tracted period.

f^rfVi

I

more pro-

still

is

rather obscurely expressed:

VfTW

'Thirty of them (Kalas) are the rule

The commentator

for the Muhiirta'.

and

b. VI., c. 3.

proportion

f^^ ^\^f^yt

make

oneKala; and thirty Kalas,

says

it

means

that thirty

Kalas make a Ghatika (or Ghari); and two Ghatikas, a Muhiirta: but his explanation explicit

passages

){^Aj^(|:

is

gratuitous, and

elsewhere;

'A Muhiirta

I

is

in

as

thirty

is

with more

at variance

the Matsya:

Kalas.

fMl[t^rWr%^ these

In

divisions

of the twenty-four hours, the Kiirma, Markaiideya, Matsya, Vayu,

and Linga Puraiias exactly agree with our authority. I.,

64,

first

we have

article,

the

same computation, with a

In Manu,

difference

eighteen Nimeshas being one Kashtha.

in the

The Bha-

vishya P. follows Manu, in that respect, and agrees, in the

rest,

with the Padma, which has:

Nimeshas =

1

Kashtha.

30 Kashthas

=

1

Kala.

30 Kalas

=

1

Kshaiia.

15

= 1 Muhiirta. 30 Muhurtas = I day and night. In the Mahabharata, Moksha Dharma, it is said that 12 Kshaiias

and one-tenth, or, according

to

and thre« Kashthas, make a Mahurta.

•

Supply

*'the earth",

bM.

thirty

Kalas

the commentator, thirty Kalas

A

still

greater variety,

48

VISHNU PURANA.

night of mortals: thirty such days

make a month,

divi-

ded into two half-months: six months form an Ayana however, occurs

Bhagavata* and

in the

in the

Brahma Vaivafta P.

These have: 2

Paramanus =

= Trasarenus =

3 Alius 3

100 Trutis 3

Vedhas

3

Lavas

3

Nimeshas

15 "Kashthas

Laghus

15 2

Nadikas

6 or 7

Nadikas

Allusions to

any other

Yet

the

,

this,

Anu. Trasarenji.

1

Truti.

=1

Vedha,

= =

1

Lava.

1

Niniesha.

1

Kshaiia.

1

Kashtlia.

= = = = = =

5 Kshaiias

1 1

1

Laghu.

1

Nadika. Muhiirta.

1

Yamaf

1

have not been found

work

or watch of the day or night.

or either of the preceding computations, or to

of Gopala Bhatia,

other Puraiias.

in either of the

from which Mr. Colebrooke

he derived bis information on the subject of Indian weights

states

and measures (A. R., Vol. V.,

Varaha P.

for

105),

theSankhyaParimana,

the Bhavishya, different from that which occurs in the

we have

of that work, to which calculation adopted 6 respirations

naS =

The

referred.

by the astronomical works

(Prana) -

sidereal day.

1

the Pauranik modes,

1

Vikala; 60 Vikalas

The Nimesha, which is

is

is different.

is

is

by a Paramanu, or mote

to pass through a crevice in a shutter.

III.,

Some

which

in

in the

it

sunbeam,

indications of" this

currency occur in the Hindustani

11, 5 et ieq..

f The BMgavata-purdna

at rest;

the origin of the other, and, appa-

more modern, system considering the works

common

It is:

the base of one of

occurs,

Calculation being in

chapter

= iDaiida; 60Dan-

rently,

the time taken

first

principle of the

a twinkle of the eye of a man

whilst the Paramaiiu, which

•

cites the

a peculiar computation, and quotes another from

has prahara, a

synonym

of

ymna.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

m.

49

(the period of the sun's progress north or south of

and two Ayanas compose a year. The is a nighty and the northern, a day, of Twelve thousand divine years, each com-

the echptic)

southern

:

Ayana

the gods.

posed of (three hundred and sixty) such days,* constitute the

They

period of the four Yugas or ages.

are thus distributed: the Krita age has four thousand divine years; the Treta, three thousand; the Dwapara,

two thousand; and the Kali age, one thousand: so those The period acquainted with antiquity have declared. that precedes a Yuga is called a Sandhya; and it is of as many hundred years as there are thousands in the Yuga: and the period that follows a Yuga, termed the Sandhyamsa, is of similar duration. The interval between the Sandhya and the Sandhyamsa is the Yuga,

The Krita, Treta, denominated Krita, Treta, &c. Dwapara, and Kali constitute a great age, or aggregate of four ages: a thousand such aggregates are a day of Brahmd; and fourteen Manus reign within that term. Hear the division of time which they measure. ^

terms Renu (Trasarenu) and

Lamhaf (Laghn)

in

Indian horo-

metrv(A.R., Vol. V., 81); whilst the more ordinary system seems derived from the astronomical works; being 60 Tiias = 1 Vipala; 60 Vipalas '

1

Pala; 60 Palas =

1

Danda

These calculations of time are found

or Ghari. in

Ibid.

most of the Purarias,

with some additions, occasionally, of no importance; as that of the year of the seven Rishis, 3030 mortal years, and the year of

Dhruva, 9090 such years,

in the

Linga P.

In

all essential points,

the computations accord; and the scheme, extravagant as

•

it

may

There is nothing, in the original, answering to "each .... days", t This word, &j;=\*J, being Arabic, can scarcely have any connexioa

with the Sanskrit laghu. I.

4

VISHNU PURAl^A.

50

Seven Rishis, certain (secondary)

Mana, and

divinities, Indra,

the kings his sons, are created and perish

appear, seems to admit of easy explanation. first

place

,

«

We

have, in the

a computation of the years of the gods in the four

ages, or:

Krita

Yuga

4000

Sandhya Sandhyaifisa

400

....

400

4800

Treta

Yuga

3000

Sandhya Sandhyaniisa

300

....

300

3600

Dwapara Yuga

2000

Sandhya

200

Sandhyamsa ....

200

2400

Kali

Yuga

1000

Sandhya

100

Sandhyamsa ....

100 1200

12000 If these divine years are converted into years of mortals,

by

men being a day of the gods), which the Yugas of mortals are respectively

multiplying them by 3G0 (a year of

we

obtain the years of

said to consist

4800x360 = 1.728.000 3600x360=1.296.000

2400x360=

864.000

1200x360=

432.000 4.320.000, a

So

Mahayuga.

that these periods resolve themselves into very simple elements

the notion of four ages in a deteriorating series expressed by

•

In the Sanskrit, Sakra, an epithet of Indra.

BOOK

I.,

CHAF.

51

III.

at

one period;* and the interval, called a Manvvantara,

is

equal to seventy-one times the

tained in the four Yugas, with

number of years consome additional years :^

descending arithmetical progression

as

,

4, 3, 2,

1

the conversion

;

of units into thousands; and the mythological fiction, that these

were divine years

,

each composed of 3G0 years of men.

It

does

not seem necessary to refer the invention to any astronomical

computations, or to any attempt to represent actual chronology.

The

'

details of these, as occurring in each

given in the third book,

'

One

A

arid

c.

I

and

Manwantara, are

2.

seventy enumerations of the four ages, with a surplus.'

similar reading occurs in several other Purarias

them fact,

state of

what

number of years required

the

of the Kalpa. lation of

The most

a Kalpa

Bhavishya P.

is its

Then

4.320.000.000 years,

Brahma

is

it

is, in

two computations

simple, and, probably, the onginal, calcu-

4.320.000 years, or a divine age, x 1000

or a day or night of Brahma.

=

But a day of

also seventy-one times a great age multiplied by four-

25.920.000;

certain

to reconcile

but none of

But

being 1000 great ages, or ages of the gods

teen: 4.320.000x71 X 14

by

;

the surplus or addition consists.

and

=

is

it

4.294.080.000, or less than the preceding to

make up

for this deficiency,

number of years must be added

Manwantaras.

to

the

According to the Surya Siddhanta,

Mr. Davis (A. R., Vol.

II.,

each Manwantara, equal

as cited

231), this addition consists of a to the

that

a

computation by

by

Sandhi to

Satya age, or 1.728.000 years; and

one similar Sandhi at the commencement of the Kalpa:* thus,

= 4.318.272.000 The Paurahiks, however, omit the

4.320.000x71 =30e.72aOOO+ 1.728.000= 308.448.000 x 14 -1-1.728.000=4.320.000 000.

*

Siirya-siddhdtUa,

Indica:

Deva

p.

I.,

19;

p.

17

of

my

10 of the American translatiou,

Sastriu's translation.

the

edition

iu

and

4 of Pandit Bapii

p.

Biblioilieca

VISHNU PURANA.

52 this

Manu, the

the duration of the

is

and the

nities,

years, or to

(attendant) divi-

which is equal to 852.000 divine 306.720.000 years of mortals, independent restj

Fourteen times

of the additional period. constitutes a

Brahma day,

that

is,

this period

Brahma; At the

a day of

the term rBralima) being ihe derivative form.

end of

when

this day, a dissolution of the universe occurs,*

the three worlds, earth, and the regions of

all

space are consumed with

The

fire.

dwellers of Mahar-

loka (the region inhabited by the saints

who

survive

the world), distressed by the heat, repair then to Jana-

men after their decease). When

loka (the region of holy

the three worlds are but one mighty ocean, Brahma,

who

is

one with Narayana, satiate with the demolition

of the universe, sleeps upon his serpent-bed

by the

plated, the lotos -born, Sandhi of the Kalpa

Manwantavas. in each =:

,

—contem-

ascetic inhabitants of

and add the whole compensation

The amount

of this, in

whole numbers,

is

to the

1.851.428

Manwantara, or 4.320.001 x 71 = 306.720.000 + 1.851.428 X 14 = 4.819.999.992; leaving a very small inferiority

308.57 1.428

of a Kalpa

the result of the calculation

to

ages.

To

provide for

this deficiency,

by a thousand great

indeed, very minute sub-

divisions are admitted into the calculation; and the

on our text says that the additional years,

if

commentator

of gods, are 5142

years, 10 mouths, 8 days, 4 watched, 2 Muhurtas, 8 Kalas, 17

Kashthas, 2 Nimeshas, and 6

meshas.

It

th

;

if

of mortals, 1.851.428 years,

will be observed that, in the Kalpa,

regular descending series

*

of

'1^

months, 24 days, 12 Nadis, 12 Kalas, 25 Kashthas, and 10 Ni-

For "the term",

tiKi

&c., read:

universe, called

Vif/c infra,

M.,

3,

4, 3, 2,

"At

we

have the

with ciphers multiplied ad libitum.

the

end of this day occurs

Brahma's contingent recoalescence

aii init.: also see the

a recoalescence :"

Mdrka/ideya-purdna,

XL VI.,

38.

BOOK the Janaloka

—for

I.,

CHAP.

53

llf.

a night of equal duration with

day; at the close of which he creates anew.

days and nights

is

a year of

liis

Of such

Brahma composed; and life. ^ One

a hundred such years constitute his whole

Parardha,^ or half his existence, has expired, termina-

Maha Kalpa^

ting with the

*

The Brahma Vaivarta

Brahma's

work

;

is

but a

Padma.

The Kalpa

says 108 yearg; but this

unusual.

is

Nimesba of Krishna, according

to

that

a Nimesha of Siva, according to the Saiva Puraha,

In

-

life

called

the last

book, the Parardba occurs as a \iiry different is employed here in its ordinary acceptation.*'

measure of time; but it

In theory, the Kalpas are infinite; as the Bhavishya;

^

'Excellent sages, thousands of millions of Kalpas have passed;

and as many are

to

come.'

In the Linga Purana, and others of

the Saiva division, above thirty Kalpas are named,

account

given

embellishments.

of several;

but

they

The ordy Kalpas

are,

and some

evidently,

usually specified

sectarial

are those

which follow

in the text: the one which was the last, or Padma, and the present or Varaha. The first is also commonly called the Brahma; but the Bhagavata distinguishes the Brahma, considering it to be the first of Brahma's life, whilst the Padma was the last of Ihe first Parardha. The term Maha, or great, Kalpa, applied to the Padma, is attached

the

to

it

only in a general sense; or, according to the commentator,

because

it

comprises, as a minor Kalpa, that in which

was born from a lotos. Properly, a great Kalpa but a life, of Brahma; as in the Brahma Vaivarta

^s(<*'?Mi '

^¥rrTT% ^r^#r^: ^wt:

Chronologers compute a Kalpa by the

Kalpas, as Sariivarta and the

•

rest,

life

is

I!

of Brabma.

are numerous.'

Brahma

not a day,

Minor

Minor Kalpas

See Goldstucker's Sanskrit Dictionary, sub voce ^JRpfT-

VISHNU PURANA.

54 (or day of

Brahma) termed V4ralia

is

the

of the

first

second period of Brahma's existence. here denote every period of destruction

wind

Sariivarta

,

,

or those in which the

or other destructive agents

,

Several

operate.

other computations of time are found in different Purauas; but will be sufficient to notice

as

it

one which occurs

peculiar, and because

is

M. Langlois's translation. time, or time of a

It

is

it

is

in the

not quite correctly given in

the calculation of the

10 12 6

Manava

Manu:

= a day and night = his fortnight. Manava days Manava fortnights-- his month, Manava months = his season. Manava seasons = his year.

10 divine years 10

it

Hari Vamsa; *

of a

Mann.

make up The French translation has: "Dix annees des dieox dix jours des dieux font un Fakcha de font un jour de Manou Manou", &c. The error lies in the expression "jours des dieux^\ and is evidently a mere inadvertence; for, if ten years make a Accordingly, the commentator says 72000 divine years his

year.

;

day, ten days can scarcely

•

make

a,

fortnight.

French translation of the HarivamSa, Vol.

I.,

pp. 43

et seg.

CHAPTER

IV.

Narayaiia's appearance, in the beginning of

Varaha or boar:

tlie

Kalpa, as the

Prithivi (Earth) addresses him:

he raiscB the world from beneath the waters: hymned by Sanandana and

The earth floats on the ocean: divided into seven The lower spheres of the universe restored. Creation

the Yogins.

zones.

renewed.

Maitbeya.

—

Tell me,

mighty sage, how,

in the

com-

mencement of the (present) Kalpa, Narayana, who is named Brahma,* created all existent things.^ Para^ara. In what manner the divine Brahma,

—

who

one with Narayana, created progeny, and

is

thence

named

is

the lord of progeny (Prajapati), the lord

god, you shall Tiear. f

At the close of the past (or Padma) Kalpa, the divine Brahma, endowed with the quality of goodness, awoke from his night of sleep, and beheld the universe void. He, the supreme Narayana, the incomprehensible, the sovereign of all creatures, invested with the form of '

This creation

is

of the secondary order, or Pratisarga (irfJWT)

water, and even the earth, being in existence, and, consequently,

having been preceded by the creation of Mahat and the elements. It is also

a different Pratisarga from that described by Mann, in

which Swayaiiibhu

first

creates the waters, then the egg: one of

the simplest forms, and, perhaps, therefore, one of the earliest, in

which the tradition occurs.

*

Read "that Brahma, who

is

named Narayana":

jjfjJKf

«(I< I'MUII-

t Read, on the faith of my MSS.: "Bear from me in what manner the divine Brahma, one with Narayana, and the god who is lord of the Progenitors —jjrq/opa^t-pafi

—

,

created progeny";

VISHNU PIRANA.

56

Brahma, the god without beginning, the creator of all things; of whom, with respect to his nameNarayana, the god who has the form of Bratima, the imperishable origin* of the world,

verse

this

"The

repeated:

is

waters are called Nara, because they were the offspring

Nara

ot

(the

supreme

spirit)

;

and, as, in them, his first

(Ayana) progress (in the character of Brahma) took is thence named Narayana (lie whose place moving was the waters)."^ He, the lord,t conclu-

place, he

of

'

This

by Sir

is

Wm.

well-known verse of Mann,

the

"The

Jones:

10,

I.,

t

rendered,

waters are called ndrdh, because they

were the production of Nara, or the spirit of god; and, since they were his first ayana or place of motion, he thence is named Narayana, or moving on the waters.^'' Now, although there can be little doubt that this tradition is, in substance, the same as ,

that of Genesis, the language of the translation scriptural than

text of

is

quite warranted.

Manu, were

the progeny of

explains Paramatman, first

'

the

The

supreme soul

productions of god in creation.

Prabhavdpyaya.

f Supply "when

See the

'

;

that

is,

The Hariim/hSa mstra.,

without

—

I.,

36

1.

had become one ocean": ^rn"%«5Tly%

last line begins:

— takes

alteration.

-4|f
13168.

cfTI

|

Mdnava-dharma-

Compare the Mahdbhdrata. ,

|

ii

ff;^

the stanza from the

and 15819; and the ^dnti-parvan Sanskrit Dictionary, sub voce -^^f).

r295-2

they were the

editor's first note in p. 21, supra.

the world

V ishnvr'purdna, the

said in the

Ayana, instead of 'place

m ^sr^^T^ ^ ?[^ ^Tt^w: ^: In the

perhaps, more

it is

Nara, which Kulliika Bhatta

But compare the Aldrkandeya-purdna, XLVII., *

is,

waters,

Vana-parvan,

Also see Goldstucker's

It is beyond doubt that the verses quoted above palter with the etymology of the word •nTT^TO- Oa the taddhita affix '.!IT?nT, which cannot mean "son", see the gana on Panini, IV., 1, 99.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

57

IV.

ding that within the waters lay the earth, and being desirous to raise it up, created another form for that of motion',

is

explained by Asrnya, -place of abiding.'

Narayana

means, therefore, he whose place of abiding was the deep.

The

verse occurs in several of the Puranas, in general in nearly the sarae words,

and almost always as a quotation, as

X^ ^t^TfTW^

in

our text:

The Linga, Vayu, and Markandeya ^1«**< Puranas, citing the same, have a somewhat different reading, or:

*Apah

the

(is

I

same

as) Narah', or bodies

heard (from the Vedas),

them

in

Tanu •

either 'minute' or 'body';

The Linga-purdna—WiOT

^r^

^

Section,

^sTrT^^T^

The MdrkaMeya-purdna

— XL

we have He who sleeps

(Tanavah); such,

meaning of Apah.

the

The

thence, called Narayana. '+

is,

is

is

%

VII,,

5

ordinary sense of

nor does

LXX,

occur amongst

—has:

119 and 120

^:

TiTT^nir:

— has,

it

in

I

one MS. that has been

consulted:

A

second MS, has the

And

first

line the same, but, for ibe second:

a third MS., while agreeing as to the second

Three MSS. of the Vdyu-purdna have the

line,

begins:

verse like this last, and,

first

as the second:

lo another place the Vdyu Las, according to

^^TPft

><
wi^ Tnmr^ t "Water explained.

is

Brct/und

rests

my MSS.

^TO?T

^ ^mrm: ^:

the body of Nara: thus

Since

all

TW^f TRT

we have heard

I

the

ii

name

on the water, therefore he

i.s

6f water

termed

Narayana." Here, and so in the

Vdyu-purdna,— se& the

last note

not a copyist's mistake, denotes cause in two kinds,

an absolute sense.

i.

— ff^rrrTf)

if

"hence"

in

e.,

58

VISHNU PURANA.

purpose; and,

as, in

preceding Kalpas, he had assumed

the shape of a iish or a tortoise, so, in this, he took synonyms

the

of water in the Nirukta of the Vedas.

perhaps, be intended to say, that Narah' or

of 'bodily forms', in which spirit

waters

,

is

Apah has

It

may,

the meaning

enshrined, and of which the

with Vishnu resting upon them

,

much mysticism in the Puranas in which Even in them, however, it is introduced

are a type

;

for there is

the passage thus occurs. in the usual

manner, by

describing the world as water alone, and Vishnu reposing upon the deep:

^in

•iKi^^uin^:

Vayu P.* The Bhagavataf

^

fic^PT

irf^ cT^

ii

has, evidently, attempted to explain

the ancient text:

'When

embodied god,

the

mundane

in the beginning, divided the

egg, and issued forth, then, requiring an abiding-place, he created the waters

the pure created the pure.

:

In them,

liis

own

created,

he abode for a thousand years, and thence received the name of

Narayana: the waters being the product of i.

e.,

*

they were the product of

Nara

the

embodied

or Vishnu, as the

deity: 't

fii-st

male

The same passage occurs in the Linga-purdna, Prior Section, LXX., And compare the Mahdbhdrata, Vana-parvan, 15813 15.

116 and 117,

—

These verses, io an almost identical shape, are found in the purdna. See, further, the Linga-purdna, Prior Section, IV., 59.

Vdyu-

t

II.,

10,

Burnouf [de Brahma],

10 and 11.

"Purucha, ayant divise en deux parties I'oeuf sortit au commencement, reflechit a. se faire un lieu ou il put se mouvoir; et pur, il crea les eaux pures. II habita sur ces eaux creees par lui, pendant mille annees; de la vient qui'l revolt le nom de Narayana, parce que les eaux qui sent nees de Purucha [sont I

translates:

lorsqu'il

appelees Nara]."

en

BOOK the

figiure

I.,

CHAP.

59

IV.

of a boar. Having adopted a form composed

Vedas/

of the sacrifices of the

for the preservation of

the whole earth, the eternal,* supreme, and universal soul, the great

progenitor of created beings, eulogized

by Sanaka and the other of holy

men

saints

who

dwell in the sphere

(Janaloka); he, the supporter of spiritual

and material being, phniged into the ocean. The goddess Earth, beholding him thus descending to the subterrene regions, bowed in devout adoration, and thus glorified the god:

(Earth).— Hail to thee,

Pr«VAii;i

to thee, the holder of the

now from this place, as thou of old. From thee have I consist; as

who

mace and

do the skies and

art

ail

creatures;

shell: elevate

me

hast upraised

me

days

in

proceeded; of thee do all

I

other existing things.

Hail to thee, spirit of the supreme spirit; to thee, soul

or Yiraj, and were, therefore, teroied his

Ayana

or Sthana, his

'

Nara

abiding- place '

and, from their being

:

,

comes

his epithet of

Vayu

P., because

Narayana. '

is

The Varaha form was

chosen, says the

an animal delighting to sport

many Puranas,

as

the Vedas; as

we

it is

in the

in water. f

Vishnu

,

But

it is

as a type of the ritual of

have further occasion to remark.

shall

it

described, in

The

elevation of the earth from beneath the ocean, in this form, was, therefore, probably at extrication

of religion.

an allegorical representation of the ,

by the

rites

Geologists may, perhaps, suspect, in the original and

unraystified tradition,

existence of lacustrine earth.

*

first

of the world from a deluge of iniquity

Sthirdtman.

an

allusion to a geological fact,

mammalia

in

the

early

or the

periods of the

VISHNU PCFLANA.

60 of soul; to thee,

who

art

who

art discrete

and indiscrete matter;

one with the elements and wdth time.

art the creator of all things, their preserver,

destroyer, in the forms,

lord, of

Thou

and their

Brahma, Vishnu, and

and Rudra,

at the seasons of creation, duration,

dissolution.

When

thou hast devoured

all

things, thou

reposest on the ocean that sweeps over the world,*

meditated upon, Govinda, by the wise. No one knoweth thy true nature; and the gods adore thee only in the

are

forms

it

hath pleased thee to assume. They

who

desirous of final liberation worship thee as the

supreme Brahma; f and who that adores not Vasudeva emancipation? Whatever may be apprehended by the mind, whatever may be perceived by the senses, whatever may be discerned by the intellect, all is but a form of thee. I am of thee, upheld by thee; shall obtain

thou art

my

creator,

and

to thee I fly for refuge: hence,

Madhavj (the bride of Madhava or designation. Triumph to the essence

in this universe,

Vishnu) of

all

is

my

wisdom, to the unchangeable,* the imperishable:

triumph to the eternal; to the indiscrete, to the essence of discrete things: to him who is both cause and effect; who is the universe; the sinless lord of sacrifice ;Hriumph. Thou art sacrifice; thou art the oblation ;§ thou art the ^

Yajuapati (^liijMfH), 'the bestower of the beneficial results

of sacrifices.' *

Literally, in place of "thou reposest", &c., "the •world having been

couTerted into one ocean, thou reposest": ^^J(^c() 1(^416(7) desirous of final

^^

cef^cf

|

supreme Brahma, they who were liberation have compassed it"

f Read: '"Worshipping

thee,

the

:

*

Sttilamaya, "the gross", "the concrete."

§

Rather, "the formula vashat", vofhafkdra,

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

mystic Omkara; thou art the the Vedas, and

the object of

theii' all

whole world;

has form;

that

have

The sun,

worship.^

all

is visible,

thou art

sacrificial fires;

dependent sciences; thou

planets, the all

61

IV.

that

is

art,

formless, ot that

or invisible;

Purushot-

all,

said, or left unsaid; all this,

Supreme,

tama, that

1

thou

Hail to thee, again and again! hail!

art.

Parasara.

Hari,

the stars, the

— The auspicious supporter

all hail!

of the world,

hymned by the earth, emitted a low murmuring sound, like the chanting of the Sama Veda; and the mighty boar, whose eyes were like the* lotos, and whose body, vast as the Nila mountain, was of the dark colour of the lotos -leaves,^ uplifted upon his

being thus

ample tusks the earth from the lowest regions. As he reared up his head, the waters shed from his brow purified the great f sages, Sanandana and others, residing

in the

tations

sphere of the saints.

made by

Through the inden-

his hoofs, the waters rushed into the

^ Yajnapurusba ( ^t|*j4^M ), 'ti^e male or soul of sacrifice'; explained by Yajnamiirti (^irsnif^)^ 'the form or personification of sacrifice'; or Yajnaradhya (zT^fHTW)? '^^ who is to be

propitiated by

it.'

The description ot the figure of the hoar much more particularly detailed in other Puraiias. As in the Vayu: "The boar was ten Yojanas in breadth, a thousand Yojanas high; of the colour of a dark cloud; and his roar was like thunder; his bulk was vast as a mountain; his tusks were white, sharp, and fearful fire flashed from his eyes like lightning, and he was '

Varaha Avatara.

is

;

radiant as the sun; his shoulders

were round,

fat,

and large; he

strode along like a powerful lion; his haunches were

•

Supply "full-blowu",

f Supply

sphut'a.

"sinless", apcJcalmasha.

fat,

his loins

VISHNU PURANA.

62

lower worlds with a lliundering noise. Before his breath the pious denizens of Janaloka were scattered; were slender, and

his

iVIatsya P. describes the

two unimportant

The body was smooth and beautiful." Yaraha in the same words, with one or

The Bhagavata f

varieties.

which

marks

describes the

Varaha

as

first

indulges

joins a legend of the death of the

and presently

That work also sub-

the stature of an elephant.

to

that

its

of the size of the thumb, or an inch long,

increasing

in

more recent composition, and issuing from the nostrils of Brahma, at

amplification

demon Hirariyaksha, I who

,

iu

was one of Vishnu's doorkeepers, at his Vaikuntha. Having refused admission to a party of

a preceding existence, palace

in

in consequence,

Munis, they cursed him; and he was, one of the sons of

When

Diti.

of the mountains, sank

down

in the subterrene regions,

act of carrying

Vishnu

was

to

it off.

conflict

This legend

slain.

into the waters,

Vishnu was beheld

or Rasatala, by Hiranyaksha, in the

The demon claimed

combat; and a

born as

the earth, oppressed by the weight

took place,

the earth, and defied in

which Hiranyaksha

has not been, met with

in

any other

Puraria, and certainly does not occur in the chief of them, any

Moksha Dharma

more than

in

rata,

Vishnu destroys the demons,

c.

35,

our

text.

In the

but no particular individual

is

in the

specified;

18

et seq.

f

III.,

13,

I

III.,

18 and 19.

Mahabha-

nor does the elevation

of the earth depend upon their discomfiture.

purana has an absurd legend of a

of the

form of the Varaha;

conflict

The Kalika Upabetween Siva as

a

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

63

IV.

and the Munis sought for shelter amongst the bristles upon the scriptural body of the boar, treinbUng as he rose

supporting the earth,

up,

Then

moisture. rest,

and dripping with

the great sages, Sanandana and the

residing continually in the sphere of saints, were

inspired with delight; and, bowing lowly, they praised the stern-eyed upholder of the earth.*

27ieKo^?>^5.— Triumph, lord oflordssupreme;Kesava, sovereign of the earth, the wielder of the mace, the shell, the discus, and the sword: cause of production, destruction, and existence. Thou art, god: there is no other supreme condition but thou. Thou, lord, art

the person of sacrifice: for thy feet are theVedas; thy tusks are the stake to which the victim is bound; in

thy teeth are the offerings; thy mouth

tongue

is

the altar; thy

and the hairs of thy body are the sacrificial grass. Thine eyes, omnipotent, are day and night; thy head is the seat of all, the place of Brahma; thy mane is all the hymns of the Vedas; thy the

is

fire;

nostrils are all oblations:

thou, whose snout is the whose deep voice is the chanting of the Sama Veda; whose body is the hall of sacrifice; whose joints are the different ceremonies; and whose ears have the properties of both voluntary and obligaladle of oblation;

tory rites

:

^

do thou, who

art eternal,

who

art in size a

Sarabha, a fabulous animal, and Vishnu as the Varaha, in which the latter suffers himself and his offspring begotten upon earth to l)e

slain. '

This , which

is

nothing more than the development of the

notion that the Varaha incarnation typifies the ritual of the Vedas,

Hereabouts the translation

is

not very

literal.

64

VISHNU PUHANA.

We acknowledge thee, who O universal form, to be the

mountain,* be propitious. hast traversed the world,

beginning, the continuance, and the destruction of

all

supreme god. Have pity on us, lord of conscious and unconscious beings. The orb of the earth is seen seated on the tip of thy tusks, as if thou hadst been sporting amidst a lake where the lotos floats, and hadst borne away the leaves covered

things: thou art the

with

soil.

The space between heaven and

occupied by thy body, i-esplendent with the

O

earth

is

thou of unequalled glory,

power of pervading the universe, all. Thou art the aim of all

lord , for the benefit of

there

is

none other than

thee, sovereign of the world:

thy might, by which

this is

are pervaded.

all

things, fixed or movable,

This form, which

is

now

beheld,

form, as one essentially with wisdom. Those

is

thy

who have

not practised devotion conceive erroneously of the

who do

nature of the world.

The

that this universe

of the nature of wisdom, and judge

of

it

is

ignorant^

notperceive

as an object of perception only, are lost in the

ocean of spiritual ignorance. But they

who know true

wisdom, and whose minds are pure, behold this whole world as one with divine knowledge, as one with thee, god. Be favourable, universal spirit: raise up this earth, for the habitation of created beings. Inscrutable

deity,

whose eyes are like lotoses, give us felicity. endowed with the quality of goodness:

lord, thou art

repeated in most of the Furauas, in the same or nearly the

is

same words.

— "

—

The MSS. within

in sizo a

mountain".

,

..-,.,,...

my

.

—

.

.

...

reach omit the words answering to

...

"who

—

-^

art

BOOK Govinda, Grant us happiness,

raise up,

in creation,

I.,

CHAP.

65

IV.

this earth, for the general good.

lotos-eyed. May this, thy activity be beneficial to the earth. Salutation to

Grant us happiness, lotos-eyed. Parasara. The supreme being thus eulogized, upholding the earth, raised it quickly, and placed it on the summit of the ocean, where it floats like a mighty vessel, and, from its expansive surface, does not sink thee.

—

beneath the waters.* Then, having levelled the earth, the great eternal deity divided

mountains.

He who

it

by

into portions,

never wills in vain created, by his

irresistible

power, those mountains again upon the earth, which had been consumed at the destruction of the world. Having then divided the earth into seven great portions or continents, as

it was before, he constructed, manner, the four (lower) spheres, earth, sky, heaven, and the sphere of the sages (Maharloka). Thus

in like

Hari, the four-faced god, invested with the quality of activity,

and taking the form of Brahma, accomplished

the creation. But he (Brahma)

is

only the instrumental

cause of things to be created; the things that are capable of being created arise from nature as a

common material

With exception of one instrumental cause alone, there is no need of any other cause; for (imperceptible) substance becomes perceptible substance according to the powers with which it is originally imbued. *f cause.

'

•

This seems equivalent to the ancient notion of a plastic

A

large portion of the present chapter,

translated

anew

down

to this point, has

in Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., pp. 32

and

been

33.

66

VISHNU PURANA.

nature; "all parts of matter being supposed able to form themselves artificially

and methodically ***

the greatest advan-

to

This, which Cud-

tage of their present respective capabilities."

worth

(c. III.) calls

own hand **

not incompatible with an active

Brahma and the

occasion

&e(Ti,

set his

,

as Aristotle says,

would

unbecoming God; but, as

in the

work," which,

to every

aTtQsneg •* Tip

case of

is

"not ** that he should avTOVQyelv anavva

creator:

be,

hylozoism,

other subordinate agents , that they should

developments

various

nature

crude

of

place, by supplying that will, of which nature itself

is

Action being once instituted by an instrumental medium the will of an intellectual agent, vitality

Aristotle ,

of such

;

and the opinion of Zeno,

The

itself.

was advocated by

subordinate causes

and others

or by

,

continued by powers, or a

it is

inherent in nature or the matter of creation

efficiency

take

to

incapable.

Plato,

as stated

by

Laertius, might be taken for a translation of some such passage

avi^g xivoi>^iivrj xata anEQ/^iaxixovg loyovg, dioTslovacc re xal avvixovoa loQio/iihoig XQOvoig, xal xoiavra dQioaa acp' za E§ avTTJg oiiov a7iEx{)i^Ti. Nature is a habit moved fi'om itself, according as that in our text: ""fiari ds tpvoig €^tg s§

h

to ** seminal principles; perfecting and containing those several

things which in determinate times are produced from

agreeably to that from which I.,

328.

So the commentator

was

it

illustrates

that the cause of the budding of rice

development

is

from

itself,

secreted."

though

is its

it,

and acting System,

Intell.

our text, by observing in its

own

seed , and

These rather obscure verses lend themselves, without yiolence, such interpretation as the following:

"He

its

growth takes place only

is

to

some

only the ideal cause of

'potencies to be created in the -work of creation; and from him proceed the potencies to be created, after they have become the real

the

cause. Save that one ideal cause, there is no other to which the world can be referred. Worthiest of ascetics, through its potency i. c,

through the potency of that cause

—every created thing

comes by

ita

proper

nature."

In the Vedanta and Nyaya, nimitta with updddna, the material cause.

is

the efficient cause, as contrasted

In the Sankhya, pradhdna implies

BOOK at

a determinate season,

agency of the

in

CHAP.

IV.

67

consequence of the instrumental

rain.

the functions of both.

passage before us, that cause he calls nmitta. to choose

I.J

The author,

it appears, means to express, in the a cause superior to i>i'adhdna This It was necessary, therefore, ia the translaHon,

Brahma

is

terms neither Vedanta uor Sankhya. cause" may, perhaps, answer the purpose.

"Ideal cause" aud "real

CHAPTER

V.

Vishnu as Brahma creates the world. General characteristics of creation. Brahma meditates, and gives origin to, immovable things, animals, gods, men.

Specific creation of nine kinds: objects, animals, gods,

Mahat, Tanmatra, Aindriya, inanimate

More

men, Anugraha, and Kaumara. creation.

body under mouths.

particular account of

Origin of different orders of beings from Brahma's different conditions;

and of the Vedas from

his

All things created again as they existed in a former

Kalpa.

Maitreya.

—Now unfold

deity created the gods,

men, animals,

trees,

and the

in heaven, or in the waters;

made

to

me,

Bralitnan,

how

this

sages, progenitors, demons, rest, that abide

how Brahma,

on

eai-th,

at creation,

the world, with the qualities, the characteristics,

and the forms of things. ^

Parasaea. attentively,

—

I will explain to

how

you, Maitreya:

listen

this deity, the lord of all, created the

gods and other beings. The terms here employed are for qualities, Gunas; which, we have already noticed, are those of goodness, foulness, and The characteristics or Swabhavaa are the inhereot darkness.* ^

as

properties of the qualities, by which they act, as sootbiag,

terrific,

or stupefying; and the forms, Swarupas, are the distinctions of biped, quadruped, brute, bird, fish, and the like.

•

Seo Professor Wilson's note in

coiuiuont.

p.

34,

awpm, aad

the

appeudod

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

69

V.

Whilst he (Brahmd) formerly, in the beginning of the Kalpas,*

was meditating on

creation, there

appeared

a creation beginning with ignorance, and consisting of darkness.

From

that great being appeared fivefold

Ignorance, consisting of obscurity, illusion, extreme illusion,

gloom, utter darkness.^ The creation of the

was the

creator thus plunged in abstraction

(immovable) world, without intellect or

fivefold

reflection,

void

of perception or sensation, incapable of feeling, and

Or Tamas (imW^)

'

,

Moha (^?^)

,

Mahamoha (??fT^^),

they are the Tamisra (?rrf^r^), Andbatamisra (^ ^dl f*<<^) five kinds of obstruction, Viparyaya (f^pT^J^), of soul's liberation According to the Sankhya, they are explained to be: 1. The be;

lief

of material substance being the sarae with spirit;

2.

Notion

of property or possession, and consequent attachnaent to objects, as children and the like, as being one's

enjoyments of sense ;

4.

They

ration or death.

own;

Impatience or wrath

;

3.

Addiction to the

and

5.

Fear of

pri-

are called, in the Patanjala philosophy,

the five afflictions, Klesa (Ifflf), but are similarly explained

Avidya ("'Iff^T), 'ignorance'; Asmita (>«jn^rTT),

by

'selfishness',

Raga (XPf)? 'love'; Dwesha (1^), 'hatred'; and Abhinivesa (^rfiff'T^lj), 'dread of temporal sufifering'. Sankhya Karika, pp. 148-150. This creation by Brahma in the Varaba literally 'J-amness';

Kalpa begins

in the

five products,

same way, and

The Bhagavataf

of ihe Pardrias.

in the

same words,

reverses

in

most

the order of these

and gives them, Andbatamisra, Tamisra, Mahamoha,

Moha, and Tamas

;

a variation obviously more immethodical than

the usual reading of the text, and adopted, no doubt,

t

merely for

the sake of giving the passage an air of originality.

•

Compare Original Sanskrit

f

III.,

12, 2.

Texts, Part

In the same Purana,

I.,

III.,

andhatdmisra, tamas, moha, and makdtamm. 1

?

p. 20.

20, 18,

we have idmisra

VISHNU PURANA.

70

Since immovable things were

destitute of motion.^*

created, this

iirst

is

Brahma,

called the first creation, f

* This is not to be confounded with elementary creation, although the description would very well apply to that of crude nature or Pradhanaj but, as will be seen presently, we have here

to

do with

productions, or the forms in which the previously

final

created elements and faculties are

The

gated.

things

;

that

more or

of these forms

first class

is

the mineral and vegetable

is,

earth, with its mountains,

and

pared for their reception.

rivers,

The

less perfectly aggre-

here said to be immovable

and

'fivefold'

kingdoms seas,

:

for the solid

was abready pre-

immovable creation

is,

indeed, according to the comment, restricted to vegetables, five orders of which are enumerated, or: ing plants;

4.

creepers; and

1.

trees; 2. shrubs; 3. climb-

grasses.

5.

—

without a fivefold creation—-ri^^., of //u"«^« devoid of clearness in all matters external and internal, dull

"Of him mciitating was reflection,

of nature, essentially immovable."

Another reading of the second

line gives

^f^i,«
''^I

tTf^^-qfrii;^ being taken in connexion with <4f^<^, the meaning is, then: "devoid of reflection on external objects, endowed with inward mani-

This is according to the commentary, which interprets the "inward manifestations" as being cognitions chiefly of a sensual kind. festations."

The word "^f^,

"Inasmuch

as used in the stanza quoted, is very unusual.

as things

immovable are designated

as primary, this is dis-

tinguished as the primary creation."

The commentator refers to a sacred text for the explanation that immovable things are technically styled "primary", mukhya, on the ground that they were produced at the beginning of the creation of the gods

^%

and others:

See the :

la

^Trf^^l^^h^ WHT^m^^'^n:

"^TfiT

f'l'l^^f*!

editor's first note in p. 75, infra,

the

^T?l^ Tf^

words of the commentary: I

J^^it

the

grammar here

«|^4|^Hdl4H<^^^l^^* looks very doubtful.

BOOK beholding that

it

was

I.,

CHAP.

71

V,

defective,* designed another; and,

was niani^ which the term Tiryaksrotas is appHed, from their nutriment following a winding course.^! These were called beasts, &c.: and their

whilst he thus meditated, the animal creation fested, to the products of

characteristic

was the

quality of darkness; they being

destitute of knowledge, uncontrolled in their conduct, t

and mistaking error for wisdom; being formed of egotism and self-esteem, § labouring under the twentyeight kinds of imperfection,^ manifesting inward senTiryak (f?r^), 'crooked', and Srotas (^^iTtd^), 'a canal'. Twenty-eight kinds of Badhas (^\j) which, in the Sankhya

'

2

,

system,

mean

ness, &c.; S.

like.

disabilities, as defects of the senses, blindness, deaf-

and defects of

Karika, pp.

more usual reading, deya Puranas,

is

intellect,

148, 151.

discontent, ignorance, and the

In place of Badha, however, the

as in the Bhagavata,

Vidha (fTVj),

'kind',

Varaha, and Markari-

'sort',

||

as ^?(^Tf^nrf^-

VT3r
have

five

have double, or cloven, hoofs; and thirteen

claws, or nails, instead of hoofs.

The

first

are the

Because, according to the commentator, the universe "did not as which is the purpose of man", namely, sacrificial acts and the knowledge of Brahma. The purport is, that human beings were not yet created: for only they can comply with the ceremonial require*

yet possess that

ments of the Mimamsa, and pursue the study of the Vedanta. The words of the commentator are: W ^gT^W^N^rTtRi J^fTT^fN ^IT I

See, further,

my

third note in p. 73, infra.

position", agreet "Since the channel for their food is in a horizontal ably to the commentator, who refers to authority for this explanation. *

"Taking the wrong way"., utpathagrdhin.

§

"if

^ g dl it^^Mi: ^

I

Compare the remarks under -^fii^^H

Goldstucker's Sanskrit Dictionary. \\

^

But

see Panini, IV., 2, 54.

Mdrkandejja-purdna, XLYII., 20.

in

VISHNU PURANA.

72 sations,

and associating with each other (according to

their kinds).*

Beholding

this creation also imperfect,

Brahmd again

meditated; and a third creation appeared, abounding

with the quality of goodness, termed Urdhwasrotas.^

The beings thus produced in the Urdhwasrotas creation were endowed with pleasure and enjoyment, unencumbered internally or externally, and luminous within and without. f

This, termed the creation of immortals,

horse, the mule, the ass, the yak, the Sarabha, and the Gaura

The second

or white deer.

are the cow, the goat, the buffalo,

the hog, the gayal, the black deer, the antelope, the camel, and the sheep.

The

last are the

dog, jackal, wolf, tiger, cat, hare,

porcupine, lion, monkey, elephant, tortoise, lizard, and alligator. § ' Urdhwa (^fl4)» 'above', and Srotas, as before; their nourish-

ment being derived from the exterior, not from the

interior,

the body; according to the commentator: ''3n4^TTf^

^^T8[f|f^

of

as a text of the Vedas has it: ^trr ^)iJ(
"Endowed with inward kind and nature"

manifestations, and mutually in ignorance about

their

"Those beings in which was a preponderance of happy and pleasurable and that were unduU externally and internally, and possessed outward and inward manifestations, were called tjrdhwasrotas."

feelings,

* Deva-sarga. §

"Black deer"

is

"antelope", rurw,

"lizard", godhd; and

4rdktcasrotas , because

they obtain their food

krishna;

"alligator", makara. II

The gods

are

called

extraneonsly to the body.

That

stands, to them, in place of eating

mere beholding

of ambrosia".

is

it:

to

say,

the bare sight

"for there

So says

— not

is

of aliment

satisfaction

from the

a Vaidik text, but

— the

BOOK

r.,

CHAP.

73

V.

was the third performance of Brahma, who, although well pleased with

still

it^

found

it

incompetent to

fulfil

his end.* Continuing, therefore, his meditations, there

sprang J in consequence of his

infallible

purpose, f the

creation termed Arvdksrotas, from indiscrete nature.

The products of this are termed Arvaksrotas,^ from the downward current (of their nutriment). They abound with the light of knowledge; but the qualities of darkness and of foulness predominate. Hence they are afflicted by evil, and are repeatedly impelled to action. They have knowledge both externally and internally, and are the instruments (of accomplishing the object of creation, the liberation of soul), t These creawere mankind. § have thus explained to you, excellent Muni,

tures I

'

Arvak (^g^T^), 'downwards', and Srotas

'

This reckoning

'OT ^Wf'ff

Ur

is:

I

(^ifYin^), 'canal'.

I

not very easily reconciled with the crea-

^

the Veda, which he adds, in support

Tho quotation from

commentator. of his ^iew,

is

six'

f%

"The gods do

"V^f^ W[f^

1Wf^

I

llfl^«ll^fl

Having

not, indeed, either eat or drink.

looked upon this ambrosia, they are satisfied." •

The

translation is here

t Satydbhidhdyin,

—

h(iTe

somewhat compressed. an epithet of Brahma,

The commentator explains it by satya-sankalpa. \ The words in brackets are supplied by the

— "true

to his will".

The com-

translator.

mentator says: ^TT^iWrT:
and

to explore the nature of spirit.

See the

editor's first note in p. 71,

supra. § For another rendering, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Parti.,

and II

pp.20

21.

Men

are called

of their food going

arvdksrotas,

downwards.

'to: nffli'^^iifR^ the right word

is

because they are developed by means

So says the commentator: «(^|^^|-*

's^f^ vf^r% wrM«*^^i wrm:

avdksrctas.

i

Possiwy

VISHNU PURANA.

74

The

creations.

which

tellect,

creation

fii'st

The second was

was

that of

Mahat or

also called the creation of

is

In-

Brahma.*

that of the rudimental principles (Tan-

matras), thence termed the elemental creation (Bhiitar

The third was the modified form of egotism,* termed the organic creation, or creation of the senses sarga).

(Aindriyaka). These three were the Prakfita creations, the developments of indiscrete nature, preceded indiscrete principle.

tions described

;

^

The

presently enumerated, the stages of creation

for, as

The commentator, however,

are seven.

by the

fourth or fundamental crea-

srotas creation, or that of the

considers the XJrdhwa-

superhuman beings,

to be the

same

with that of the Indriyas or senses, over which they preside; by

which the number

is reduced to six. f This creation being the work of the supreme

'

W

U<*II
mentator: or

was then

it

,

1(1^

to

mean, that Brahma

seen, identified with Mahat,

or the operating will of the Supreme.

See

p. 33, supra.

The

^

'

we have

spirit,

according to the com-

it

might have been understood

created, being, as

'active intelh'gence

note in

f^%«T T;m^'^

text is: ;g^:

fp^

^R^4<4it

I

which

is, as

rendered

in the text, 'creation preceded by, or beginning with, Buddhi, in-

•

"Modified form of egotism" here translates vaikdrika; and this

synonymous with

sdttwika, the adjective of sattwa.

comment

note in p. 34, and the editor's

is

See Professor Wilson's

in p. 35, supra.

Mention has been made, in the second chapter, of three creations, denominated mahattattwa, bhuta, and indriya; and we have just read of and arvdksrotas. The infour, the mukhya, tiryaksrotas urdhwasrotas J-

,

,

commentator. He when, he says, the urdhwasrotas is not comprised in the indriya; and the order of the creations is as follows: mahattattwa, bhuta, indriya, mukhya, tiryaksrotas,

dr'vya

comprehends the urdhwasrotas, according

to the

speaks of a reading "seven", instead of "sis";

urdhwasrotas, and arvdksrotas. +

Most of

my

copies

of the

commentary have:

IJ^ ^HPT M^^lfHI

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

75

V.

(of perceptible things) was that of inanimate

tion

The

bodies.*

the Tairyagyonya creation, was

fifth,

that of animals.

The

sixth

was the Urdhwasrotas

or that of the divinities.

tion,

The

crea-

creation of the

Ai'v^ksrotas beings was the seventh, and was that of

man. There

is

an eighth creation, termed Anugraha,

which possesses both the The

telligence.'

qualities of

goodness and

euphony would, however, admit of a

rules of

mute negative being inserted, or ^^^^'S^f^M^^^ 'preceded by ignorance ; that is, by the chief principle, crude nature or I

'

Pradhana, which

on notions of a

is

one with ignorance: but

and more

later date

this

generally prevailing in our authority ; and the

been preferred.

fore, has

It is also to

unintellectnal creation

was

gupra)^ the original of

which

and

all

that of

first

reading, there-

be observed, that the

immovable

first

objects (as in p. 69,

is

ambiguity of construction

established

seems to depend

partial adoption than those

is

avoided.

The

reading

is

also

by the text of the Linga Parana, which enumerates

the different series of creation in the words of the Vishnu, except in this passage,

which

is

there transposed, with a slight variation

Instead of

of the reading.

It 18

'The

first

was that of Mahat; Intellect being the first in The reading of the Yayu P. is still more tauto-

creation

manifestation.' logical,

but confirms that here preferred:

See also note

"And

2 in the next page.

the fourth creation

are emphatically

See the

known

editor's

is

here the primary; /or

as primary."

second note

in p. 70, supra,

t Lingor-purdna, Prior Section, LXX,, 162j

thitigs

immovable

76

VISHNU PURANA.

Of

darkness.^

these creations five are secondary and

three are primary.^ But there

'

The Anugraha

in the

is

a ninth, the

creation of which no notice has been found Mahabharata, seems to have been boiTOwed from the San-

khya philosophy.

,

It is

more

f^^rSwHT^in fifth is

the

Anugraha

Padma,

particularly described in the

Markandeya, * Linga, f and Matsya Puranas

'The

Kaumara

;

as

^ flrmi gwr 1!^ '^Tiit creation,

which

is

subdivided into four

kinds; by obstruction, disability, perfectness, and acquiescence.'

This

is

the Pratyayasarga or intellectual creation of the

Karika,

(S.

v. 46, p. 146)

or to which

we

;

the creation of which

In

specific subdivisions,

its

notion,

give assent (Anugraha), in contradistinction to

organic creation, or that existence of which ception.

Sankbyas

we have a

it

is

we have

sensible per-

the notion of certain

inseparable properties in the four different orders of beings

;

ob-

struction or stolidity in inanimate things ; inability or imperfection

animals; perfectibility in man; and acquiescence or tranquil

in

enjoyment

in gods.

So

also the Vayii P.:

fWTWT^ iT^f^T^ ^f^i^f its

inwji:

OrVaikfita, derived mediately from the

'

Vikritis, 'productions' or 'developments';

first

11

through

principle,

and Prdkrita, derived

more immediately from the chief principle itself. Mahat and the two forms of Ahamkara, or the yudimental elements and the senses, constitute the latter class; inanimate beings, &c.

compose

the former: or the latter are considered as the

whilst the three

*

XL VII,,

28;

first

where, however, the second half of the stanza

t

Prior Section,

t

The

LXX.,

— as

is

read:

157.

Vdyii-purd/ia, to the

for "fifth"

Then

are

work of Brahma^ evolved from Pradhana. So the Vayu:

same effect— only

that

it

substitutes "eighth"

the verses given above, is cited by the commentator.

follows the stanza with vhich the note concludes;^

BOOK creation,

which

is

I.J

CHAP.

77

V.

both primaiy and secondary. ^ These

are the nine creations of the great progenitor of

'Tke three creations beginning with

all,

are elemental;

Intelligence

but the six creations which proceed from the series of which Intellect is the first are the

We

'

elucidation of this term.

of

work

of Brahma.'

must have recourse, here

Rudra or

Nilalohita, a

also, to other Puraiias, for the

The Kaumara

creation

is

the creation

form of Siva, by Brahma, which

is

sub-

sequently described in our text, and of certain other mind-born

sons of Brahma, of whose birth the Vishnu P. gives no further

They

account.

are elsewhere termed Sanatkumara, Sananda, Sa-

naka, and Sanatana, with sometimes a

fifth,

Ribhu, added.

n&me of

declining to create progeny, remained, as the

implies, ever boys,

whence

Kumaras;

that is, ever pure

their creation is called the

Kaumara.

the

i

the Linga has:

fl<m«^ ^n^i^'f^ WTJrr^ if^Stf^: ii* 'Being ever as he was born, he is here called a youth his

Vayu:

II

^wcf^m:^ ^ ^ % wtl ^ ir^ And

first

and innocent;

Thus

W^^ ^^SR^ f^flTO ^ ^^?r^

These, the

name

is

well

known

as Sanatkumara.'

Sanatkumara and Ribhu the two

fwr?^ 5TT %^:

first

born of

^
;

and hence

This authority makes all

^g^

iit

whilst the text of the Hari Varhsa limits the primogeniture to

Sanatkumara In another place, however,

•

Prior Section,

LXX.,

it

enumerates, apparently, six, or the

174.

t Prior Section, L5X., 170 and 171.

78

VISHNU PURANA.

and, both as primary and secondary, are the radical causes of the world, proceeding from the sovereign

What

creator.

thou desire to hear?

else dost

above four, with Sana, and either Ribhu or another Sanatana: for the passage

is

corrupt.

The French

translation* ascribes a

share in creation to Sanatkumara: 'Les sept Pradjapatis, Roudra,

Scanda (sou

fils),

et

Sanatcoumara se mirent a produire

repandant partout I'inepuisable energie du Dieu.'

Sankshipya

is

The

les etres,

original is

not 'repandant', but 'restraining'; and Tishthatab,

being in the dual number, relates, of course, to only two of the series.

The

coiTect rendering

is:

'These seven (Prajapatis) created

progeny; and so did Rudra: but Skauda and Sanatkumara, restraining their power,

^fsirr^

mentator:

These sages, however, created

by him

abstained (from creation).'

^f^ live as

So

the

com-

f%iT f f^3Tcf#i?n%^ 1mw>

i

long as Brahma; and they are only

In the first Kalpa,

although their generation

is

very commonly, but inconsistently, introduced in the Varaha or

Padma

This creation,

Kalpa.

says the text,

(Prakfita) and secondary (Vaikrita).

is

both primary

It is the latter,

according

to the commentator, as regards the origin of these saints

Brahma:

it is

ing from

Brahma,

in a certain

immediate production of the birth of

from

the former, as affects Rudra, who, though proceed-

Rudra and

the saints,

the Saivas, and to have been

shnava system.

form was in essence equally an

iirst

principle.

seem

to

These notions, the

have been borrowed from

awkwardly engrafted upon

Sanatkumara and

his brethren* are

the Vai-

always de-

scribed, in the Saiva Puranas, as Yogins: as the Kurnia, after

enumerating them, adds:

•

Vol.

I.,

p, 6.

t Stanza 44. ^

On

the subject of these personages,

see

passtm. and the Sdnkhyasdrn, Preface, pp. 13

Origmal Sanskrit Texts, et scg.,

foot-note.

BOOK Maitreya.

I.J

79

CHAP. V.

—Thou hast briefly related to me, Muni,

the creation of the gods and other beings. sirous, chief of sages, to

I

am

de-

hear from thee a more ample

account of their creation.

Paras AR A.

— Created beings,

although they are de-

stroyed (in their individual forms) at the periods of dissolution, yet, being affected

by the good or

evil acts

of former existence, they are never exempted from

when Brahma

creates the

world anew, they are the progeny of his

will, in the

and,

their consequences;

fourfold condition of gods, men, animals, or inanimate things.

Brahma

then, being desirous of creating the

four orders of beings, termed gods, demons, progeniIII

I

'These

five,

O

-

Brahmang, were Yogins, who acquired

entire

exemption from passion:' and the Hari Vamsa, although rather

Vaishnava than Saiva, observes, that the Yogins celebrate these

Yoga works:

six,

along with Kapila, in

The

idea seems to have been amplified also in the Saiva works;

^m^ for the


Linga P. describes the repeated

deva, as a

Kumara,

or boy, from

again becomes four. lohita is the

all

h*

birth of Siva, or

Brahma,

in each

in the twenty-ninth

Vama-

Kalpa, who

Kalpa, Sweta-

Kumara; and he becomes Sananda, Nandana, Viswa-

nanda, Upanandana; the

Thus,

flfarRTEr:

Kumara becomes

all

of a white complexion: in the thirtieth,

Virajas, Vivahu, Visoka, Viswabhavana;

of a red colour: in the thirty-first, he becomes four youths of

a yellow colour; and, in the thirty-second, the four Kumaras were black.

All these are, no doubt, comparatively recent additions to

the original notion of the birth of

Rudra and

the

Kumaras;

itself

obviously a sectarial innovation upon the primitive doctrine of the birth of the Prajapatis or will-born sons of Brahma.

*

Stanza 12439.

VISHNU purXna.

80

and men, collected

tors,

his

mind

into itself.^

Whilst

thus concentrated, the quality of darkness pervaded

body; and thence the demons (the Asuras) were born, issuing from his thigh. Brahma then abandoned that form which was composed of the rudiment

his

first

of darkness, and which, being deserted by him, became Continuing to create, but assuming a different

night.

shape, he experienced pleasure; and thence from his mouth proceeded the gods, endowed with the quality

of goodness. The form abandoned by him became day, in which the good quality predominates; and hence by

day the gods are most powerful and by night the deHe next adopted another person, in which the rudiment of goodness also prevailed; and, thinking of ,

mons.

himself as the father of the world, the progenitors (the These

'

reiterated,

and not always very congruous, accounts

of the creation are explained, by the Puranas, as referring to different Kalpas or renovations of the v^rorld, and therefore involving

no incompatibility.

A

better reason for their appearance is, the

The account

authorities.

the

Yogi Saivas, by

with which

Ambhamsi,

is

mind

lit.,

into itself,

evidently modified by

Jf^

WWT^

I

according to the

Yoga (Yuyuje). The term

'waters', for the four orders of beings, gods, dePitfis, is, also,

The commentator

of gods, &c.:

is

general mysticism, and by the expressions

the performance of the

mons, men, and term.

that follows

begins:

it

'Collecting his

comment,

its

different original

borrowed from

probability that they have been

says

it

& peculiar, and, probably, mystic, occurs in the Vedas, as a

Tprrf«T ^^rFTt^WTf^

I

^

synonym

^frjTsn: f^nrfr

-JfTt

The Vayu PurAna derives it from »n "to shine' j beXfi\ cause the different orders of beings shine, or flourish, severally,

^:.

by moonlight,

night, day, and twiUght;

?rrf^ir^rnT^«Wt€l&c

BOOK

I.,

81

CHAP. V.

were born from his side.* The body, when he it, became the Sandhya (or evening twilight), the interval between day and night. Brahmd then assumed another person, pervaded by the quality of foulness; and from this, men, in whom foulness (or passion) predominates, were produced. Quickly abandoning that body, it became morning twilight, or the dawn. At the appearance of this light of day, men feel most vigour; while the progenitors are most powerful in the evening season. In this manner, Maitreya, Jyotsna (dawn), Ratri (night), Ahan (day), and Sandhya (evening), are the four bodies of Brahma invested by Pitris)

abandoned

the three qualities. *

'

This account

is

given in several other Puranas : in the Kurma,

with more simplicity; in the Padma, Linga, and Vayu, with more

The Bhagavata,

detail.

as usual, amplifies

still

and mixes up much absurdity with the account. of Sandhya, 'evening twilight',

is

more copiously,

Thus, the person

thus described:

"She appeared

with eyes rolling with passion, whilst her lotos-like feet sounded with tinkling ornaments

together; her nose

was

:

was

her breasts were protuberant and close elegant;

her teeth, beautiful; her face

bright with smiles, and she modestly concealed

skirts

of her robe; whilst the dark curls

brow."f

•

a muslin vest depended from her waist,

:

secured by a golden zone

"Of

The Asuras

I.

with the

address her, and win her to become their

the ^rorld" and "from his side"

are adopted from the com-

mentary,

t Bhdgavata-purdna,

it

clustered round her

III.,

20, 29-31:

6

82

VISHNU PUR ANA. Next, from Brahma, in a form composed of the quali-

was produced hunger, of whom anger was born: and the god put forth, in darkness, beings emaciate with hunger, of hideous aspects, and with long beards. Those beings hastened to the deity. Such of them as exclaimed Oh preserve us! were, thence, ty of foulness,

called Rakshasas:^* others,

To

bride.

the

four forms

who

of our

cried out Let us eat,

the

text

same work adds:

Tandri, 'sloth'; Jfimbhana, 'yawning'; Nidra, 'sleep'; Unmada, 'insanity'

;

Antardhana, 'disappearance' ; Pratibimba, f 'reflexion'

Gan-

which become the property of Pisachas, Kimnaras,

Bhiitas,

dharvas, Vidyddharas, Sadhyas, Pitfis, and Manus.

The

notions

of night, day, twilight, and moonlight being derived from

Brahma

seem

to

have originated with the Vedas.

on the Bhagavata observes

^rP^f^fW

^t^f

darkness: this

is

•

I

:

Thus, the commentator

"?n^ cIj
^

'That which was his body, and was

the Sruti,'

cTTf'T-

left,

was

All the authorities place night before

day, and the Asuras or Titans, before the gods, in the order of

appearance; as did Hesiod and other ancient theogonists. '

From Raksh (T^),

"Those among them that

'to preserve.'

called out 'Not so:

oh! let

him be saved 1'

were named Rakshasas." It is related,

in the

Bhdgavata-purMa,

III.,

20, 19-21, that

transformed himself into night, invested with a body.

Brahma

This the Yakshas

and Rakshasas seized upon, exclaiming "Do not spare it; devour Brahma cried out "Don't devour me; spare me." The original of Brahma's petition is: '??T "RT ^T^cT "^^r!

it."

I

For yaksha, as implied in jakshata, see the

editor's

fourth note in

the next page.

t The Bhagavata-purana has the strange term pratydtmya. occurs in Sridhara Swamin's elucidation of Jrimbha/ia, just above, jfimbhikd.

Pratibimba

it.

has been substituted for Professor Wilson's

BOOK

I.,

83

CHAP. V.

were denominated, from that expression, Yakshas.* Beholding them so disgustmg, the hairs of Brahma* first falling from his head, were again renewed upon it. From their falling, they became serpents, called Sarpa, from their creeping, and Ahi, because they had deserted the head.^ The

were shrivelled up, and,

creator of the world, being incensed, then created fierce

who were denominated

beings,

goblins, Bhiitas (ma-

The Gandharvas were next born, imbibing melody. Drinking of the goddess of speech, they were born, and thence their

lignant fiends), and eaters of flesh, f

appellation.

The

divine

Brahma, influenced by

energies, having created these beings,

own

his

will.

their material

made

others of

Birds he formed from his vital vigour;

sheep, from his breast; goats, from his mouth; kine,

from

his belly

and

sides;

and horses, elephants, Sara-

bhas, Gayals, deer, camels, mules, antelopes, t and other

^

'

From Yaksh (^),§ 'to From Srip (^^), serpo,

eat.'

'to creep',

Ha

and from

(]|T), 'to

abandon. '

•

Gam

dhayantah' (Jlj \ni«?TO' 'drinking speech.'

Vedhas, in the Sanskrit.

t These creatures were "fiends, aud carnivorous:"

frightful

from being monkey-coloured,

^% wfw^^ ^^% ftfinnflprr:

*

i

Nyanku.

§ Professor Wilson's "from that expression", in the text, answers to According to the commentator, this word means "from eating"

jakshandt.

for he takes jaksh, its base, to be a substitute for yaksh.

The sense of

yahh, in classical Sanskrit, is "to venerate". For the derivation of the words rdkshasa and yahha, see the Lingapurdna, Prior Section, LXX., 227 and 228.

6*

VISHNU PURANA.

84

animals, from his feet; whilst from the hairs of his

body sprang herbs, Brahma, having

roots,

and

fruits.

created, in the

commencement

of

theKalpa, various* plants, employed them in sacrifices, in the beghming of the Treta age. Animals were distinguished into two classes, domestic (village) and wild (forest). The first class contained the cow, the goat, the hog,t the sheep, the horse, the ass, the mule: the latter, all beasts of prey, t and many animals with cloven hoofs, the elephant, and the monkey.

were

the birds; the sixth,

The

fifth

order

aquatic animals; and the

seventh, reptiles and insects. ^ §

From

his eastern

mouth Brahma then created the

Gayatra metre, the Rig-veda, the collection of hymns termed Trivfit, the Rathantara portion of the Samaveda, and the Agnishtoma sacrifice: from his southern

mouth he created the Yajur-veda, the Traishtubha metre, the collection of hymns called Panchadasa, the Brihat Saman, and the portion of the Sama-veda termed Ukthya: from his western mouth he created ^

This and the preceding enumeration of the origin of vege-

tables

and animals occurs

same words.

in

several Purarias, precisely in the

The Linga adds a

specification of the

wild animals, which are said to be the buffalo,

monkey, Sarabha, wolf, and

*

lion.

Insert "sacrificial animals", paiu.

+ The MSS. consulted by

me

have

"man" human

observes, that, in the nara-medha, or

a

sacrificial

I

Aranya or

gayal, bear,

animal.

His words are:

sacrifice,

^^^ fl^JT^:

Swdpada.

§ "Reptiles

and insects", sarisHpa.

The commentator

purusha.

I

man

is

•11,+J^

accounted

Tf^ ^T^-

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

85

V.

the Sdma-veda, the Jagati metre, the collection of

hymns termed

Saptadasa, the portion of the

called Vairupa,

and the Atiratra

sacrifice

:

Saman

and from

his

northern mouth he created the Ekavinsa collection of

hymns, the Atharva-veda, the Aptoryaman rite, the Anushtiibh metre, and the Vairaja portion of the Samaveda.^*

'

This specification of the parts of the Vedas that proceed

from Brahma occurs, in the same words,

in the

Kurma, Padma, and Markandeya

The Bhagavata

some important

varieties:

Purarias.

"From

his eastern

Vayu, Liuga, offers

and other mouths

he created the Rich, Yajus, Saman, and Atharva Vedas; the Sastra (sij'^) or 'the unuttered incantation'; Ijya (^^tj tion'; Stuti (^t?T) and

f),

'obla-

Stoma (^Jf), 'prajers' and 'hymns';

and Prayaschitta (jTTilf^Tf), 'expiation', or sacred philosophy (Brahma): also the Vedas of medicine, arms, music, and me'

chanics; and the Itihasas and Puranas, also the portions of the

Vedas

which are a

fifth

Veda:

called Shodasin, Ukthya, Purishin,

Agnishtut, Aptoryaman, Atiratra, Vajapeya, Go8ava:f the four

• It

text,

is

that

on the authority of the commentator, as supplementing the Gayatra and Anushfubh are here said to be metres; that

Agnishfoma, Atiratra, and Aptoryaman are taken to denote parts of a of the Jyotishtoma; and that Vairdpa and Vairaja deno-

sacrifice, viz.,

minate sundry verses of the Sama-veda. that

Ukthya

is, here,

But the commentator

a stage of a sacrifice:

'^W^^'^HI-

also says

He moans

the Jyotishfoma,

Aptoryaman, both in the Vishnu-purdna and in the Bhagavata, a Pauranik alteration of the Vaidik Aptoryama. For Vairupa and Vairaja, see Benfey's Index to the Sama-veda: Indisclie

As

it is

to

to be regarded as

Studien, Vol.

III.,

p. 238.

Professor Wilson's "Giyatri", "Trishfubh'^

and "Uktha" have been

corrected to Gayatra, Traishfubha, and Ukthya.

See, regarding the passage thus annotated. Part

III.,

Original Sanskrit Texts,

pp. 6 and 7.

t These are not characterized, in the original, 33 "portions of the Yedas". They are sacrificial proceedings.

YISHNTJ PURANA.

86 In this manner,

ceeded from

creatures, great or small, pro-

all

The

Umbs.

his

great progenitor of the

parts of virtue, purity, liberality, piety, and truth; the orders of

and

life,

fessions

;

their

and

institutes

and the sciences of

and pro-

different religious rites

logic, ethics,

and

words and monosyllable proceeded from Ushriih, from the hairs of his body;

The mystic

polity.

the metre

his heart;

Gayatri,

from

his skin;

Trishtubh, from his flesh; Anushtubh, from his tendons; Jagati,

from

his

bones; Pankti, from

The consonants were

his life

his ;

marrow;

Bfihati,

the vowels, his

from his breath.

body

;

the sibilants,

This mysticism,

his senses; the semi-vowels, his vigour,"*

al-

though, perhaps, expanded and amplified by thePauraiiiks, appears to originate with the

Vedas; as

metre was of the tendons.

'

in the text '^^^^^l^*=ll*l.

The

different portions of the

specified in the text are yet, for the

Bhdgavata-purdna,

ir^'Twi

III.,

12, 37-41

most

'The

Vedas

part, uninvestigated.

and 44-47:

^ffTT^tft irpErf^Tf g^vTrwnci;

"Trg^ ^r^l^

TP^nt %^'n(3nT:

f^^ ^^

wm ^#ffT vi^T^ ^


I

i

I

f^^p^^Tf^tft ^^^[^RW^: Tmv^i ^(^irr: M%\rq«T ^Jfrft Tn^tft 5^H^ II

I

ii

BOOK

87

CHAP. V.

I.,

world, having formed the gods, demons, and Pitris,* created in the commencement of the Kalpa, the Ya,

kshas, Pisachas (goblins), Gandharvas,

of Apsarasas, the

nymphs

and the troops

of heaven, Naras (centaurs,

or beings with the limbs of horses and

human

bodies),

and Kimnaras (beings f with the heads of horses), Rakshasas, birds, beasts, deer, serpents, and all things

permanent or transitory, movable or immovable. This did the divine Brahma, the first creator and lord of all.

And

these things, being created, discharged the

same functions

as they

had

fulfilled in a

previous crea-

whether malignant or benign, gentle or

tion,:

good or

evil, true

are actuated

And

cruel,

or false; and, accordingly as they

by such propensities,

the creator § displayed

will

be their conduct.

infinite variety in

the

objects of sense, in the properties of living things, and in the

forms of bodies.

He determined, in the beginning,

names and forms by and functions of all creatures, and of the gods; and the names and appropriate offices of the Rishis, as they the authority of the Vedas, the

also are read in the Vedas.

!l

In like manner as the products of the seasons designate, in periodical revolution, the return of the

same season, so do the same circumstances indicate the recurrence of the same Yuga or age; and thus, in the beginning of each Kalpa, does create the world, possessmg the

*

repeatedly is

derived

Add "men", manushya.

t Literally, "men", manushya. * See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part L, § Supply Dhatfi, a name of Brahma. II

Brahma

power that

See Original Sanskrit Texts. Part

p. 21.

III.,

p. 4,

second foot-note.

88

VISHNU PURANA.

from the

will to create,

and assisted by the natural and be created.*

essential faculty of the object to

"As, in every season, multifarious tokens at the beginnings of the Yugas,

desire and of the is

to

power to

it is

create,

are, in turn,

beheld thereof, so,

with their products.

Possessed of the

and impelled by the potencies of what

be created, again and again does he, at the outset of a Kalpa, put

forth a similar creation."

The idstra:

writer I.,

30.

may

have had in mind a stanza of the Mdnava-dharma-

CHAPTER

VI.

Origin of the four castes: their primitive Different kinds of grain.

society.

men

of

:

Maitreya.

— Thou

Now

of

Duties

hast briefly noticed, ilhistrious

termed Arvaksrotas, or that of man-

me more fully how Brahma how he created the four different

explain to

accomplished castes;*

sacrifice.

regions assigned them after death.

sage, the creation

kind.

Progress

state.

EfQcacy of

what

it;

duties he assigned to the

Brahmans and

the rest. *

Parasara.

— Formerly, O best of Brahmans, when

Brahma was desirous of creating the world, there sprang, from his mouth, beings espe-

the truth-meditatingf

cially

from

endowed with the his breast,

others,

from

quality of goodness; others,

pervaded by the quality of foulness;

his thighs, in

whom foulness and darkness whom the quali-

prevailed; and others, from his feet, in

ty of darkness predominated.

These were,

in suc-

cession, beings of the several castes,—Brahmans, triyas, Vaisyas,

The

*

creation of

place , as

it

genitors.

But

and

is

and

Siidi-as;

Kshaproduced from the mouth,

mankind here described

is

rather out of

precedes the birth of the Prajapatis this

want of method

common

is

,

its

or their pro-

to the Puranaa,

evidence of their being compilations from various sources.

Add "and

with what qualities":

'

i|

gU|

[

^

|

t Satydbhidhdyin, "true to his will," The commentator here, for the second time, explains it by satya-sanJcalpa. See my second note in p. 73, supra.

I

•

VISHNU PURANA.

90

the breast, the thighs, and the feet, of Brahma.

he created for the performance of castes being the

fit

*

These

sacrifices; the four

instruments of their celebration.

*

who knowest the truth, the gods by the rain which they bestow, mankind are supported:^ and thus sacrifices, the source of happiness, are performed by pious men, attached to their duties, attentive to prescribed obhgations, and By

sacrifices,

thou

are nourished; and,

Men

walking in the paths of virtue. heavenly

whatever sphere they aspire

to

of their

human

by Brahma,

acquire (by them)

they go, after death,

fruition, or final felicity:

to, as

the consequence

The beings who were created four castes, were, at first, endowed

nature.

of these

with righteousness and perfect

faith;

they abode wher-

ever they pleased, unchecked by any impediment; their hearts were free from guile; they were pure,

made free

by obsei-vance of sacred institutes. In their sanctified minds Hari dwelt; and they were filled with perfect wisdom, by which they contemplated the glory from

'

soil,

This original of the four castes

most of the Purarias.

We

shall see,

given in

is

Manu,f and

in

however, that the distinctions

are subsequently ascribed to voluntary election, to accident, or to positive institutions. *

According to Manu, oblations ascend to and nourish the

sun; whence the rain

falls

upon earth, and causes the growth of

corn.+ Burnt-offerings are, therefore, the final causes of the support

of mankind.

*

See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part t In the Mdaava-dharma-idstra I., proceeded from the arms of Brahma. ,

of the Rig-veda, &c. +

Mdnava-dharma-Msira,

III.,

76.

I.,

31,

pp. 21 and 2-.

the Kshatriya

And

is

said to have

so state the Purusha-svkta

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

91

VI.

After a while, (after the Treta age had

of Vishnu.^

continued for some period), that portion of Hari whicli

has been described as one with Kala (time) infused into created beings sin, as yet feeble, though formidable,

or passion and the like— the impediment of soul's liberation, the seed of iniquity,

sprung from darkness and

The innate perfectness of human nature was then no more evolved: the eight kinds of perfection, desire.

RasoUasa and the

'

were impaired;^ and, these

rest,

This description of a pure race of beings

occurrence in the Puraiias.

much more

It

detailed account in the

kandeya Puranas.

is

not of general

seems here to be abridged from a

Brahmanda, Vayu, and Mar-

In those works,

Brahma

is

said to create, in

the beginning of the Kalpa, a thousand pairs of each of the four classes of

age,

mankind, who enjoy perfect happiness during the Kfita

and only gradually become subject to

irifirraitifs

as the

,

Treta or second age advances. '

These eight perfections or Siddhis are not the supernatural

faculties obtained

described, the

by the performance of the Yoga.

commentator

says, in the

and from them he extracts

They

are

Skanda and other works;

their description:

1.

RasoUasa, the

spontaneous or prompt evolution of the juices of the body, independently of nutriment from without: tion,

2.

or freedom from sensual desire:

degree:

4.

Tulyata, similarity of

life,

Tfipti, mental satisfac3.

Samya, sameness

form, and feature:

exemption alike from infirmity or

grief:

6.

5.

Consummation of

penance and meditation, by attainment of true knowledge:

power of going everywhere at

any time or

in

at will

any place.*

:

8.

These

The

of

Visoka,

7.

The

faculty of reposing

attributes are alluded to,

* I add the text from MSS. at my disposal. To judge from Professor Wilson's translation, his text must have been rather different.

VISHNU PURANA.

92

being enfeebled, and sin gaining strength, mortals were afflicted with pain arising from susceptibility to con,

They therefore by trees, by mountains, or by water; surrounded them by a ditch or a wall, and formed villages and cities; and in them

trasts, (as

heat and cold, and the like).*

constructed places of refuge, protected

erected appropriate dwellings, as defences against the

sun and the cold/

Having thus provided security

though obscurely, in the Vayu, and are partly specified in the

Markaiideya Purana.f '

In the other three Purarias, in which this legend has been

found, the different kinds of inhabited places are specified and introduced by a series of land measures. states that 10 I

Trasareiiu;

Paramanus =

1

10 Trasarenus

=

Thus, the Markaudeya +

Parasukshma 1

10 Parasi'ikshmas

;

'^g^ g^mr rrwTHTg^: f^r^wt: Mi^d^Mi^M ^^sfz^

^ wm

dMt

mH

ittwj

;

r
+ XLIX.,

ii

II

^T^ir^ iiTtwr

* See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part

I.,

18, et seg.

^TT^Tf^ innwrf^
pp. 22

ii

and 23. * XLIX., 36-40:

^ n^r^X

^t^ >^^^t^ ^rrf^^ ^^^ ^

II

=

or Mahirajas

particle of dust

ii

BOOK against the weather,

10 Mahirajasas

10 Likhyas

=

1

1

1

=

1

to employ themmeans of livelihood, (and

1

Vitasti or span

;

is

stafi",

less detailed. to

1

Likhya;

10 barley -grains

;

= a Pada or foot (the breadth of it); 2 spans - 1 Hasta or cubit; 4 Hastas or 2 Nadikas; 2000 Dhanusas

a Gavyuti; 4 Gavyiitis = a Yojana.

finger is a Pradesa;

=

heart of barley (Yavodara);

grain of barley of middle size

a Dhanus, a Daiida or

Brahmarida

93

vr.

Balagra, 'hair's point'; 10 Balagras

finger, or inch; 6 fingers

2 Padas

as a

Yiika; 10 Yiikas =

1

Yavodaras =

10

=

=

CHAP.

men next began

manual labour,

selves in

=

I.,

A

The measurement of

span from the thumb to the

=

the first

the middle finger, a Tala;* to the third

which

finger, a Gokarria; and, to the little finger, a Vitasti,

is

equal to twelve Angulas or fingers; understanding, thereby, according to the Vayu, a joint of the finger (^^^H^^lfuj). According to other authorities,

For

this passage, I

it is

the breadth of the

thumb

at the tip.

have used manuscripts, in preference to the Calcutta

edition of the MdrhaMeya-purdiia.

According to

my

text, the

measures

noted are as follows:

A paramdnu may

is

a

para suhhtna, ultimate minimum;

or

the

1 angula.

2 krosa

= = = = = = = = — = = = = = =

4 gavyuti

=

1 yojana.

8

paramdnu para sukshma

8

trasarenu

8

mahirajas

8

8 bdldgra 8 likshd 8 yiikd

8

yavodara

6 aiigula 2

pada

2 vitasti

4 hasta 2

dhanurdaMa

2000 dhanus

1

para sukshma.

1

trasarei'm.

1 mahirajas. 1 bdldgra. 1

likshd.

1

yukd.

1

yavodara.

1

pada.

1 vitasti.

1 hasta, long cubit. 1

dhanurdaMa,

1

ndlikd.

bow-staff.

1 kroia. 1

gavyuti.

Compare Colebrooke, Asiatic Researches ^ Vol. V., pp. 103 and Corrected from Professor Wilson's "Nala".

*

sense

be

104.

94

VISHNU rURANA.

cultivated) the seventeen kinds of useful grain

—

rice,

sesamum, panic,* and various

barley, wheat, millet,

The Vayu, giving similar measurements,f upon Manu+ (Ji'Tt'Sflf'T ITTTWI^), although such a does not occur in the Manu Samhita, adds, that 21

(A. R., Vol. v.,

10-i.)

the authority of

statement fingers =

1

4 Hastas iiusas

:= 1

Ratni; 24 fingers =

=

I

1 Hasta or cubit; 2 Ratnis= I Kishku; Dhanus; 2000 Dhauusas - 1 Gavyuti; and 8000 Dha-

Durgas or stronghold are of four kinds; three

Yojana.

of which are natural,

from their situation in mountains, amidst

water, or in other inaccessible spots.

The

fourth

is

the artificial

defences of a village (Grama), a hamlet (Kbetaka), or a city

(Pura or Nagara), which in the series.

The

are, severally, half the size of the

best kind of city

is

one which

is

next

about a mile

long by half a mile broad, built in the form of a parallelogram, facing the north-east, and surrounded

A

by a high wall and

ditch.

hamlet should be a Yojana distant from a city; a village, half

a Yojana from a hamlet.

from a

city

The roads

leading to the cardinal points

should be twenty Dhanusas (above 100 feet) broad:

"Millet" and "panic", anu and priyangu.

t iTSTf^nni^fiprT

^ssrra:

ttt^

^3^

i

Tf^Tf ^nrtrftj ?N?^ ^^Tut^r: ^^fTff^-^ f^: ^T^fwrf^C-'Tt?) g ii

vg:^rf% f cR J|c^rH^r4»TT^

i

ii

X In one of the four MSS. of the Vdyu-purdna that I have consulted, the verses quoted in the last note are introduced by a stanza and a half,

at the beginning of

which are the words ?T5ft^Tf% J^Jt | Uf|' f
these words

mean nothing; and

simply have a clerical

error, in place of the opening words of the passage from the Mdrkandeya-purdna. The foreraentionod MS. of the Vdyu-purdAa must have been transcribed from a somewhat ancient copy, or from one in the Bengali character.

cited, in p. 92,

BOOK sorts of lentils, beans,

I.,

CHAP.

95

VI.

and pease. ^ These are the kinds But there are fourteen

cultivated for domestic use.

kinds* which

may be

offered in sacrifice.

barley, Miisha, wheat, millet,

They are:

the seventh, and KLilatthaka,-pulse, the eighth.

is

others are:

vated

Syamaka, a

rice; Jartila,

rice,

and sesamum; Priyangu

The

sort of panic; Nivara, unculti-

wild sesamum; Gavedhuka (coix

barbata); Markataka, wild panic; and (a plant called) the seed or barley of the

Bambu (Venuyava).f

These,

a village road should be the same: a boundary road, ten Dhanusas: a royal or principal road or street should be ten Dbanusas

(above

fifty

feet)

broad: a cross or branch road should be four

Dhanusas. Lanes and paths amongst the houses are two Dhanusas in breadth cubits

;

;

footpaths, four cubits

narrower dimensions, t the

first

the entrance of a house, three still

Such were the measurements adopted by

builders of cities, according to the

These are enumerated

'

;

the private entrances and paths about the mansion, of

in the text,

Puranas

specified.

as well as in the

Vayu

and Markarideya Puranas, and are: Udara, a sort of grain with long stalks (perhaps a holcus); Koradusha (Paspalum kora);

Chinaka, a sort of panic (Paspalum miliaceum); Masha, kidney

bean (Phaseolus radiatus); Mudga (Phaseolus mungo); Masura, lentil

(Ervum hirsutum); Nishpava, a

sort of pulse; Kulatthaka

(Dolichos biflorus); Adhaki (Oytisus cajanus); Chanaka, chick

pea (Cicer arietinum); and Sana (Crotolaria). *

Supply "cultivated and wild",

^lfm\4!^|^

|

t The Mdrkandeya-purdna , XLIX., 70, et seq., omits mdsha, but, by compensation, inserts kurubinda between gavedhuka and markat'aka. The

MSS.

I

have seen of that Parana afford no warrant for such readings of

the edition in the Bibliotheca Indica as yartila iai jartila, for venuyava, and, in the preceding

The Vdyu-purdiia, though productions that in the I

may

list,

name only fourteen vegetable names all that are mentioned The fifteeuth is kurubinda.

professing to

be used in sacrifice,

VisMu-purdfia, and one more.

MdrkaMcya-purdtia, XLIX., 41,

venugradka

gatia for htia.

et seq.

VISHNU PURANA.

96

cultivated or wild, are the fourteen grains that

produced for purposes of offering sacrifice (the

cause of rain)

is

in

sacrifice;

their origin also.

were and

They,

again, with sacrifice, are the great cause of the per-

petuation of the

human

race

;

can discriminate cause and

as those understand effect.

Thence

who

sacrifices

best were offered daily; the performance of which, of Munis is of essential service to mankind, and expiates the offences of those by whom they are observed. Those, however, in whose hearts the drop of sin de,

rived from

Time (Kala) was

still

more developed, asthem and all

sented not to sacrifices, but reviled both

and the followers Those abusers of the Vedas, of evil disposition and conduct, and seceders from the path of enjoined duties, were plunged in wickedness.** The means of subsistence having been provided for the beings he had created, Brahma prescribed laws suited to their station and faculties, the duties of the several castes and orders, ^ and the regions of those of that resulted from them, the gods,

of the Vedas.

'

This allusion to the sects hostile to the Vedas

Jainas

— does

— Buddhists

not occur in the parallel passages of the

or

Vayu and

Markandeya Puranas. '

The Vayu goes

were now

first

further than this,

and

states that the castes

divided according to their occupations; having,

indeed, previously stated that there was no such distinction in the Kfita age:

Brahma now appointed

those

Kshatriyas, to protect the rest

made Brahmans; •

those

who were robust and violent to be those who were pure and pious he

;

who were

See Original Sawkrit Texts, Part

of less power, but industrious,

I.,

p. 23.

BOOK the different castes

The heaven

CHAP.

I.,

97

VI.

who were observant of their duties.*

of the Pitfis

is the region of devout Brahmans; the sphere of Indra, of Kshatriyas who fly not from the fieki. The region of the winds is assigned to

who are diligent in their occupations; and submissive Siidras are elevated to the sphere of the

the Vaisyas

Gandharvas. Those Brahmans who lead religious lives go to the world of the eighty-eight thousand saints;

and that of the seven Rishis chorets and hermits.

is

the seat of pious an-

The world

of ancestors

is

that

of respectable householders; and the region of Brahma

and addicted

to

ground, he made Vaisyas; whilst

cultivate the

the feeble and poor of spirit

were constituted

Siidras.

And he

assigned them their several occupations, to prevent that interference with one another which had occurred as long as they re-

cognized no duties peculiar to castes, f

*

See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part L, p. 23. The original has Praja "Brahma". "Orders" renders (Urama.

pati in place of

^RV«n^ TTiT^f^ -m

^'^nT^

ff^^

^^^ ^^^ ^

f^r%^¥t>£^fHrT^

For another translation of

this

see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part

TflT:

^^TOT'TW^

^m 5R#rfTrr "^^ $rw'R

I.

iTRrff^irr:

«ti<^

M ifM^:

i

I

^:

ii

i

passage, and several various readings, I.,

pp.

30 and

31.

7

VISHNU PURANA.

98 is

the asylum of religious mendicants. ^*

able region of the Yogins

is

The imperish-

the highest seat of Vishnu,

where they perpetually meditate upon the supreme being,! with minds intent on him alone. The sphere where they reside the gods themselves cannot behold, t The sun, the moon, the planets, § shall repeatedly be and cease mystic

'

who

to be; but those

internally repeat the

adoration of the divinity shall never

These worlds,

some of which

will be

described in a different section, are the seven

above the earth:

Swarga:

3.

1.

more particularlyLokas or spheres

Prajapatya or Pitri-loka:

Marul-loka or Diva-loka, heaven:

know decay.

4.

2.

Indra-Joka or

Gandharva-loka,

the region of celestial spirits; also called Mahar-loka:

loka or the sphere of

saints.

Some

others, as in the text, which

Purana:

6.

.Jaua-

also the reading of the Padnia

is

Tapo-loka, the world of the seven sages: and T.Brahma-

loka or Satya-loka, the world of eighth, or high

world of Vishiin,

infinite

is

Brahma Vaivarta, Go-loka; both, tainly, the last, modern inventions.

the

"Heaven

Prajapatya.

wisdom and

f^T^^ VJTR

addition, which, in the Bhagavata,

*

5.

copies read eighteen thousand;

called

^^

I

is

truth.

The

a sectarial

Vaikuntha, and,

in

apparently, and, most cer-

of the Pitfis" and "world of ancestors": in the original, "Region of the winds" and "sphere of the Gandharvas",

Maruta and Gandharva. "Brahmans who lead religious lives'", guruvdsin; which the commentator explains as meaning conventuals abiding for life with a spiritual guide, and devoted to theology. They are said to inherit "Pious anchorets the region of the Valikhilyas and other high saints. "Religious mendiand hermits", vanaiikas; the same as vdnaprastha. cants", nydsin; one with sarhnydsin.

The

original leaves "householders"

unqualified.

f Brahma,

in the Sanskrit.

X

Such MSS.

as I

§

"The sun,

the

note following.

have consulted exhibit the reading!

moon, and other

planets."

The

original

is

in the

BOOK

CHAP.

r.,

99

\^.

For those who neglect their duties, who revile the Vedas, and obstruct religious rites, the places assigned, after death, are the terrific regions of darkness, of deep gloom, of fear, and of great terror, the fearful hell of sharp swords, the hell of scourges and of a waveless

sea.'*

'

The

divisions of

Naraka or

particularly enumerated, b.

The ^fJ^TfT^'?^,

hell,

or "spell of twelve

"mystic adoration of the divinity",

HT^ "^^^^T^

I

here named, are again more

II., c. 6.

syllables",- Professor Wilson's

— consists

of the words

"^

•TRt

Also see the Professor's Sanskrit Dictionary, sub

voce

7*

CHAPTER

VII.

Creation continued. Production of the mind-born sons of of the Prajapatis; of Sanandana and others; of

Brahma;

Rudra and

the

Manu Swayarabhuva and his wife Satatheir children. The daughters of Daksha, and their to Dharma and others. The progeny of Dhanna and

eleven Rudras; of the

rupa; of

marriage

The perpetual

Adharma.

modes of mundane

succession of worlds, and different

dissolution.

—

Parasara. From Brahma, contimiing to meditate, were born mind-engendered progeny, with forms and faculties derived from his corporeal nature; embodied spirits,

produced from the person* of that all-wisef

deity.

All these beings, from the gods to inanimate things, ap-

peared as

have related to you

I

; '

being the abode of the

three qualities. But, as they did not multiply themselves,

created other mind-born sons, like himself;

Brahma

namely: Bhrigu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Angiras, Marlchi, Daksha, Atri, and Vasishtha. These are the nine

Brahmds

'

It is

ferred to is

(or Brahmarshis) celebrated in the

Pu-

Sanandana and the other sons of Brahm4§

ranas.^i

;

not clear which of the previous narratives but

it

seems most probable that the account

is

here re-

in pp. 70-72

intended. '

Considerable variety prevails in this

maputras

•

,

Brahmas

Literally,

,

list

of Prajapatis, Brah-

or Brahmarshis ; but the variations are of

"limbs", gdtra.

f Dhimat, * See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part § Vedhas, in the Sanskrit.

I.,

pp. 24, 25,

and 80.

BOOK

101

CHAP. VU.

I.,

were previously created by him. But they were without desire or passion, inspired with holy wisdom, estranged made

the nature of additions

Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu,

www: ^^ %

Thus,

in the

place, Marichi,

and Vasishfha: *

T^

ifrrrarR: ^^^f»p: 'the seven high-minded sons of the self-born Brahma.' place of the same,

enumera-

to an apparently original

whose names generally recur. Mahabharata, Moksha Dharma, we have, in one

tion of but seven,

i

In another

however, we have Daksha substituted for

Vasishtha

'Brahma then created mind-begotten the seventh, with Marichi

',

&c.

sons, of

whom Daksha was

These seven sons of Brahma are

also identified with the seven Rishis; as in the

^

1J5: ^h4-^'

^

Vayu:

^^Tfq^: ^rrmrsrar:

1

with palpable inconsistency, eight are immediately enumerated; or: Bhfigu, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishtha. The Uttara Khaiida of the Padma Purana

although,

The Bhagavata includes substitutes Kardama for Vasishtha. Daksha, enumerating nine.t The Matsya agrees with Manu, in adding Narada to the list of our text. The Kiirma Purana adds Dharma and Sankalpa. The Linga, Brahmaiida, and Vayu Puranas also add them, and extend the

The Hari Vaihsa,

in

list

to

Adharma and Ruchi.

one place, inserts Gautama, and, in another,

Manu. Altogether, therefore, we have seventeen, instead of seven. But the accounts given of the origin of several of these show that they were not, originally, included amongst the Manasaputras or sons of Brahma's mind; for even Daksha, who finds a place in all the lists except

one of those given

in the

Mahabharata,

is

i^dnti-parvan, 7569, 7570: and see 13075.

t t

Ibid.,

7634.

The Bhdgavata-purdna,

thus enumerating ten.

III.,

12, 22, includes Daksha aud Nftradaj

VISHNU PUR ANA.

102

from the universe, and undeslrous of progeny. This perceived, he was fUled with wrath

when Brahma

uniformly said to have sprung from Brahma's thumb: and the

same

patriarch, as well as

Dharma,

is

included, in

some

accounts,

as in the Bhagavata and Matsya Purarias, amongst a different series

of Brahma's progeny, or virtues and vices; or:

Dharma

(dexterity),

(virtue),

Lobha (covetousness) Moha ,

moda

Kama

(desire),

(infatuation),

Krodha

Mada

Daksha

(passion),

(insanity), Pra-

(pleasure), Mrityu (death), and Angaja (lust).

These are

severally derived from different parts of Brahma's body; and the

Bhagavata, adding Kardama (soil, or sin) to this enumeration, makes him spring from Brahma's shadow. The simple statement that the

first

Prajapatis sprang from the mind, or will, of Brahma,

has not contented the depraved taste of the mystics; and, in some of the Puranas, as the Bhagavata, Linga, and Vayu, they also are derived from the body of their progenitor; or; Bhfigu. from his skin; Marfchi,

from

mind; Atri, from his eyes; Angiras,

his

from his mouth; Pulastya, from

his ear;

Pulaha, from his navel;

Kratu, from his hand; Vasishtha, from bis breath; Daksha, from his

thumb

however,

;

and Narada, from his

in the places

hip.

They do not

exactly agree,

whence these beings proceed; as,

for in-

stance, according to the Linga, Marfchi springs from Brahma's

who, there, proceeds, instead of Pulastya, from The Vayu has, also, another account of their origin,

eyes, not Atri, his ears.

and states them to have sprung from the

by Brahma; an

mode

allegorical

fires

of a sacrifice offered

of expressing their probable

original,— considering them to be, in some degree, real persons,

from the Brahmanical tors

and observers.

ritual,

of which they were the

The Vayu Puraria

first institu-

also states, that, besides

the seven primitive Rishis,

the Prajapatis are numerous, and Kardama, Kasyapa, Sesba, Vikranta, Susravas, Bahuputra, Kumara, Vivaswat, Suchisravas, Prachetasa (Daksha), specifies

Arishtanemi, Bahula.

These and many others were Prajapatis:

In the beginning of the Mahabharata(Adi Parvan), a different origin; and,

first,

we

have, again,

Daksha, the son of the Prachetasas,

it

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

103

vir.

capable of consuming the three worlds, the flame of invested, like a garland, heaven, eartli, and hell.

which

Then from his forehead, darkened with angry frowns, sprang Rudra,^ radiant as the noon -tide sun, fierce, had seven sons,

is said,

after

whom

the twenty-one Prajapatis

were

born, or appeared. According to the commentator, the seven sons of

Daksha were

the allegorical persons Krodha,

krita, Angiras,

Tamas, Dama, ViKardama, andAswa; and the twenty-one Prajapatis,

the seven usually specified.

Manus. This looks ^

— Marfchi and the

— and the fourteen and

later notions.

Besides this general notice of the origin of Rudra and his

separate forms,

we

have, in the next chapter, an entirely differ-

ent set of beings so denominated

the text are also

chapter.

The

more

prigin of

;

and the eleven alluded

refers his origin to

Rudra, as one of the agents

Brahma

is

this

Puraiia makes him proceed from Brahma's mouth,

made by Siva

infinite

The Varaha Puraiia

appearance of Rudra the consequence of a promise to

Brahma,

Brahma

that he

is

liis

son. tlie

In the

Rudra

not confined to the eleven, but comprehends

numbers of beings,

parent; until

would become

other Puranas, the progeny of

parallel passages in

created by

indeed,

that of his kindness

whilst engaged in meditating on creation.

makes

in creation,

The Mahabharata,

Vishnu ; representing him as the personification

of his anger, whilst

The Kurma

to iu

particularly enumerated in a subsequent

described in most of the Purarias,

is

rest,

like a blending of the earlier

in

Brahma, alarmed

person and equipments like their at their fierceness,

numbers

,

and

immortality, desires his son Rudra, or, as the Matsya calls him,

Vamadeva, to form Rudra refusing to do Stha, 'to stay'.

*

creatures of a different and mortal nature. this, desists;

Linga,

whence

Vayu Puranas,

Mahabharata, ^dati-parvan, 13146-7,

his

&c.

name Sthann, from

104

VISHNtJ PURANA.

and of vast bulk, and of a figure which was half male, Separate yourself,

half female.

Brahma

said to him,

and, having so spoken, disappeared; obedient to

command, Rudra became and female natures.

His male being he again divided

whom some were

into eleven persons, of

some hideous some ;

which

twofold, disjoining his male

agreeable,

some mild.* And he

fierce,

multi-

plied his female nature manifold, of complexions black

or white, ^f

Then Brahma^

created, himself, the

Manu Swayam-

According to the Vayu, the female became,

'

or one half white, and the other, black

;

twofold,

first,

and each of

these, again,

becomes manifold, being the various energies or Saktis of Mahadeva, as stated by the Kiirma, after the words

l^'^^^f^^

:

f^l

|

which are those of our text:

The Linga and Vayu

specify

many

Those of

of their names.

the white complexion, or mild nature, include Lakshmi, Saraswati,

Gauri,

Uma,

&c.; those of the dark hue, and fierce disposition,

Diirgti, Kali, Chaiidi, Maharatri,

Brahma,

•

the form

in

first

after detaching

of Rudra, converted himself into

male, or the

Satarupa. himself

and others.

from himself the property of anger,

So,

Manu Swayambhnva, and Vedas:

in the

was indeed

(his) son,

through sexual agency

is

'

two persons, the

the

first

The commencement

\t

or

'So

of production

here described with sufficient distinct-

ness; but the subject has been rendered obscure by a

•

woman,

IJ^MT % TJ^ TRWtci;

more com-

According to the commentator, "fierce" and "mild" are exepegetical

and "hideous". t See Original Samkrit Tests, Part

of "agreeable"

I

IV., p. 331.

This quotation requires to be slightly altered.

after citing "=31730 •T^ff^

from the

^^^^T^VfTT ^%:

These words, ending with

I

The comiuentator,

Visknu-purdna , proceeds:

from the ^atapatha-bruhmana, XIV.,

9, 4, 26.

-j^Ofll

g-^*t| »t ? f%,

^ are

BOOK bhuva, born

of,

and

CHAP.

L,

105

VII.

identical with, his original

self,

for the protection of created beina's:

and the female

plicated succession of agents, and, especially,

by the introduction

of a person of a mythic or mystical character, Viraj.

The notion Manu: "Having divided his own substance, the mighty power Brahma became half male and half female; thus expressed in

is

and from that female he produced person

whom

We have,

the

Know me

Viraj.

male Viraj produced by himself."

therefore, a series of

Brahma,

Viraj, and

be that

to I.

32, 33.*

Manu, instead

Brahma and Manu only also the generation of progeny by Brahma, begotten on Satarupa, instead of her being, as in our of

;

text, the

The

wife of Manu.

idea seems to have originated with

the Vedas, as Kuiluka Bliatta quotes a text

ffl^ t^TCT^^^'H^ 'Then (or thence) Viraj was born'„ The procreation of progeny by Brahma, however, is at variance with the whole system, :

I

which, almost invariably, refers his creation to the operation of and the expression, in Manu, ffT^ ^gf f^'CT^Wfalcr

his will:

|

'he created Viraj in her', does not necessarily imply sexual intercourse.

Viraj also creates, not begets,

instance does the

name

Manu, however, understands procreation of Viraj:

%^f%^

And

Manu.

of Satarupa occur.

in neither

The commentator on

the expression Asfijat to imply the "M^Tn"

I

and the same interpretation

is

given by the Matsya Parana, in which the incestuous passion

of

Brahma

in

another,— is described

is called,

for Satariipa,

— his daughter,

in

one sense, his

sister,

and by her he begets Viraj, who there not the progenitor of Manu, but Manu himself: ;

fm: wiT%«T JTfcn

rr^rr:

s^ts^^Jir^:

i

This, therefore, agrees with our text, as far as it makes Manu the son of Brahma, though not as to the nature of the connexion.

^5! f

Matsya-'purdna>

«rrct rRTf

III,,

49, 50.

'f?

f^TTW^^STrJT^:

II

VISHNU PURANA.

106

whom

portion of himself he constituted Sataiupa, austerity puriiied

The reading Yishr'ui:

of

from the

sin (of forbidden nuptials),

Agni and Padma Puraiias

the

and the Bhagavala agrees with

is

that of the

one place; stating,

male half of Brahma, was Manu, the other

that the

distinctly,

in

it,

half, Satariipa:

Bhagavata, is

III., 12, 53, bi:

elsewhere described,

the father of

it

The

Manu.

and, although the production of Viraj is

appears to be, the identity of

and

Brahma nor

and simple idea, therefore,

Manu with

Brahma,

the male half of

The Kurraa Parana the same words. The

regarded as his son.

his being', thence,

gives the

neither as the son of

original

same account

as

Manu, and

in

Linga Purana and Vayu Purana describe the origin of Viraj and t

f

Satariipa from

Brahma; and they intimate

the union of Satarupa

with Purusha or Viraj, the male portion of Brahma, in the

Manu, who

instance, and, in the second, with

W^l

or the son of Viraj: ^<;T^?^

^TT*.

|

is

first

termed Vairaja,

The Brahma Purana,

the words of which are repeated in the Hari Vaiiisa, introduces

a

new element

According

of perplexity,

to the

in a

commentator,

Vasishtha: ^m^T^^firJaiM^'ll*^:

performs the divinity.

But

of

office

this is

HWItm:

,

male.

it is

the male, which

is

said

male

sishtha, or Viraj,

or

Brahma; and

Viraj.

Apava becomes

Manu; who was,

stage

was

That

twofold,

by the

fe-

thus, the second

is, aiicording to

the creation of

the

Apava, or Va-

by Vishnu, through the agency of Hiranyagarbha the next

was

that

Manu.

Manu by Apava, and then

of the creation of

Satariipa appears as, first, the bride of

as the wife of

that

Vishnu created Viraj, and Viraj created

Vairaja or

first

as

has been

it

half, begets offspring

interval (Antara) or stage in creation.

commentator, the

Apava.

As, however, he

|

not exactly the case, although

in the capacity of his

Again,

that of

of the Prajapati

Brahma, he should be regarded

so rendered by the French translator.

and

new name, a name

this is

This account, therefore, although obscurely

expressed, appears to be essentially the same with that of

Manuj

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

107

VII,

and wliom the divine Manu Swayambhuva took to wife. these two were born two sons, Priyavrata and

From

and we have Brahma, Viraj, Manu, instead of Brahma and Manu. It seems probable that this difference , and the part assigned to Viraj, has originated, in some measure, from confounding Brahma with the male half of his individuality, and considering as two beings that which was but one. If the Purusha or Viraj be distinct

The

from Brahma, what becomes of Brahma?

entire

whole

two halves cannot coexist; although some of the Pauraniks and the author of Manu seem to have imagined its possiThe perplexity, bility, by making Viraj the son of Brahma. and

its

however

,

is

still

more ascribable

which was only an allegory. halves designates,

as

is

The

to the personification of that

di\nsion of

Brahma

into

two

veiy e\adent from the passage in the

Vedas given by Mr. Colebrooke, (As. R., VIII., 425,*) the distinction of corporeal substance into two sexes; Viraj being all male animals, Satariipa, all female animals. So the commentator on the Hari Variisa explains the former to denote the horse, the and the latter, the mare, the cow, and the like. In the

bull, &c.,

Bhagavata, the term Viraj implies Body collectively, as the com-

mentator

observes:

^RflrifTtT

TTfrqW^^T^ f^TT^ illuminates his

^f^?W

trrrff iramr^'^WT^

R^IT'^

was intended

produced

bodily existence. Viraj, or of

,

he might be said

.;

without and within.'

all

.

was

and ,

that

therefore,

-^^^^

I

to express

living body, of creatures of both sexes

man was

^ff*^

'As Uie sun

i

inner sphere, as well as the exterior region^,

own

80 soul, shining in body(Viraja), irradiates

the birth of Viraj

H
W^

Tm^^m^^:

,

the creation of

as, in

consequence,

to be the son of Viraj

,

or

Again, Satarupa, the bride of Brahma, or of

Manu,

is

nothing more than beings of varied or

manifold forms, from Sata,

'a

hundred', and ^TT 'form'

;

explained,

by the annotator on the Hari Vamsa, by Anantariipa ('^R^rf^Jn), 'of infinite", and Vividhariipa (f^f^^^m), 'of diversified shape'; being, as he states, the

same

as

Maya,

Miscellaneous Essays, Vol. L, p. 64.

'illusion'

,

or the

power

VISHNU PURANA.

108

Uttanapada/ and two daughters, named Akiiti, siiti

Prasiiti

and

graced with loveUness and exalted merit. ^ Pra-

he gave to Daksha, after giving Akiiti to the pawho espoused her.* Akuti bore to

triarch Ruchi,'

Ruchi twins, Yajna and Dakshina,^ who afterwards of multiform metamorphosis: ^'^c^i^gV:JK^Uj<j|*<
Purana has a

allegory of

its

intercourse with Satarupa; for

it

little

Vedas, and the chief text;

'

and

first

pair,

The commentator on

who

mean

holy prayer, which

in their cohabitation there is,

therefore,

different order,

the

is

their

no

evil:

and makes Vira

has Uttanapada, &c. by Kamya.

the Hari

Vamsa

quotes the

But the passage there

confirmation of this account.

'

explains the former to

latter, the Savitri or

The Brahma Purana has a

the son of the

The Matsya

|

own, on the subject of Brahma's

Vayu

Satarupa bore to the male Vairaja (Manu) two Viras',

heroes, or heroic sons, Uttanapada and Priyavrata.

for a

is:

It

i.

looks as

e.,

if

Brahma Purana had made some very unblunder, and invented, upon it, a new couple, Vira

the compiler of the

accountable

No

and Kamya.

such person as the former occurs in any other

Purana; nor does Kamya, as ^

The Bhagavata adds a

his wife.

third daughter,

Devahuti; for the t

purpose, apparently, of introducing a long legend of the Rishi

Kardama,

to

whom

she

is

married, and of their son Kapila: a

legend not met with anywhere '

Ruchi

is

else.

reckoned amongst the Prajapatis, by the Linga

and Vayu Puraiias. *

These descendants of Swayambhuva

Thus, Yajna (^ITf) 'donation' to Brahmans.

gorical.

*

is 'sacrifice',

See Original Sanskrit Tests, Part

t Matsya-purdiia, IV., 10, 11.

are, all, evidently, alle-

and Dakshiiia (l^f^Ull), •

I.,

p. 25.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

109

VII.

became husband and wife, and had twelve sons, the deities called Yamas,* in the Manwantara of Swayambhuva.

The

Daksha had, by Prasiiti, twenty-four Hear from me their names: Sra^dha (faith),

patriarch

daughters.^

Lakshmi

(prosperity), Dhriti (steadiness), Tushti (re-

Pushti (thriving),

signation),

Medha

Kriya (action, devotion), Buddhi

(intelligence),

(intellect),

Lajja

(modesty), Vapus (body), Santi (expiation), Siddhi (perfection), Kirtti (fame). These thirteen daughters of

Daksha, Dharma (righteousness) took to wife. The other eleven bright-eyed and younger daughters of the patriarch were: Khyati (celebrity), Sati (truth),

Kshama rity),

(patience), Saihnati (humility),

Anasuya

(cha-

Swaha (offering), and Swadha These maidens were respectively wedded

Urja (energy),

(oblation).

to the

Sam-

Smriti (memory), Priti (affection),

bhiiti (fitness),

^vith

Munis Bhrigu, Bhava, Marichi, Angu-as, Pulastya,

Pulaha, Kratu, Atri, and Vasishtha, to Fire (Vahni),*

and to the

Pitfis (progenitors). 'f

The Bhagavata

•

(b. IV.

c.

1) says the Tushitas: but they

are the divinities of the second , not of the

first,

Manwantara

appears also in another part of the same, where the

Yamas

;

as

are

likewise referred to the Swayarabhuva Manwantara.

These twenty -four daughters

'

occurrence in the Puranas than the or sixty, which

is

are of much less universal more extensive series of fifty

subsequently described, and which appears to

be the more ancient legend. *

"

The twenty-four daughters

For Vahni's

wife,

Swaha, and

of

Daksha

are similarly

for other allegorical

named

females here men-

tioned, as originatiug from particles of prakriii, see the Brahmavaivarla-

purdiia, in Prof. Aufrecht's Catalog. Cod. Manuscript., &c., p. 23.

t See Griyinal Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., p. 324.

110

VISHNU PURANA.

The progeny of Dharma, by the daughters of Daksha, were as follows: by Sraddha, he had Kama (desire); by Lakshmi,* Darpa (pride); by Dhriti, Niyama (preby Tushti, Santosha (content); by Pushti, Lobha by Medlia, Sruta (sacred tradition); by Kriya, Danda, Naya, and Vinaya (correction, polity, and prudence); by Buddhi, Bodha (understanding); by Lajja, Vinaya (good behaviour) by Vapus, Vyavasaya cept);

(cupidity);

;

(perseverance).

Kshema

Santi gave birth to

Sukha (enjoyment); and

sperity); Siddhi, to

(pro-

Kirtti, to

and disposed of in most of the Puranas which notice them.

The

Bhagavata, having introduced a third daughter of Swayariibhuva, has a rather different enumeration, in order to assign some of

them, the wives of the Prajapatis,

Daksha had,

therefore,

daughters, thirteen of

it

is

whom were

Sraddha, Maitri (friendship),

to

Kardama and

there said (b. IV.

c.

Devahiiti.

1),

sixteen

married to Dharma, named

Daya (clemency),

Santi, Tushti,

Pushti, Kriya, Umiati (elevation), Buddhi, Medha, Titiksha (pa-

Hri (modesty), Miirti (form); and three, Sati, Swaha,

tience),

and Swadha, married, as Devahiiti

repeat

They

sideration.

in

our text.

these appellations; are:

Some

of the daughters of

but that

is

of slight con-

Kala (a moment), married

to Marichi;

Anasiiya, to Atri; Sraddhd, to Angiras; Havirbhu (oblation-born), to Pulastya;

Gati (movement),

to

Pulaha;

Kriya,

to

Kratu;

Khyati, to Bhfigu; Arundhati, to Vasishtha; and Santi, toAtharvan. f gorical,

In

all these instances

being

religious rites,

the persons are

,

manifestly , alle-

personifications of intelligences

and virtues and

,

and being, therefore, appropriately wedded

to the

probable authors of the Hindu code of religion and morals, or to the equally allegorical representation

of that code,

Dharma,

moral and religious duty. *

In tho original, Chala.

t The Bhagavata-'purMa, in tho texts that Urja with Vasisht'ha, and Chitti with Atharvan.

I

hate examined, pairs

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

Ill

VIT.

Yasas (reputation).^ These were the sons of Dharma; one of whom, Kama, had Harsha (joy) by his wife

Nandi

(delight).

wife of Adharma^ (vice)

The

was Himsa

(violence),

whom

he begot a son, Anfita (falsehood), and a daughter, Nikriti (immorality). They intermarried, and had two sons, Bhaya (fear) and Naraka (liell); and

on

The same remark

^

applies

The

here.

Puraiias that give

But the Bhagavata

these details generally concur with our text. specifies the

progeny of Dharma in a somewhat

or, following the order observed in the their children are

:

Rita*

(truth),

list

different

manner;

of Dharma's wives,

Prasada (favour), Abhaya

(fear-

Sukha, Muda (pleasure), Smaya (wonder), Yoga (devotion), Darpa, Artha (meaningf), Smriti (memory), Kshema, Prasraya (affection), and the two saints Nara and Narayana, the lessness),

sons of

Dharma by

Murti.

We

clature in other authorities;

have occasional varieties of nomen-

as, instead of Sruta, Saraa;

Kurma

Purana: instead of Daiidanaya, Samaya; and, instead of Bodha, Apramada; Linga Purana and Siddha, in place of Sukha: Kurma :

Purana.

The

'

He

is

text rather abruptly introduces

said,

the Linga

Purana enumerates him amongst

his family.

the Prajapatis, as well

According to the Bhagavata, he

Dharma.

as

Adharma and

by the commentator, to be the son of Brahma; and

Mfisha (falsehood), and the father of

is

Dambha

the husband of

(hypocrisy) and

Nin'iti. The series of their somewhat varied from our text; being, in each descent, however, twins, which intermarry, or: Lobha (covetousness) and Nikriti, who produce Krodlia (wrath) and Himsa:

Maya

(deceit),

descendants

their children their

are Kali (wickedness) and Durukti (evil speech):

progeny are Mrityu and Bhi (fear); whose offspring are

Niraya

•

who were adopted by

is, also,

(hell)

The MSS,

and Yatana (torment).

TvLich I

have inspected give Subha, "felicity".

112

VISHNU PURANA.

Maya (deceit) and Vedana (torture), who became their wives. The son of Bhaya and Maya was the destroyer of living creatures, twins to them, two daughters,

orMi'ityu (death);

andDahkha (pain) was the offspring The chiidi'en of Mrityu were:

of Naraka* and Vedana.

Vyadhi

Soka (sorrow), Trishna and Krodha (wrath). These are all called of misery, and are characterized as the

(disease), Jara (decay),

(greediness),

the inilictors

progeny of Vice f (Adharma).t They are

without

all

wdves, without posterity, without the faculty to pro-

They

create.

are the

tei-riiic

forms of Vishiiu, and

perpetually operate as causes of the destruction of this

On the

world.

contrary,

Daksha and the other

Rishis,§

the elders of mankind, tend perpetually to influence

renovation; w^hilst the

its

Manus and

their sons,!! the

heroes endowed with mighty power, and treading in the path of truth, as constantly contribute to

its

pre-

servation.

Maitreva.

—

Tell me.

Brahman, what

is

the essential

nature of these revolutions, perpetual preservation, perpetual creation, and perpetual destruction.

Parasaua.

—Madhusudana, whose essence

is

incom-

prehensible, in the forms of these (patriarchs and

Mauus),

the author of the uninterrupted vicissitudes

is

of creation, preservation, and destruction.

"

t

+

§

dissolu-

Kanrava. in tho original. ^?\j(J^
:

,

"essentially

Fov some additions, including

kandejja-pnrchki, L., 33,

li

The

Four

An

?.ro

named

epithet

is

vicious"..

Nirriti

The comiuentatot says:

aud Alakshmi. see tbe Mdf-

et scq.

in the Saaskrit;

Daksha, Marichi,

here omitted: bhu^a, "kings".

Atri,

and Bhrigu.

BOOK tion of

all

things

is

113

CHAP. VU.

I.,

of four kinds: Naimittika,* 'occa-

sional'; PrakiHtika, 'elemental'; x\tyantika, 'absolute';

The

Nitya, 'perpetual'.^

The

'

three

first,

first

of these are

The

last,

the last book.

also

more

the Nitya

termed the Brahma

particularly described in

or constant,

Vans Kennedy (Researches and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology, p. the seventh chapter, however", he observes, "of described by Colonel

the Vishnu Purana, tika

,

and

7iitya

nature

;

the

"In

part of

first

said that the naimittika, prdkritika, dtyan-

The naimittika takes when this universe

the prdkritika,

when Brahma

place

returns to

original

its

dtyantika proceeds from divine knowledge, and consequent

;

identification life,

Nature

224, note).

are the four kinds of pralaya to which created

are subject.

things

elumbers

of

it is

differently

is

into the

with the supreme

spirit;

and nitya

is

the extinction

like the extinction of a lamp, in sleep at night."

For

however, our text furnishes no warrant.

last characteristic,

this

Nor

it be explained to signify, that the Nitya Pralaya means no more than "a man's falling into sound sleep at night". All the copies consulted on the present occasion concur in reading:

can

The commentator

as rendered above.

^^^Ml^rt^

^mRT

I

'like the flame

f^^rf^nf

destruction of constant.'

all

^ f^^W-

^ f^-

that are born, nigbt

Again,

in

supplies the illustratioji,

of a lamp'; but he also writes: l

'I'^at which

and day,

is

a verse presently following,

is

the

the Nitya or

we have

Nitya Sarga, 'constant or perpetual creation', as opposed

the

to con-

stant dissolution:

'That

in which,

O

excellent sages, beings are daily born,

constant creation,

by those learned

mentator explains

this:

• I.

See the

is

is

termed

The com-

^n5I^Tf^T|fS3r^(Tfr f'Tiire'l Tj^',

'The constant flow or succession of other creatures

in the Purahas.'

\

the creation of ourselves and

the Nitya or constant creation.

This

editor's note in p. 62, supra.

8

is

the

114

VISHNU PURANA.

dissolution, occurs

when

reclines

In the second, the

in

sleep.

the sovereign of the world

resolves into the primary element, fi'om derived.

mundane egg it was

whence

Absolute non-existence of the world

is

the

absorption of the sage,* through knowledge, into su-

preme

spirit.

Perpetual destruction

disappearance, day and night, of

all

is

the constant

that are born.

productions of Prakriti form the creation that the elemental (Prakrita).

minor dissolution

is

is

That which ensues

called

The

termed after a

ephemeral creation; and

is termed, by those Pur an as, constant creation. In manner, the mighty Vishnu, whose essence is the

the daily genet-'ation of Uving things

who this

are versed in the

elements, abides

in all

bodies, and brings about pro-

duction, existence, and dissolution. f

The

faculties of

Vishnu, to create, to preserve, and to destroy, operate successively, Maitreya, in all

who

seasons; and he

all

corporeal beings, and at

frees himself from the influence

of these three faculties, which are essentially composed of the three qualities (goodness, foulness, and darkness),

goes to the supreme sphere, from whence he never again returns. meaning of the intended

•

is

text.'

It is

that of life

Yogin.

f Sauiyarm.

obvious, therefore, that the alternation

and death, not of waking and

sleep.

CHAPTER

VIII.

Origin of Radra: Lis becoming eight Rudras: their wives and

The

children.

Parasara.

—

I

(Sacrifice of

in conjunc-

Daksha.)

have described to you,

great Muni,

Brahma in which the quality I will now explain to you the

the creation of ness prevailed. of Rudra.

Account of Sri

posterity of Bhfigu.

tion with Vishnu.

of darkcreation

*

In the beginning of the Kalpa, as

who

to create a son,

Brahma purposed

should be like himself, a youth

of a purple complexion^ appeared; crying with a low cry,

and running about. ^ Brahmd, when he beheld him

thus afflicted, said to him:

"Give

me

"Why

name", rejoined the great father of composed; desist from '

that

The

creation of

seems

weep?" "Rudra be thy

dost thou

a name", replied the boy.

to

all

"

creatures:

be

But, thus addressed,

tears."

Rudra has been already adverted

be the primitive form of the legend.

and

to;

We

have,

upon Saiva or Yoga

here, another account, grounded, apparently,

mysticism. '

The appearance

of

Rudra

as a

Kumara, a boy ', '

is

described,

Vayu Puranas as Kumaras are of different

as of repeated occurrence , in the Linga and

already noticed (pp.

76, et seq.)

;

and these

complexions in different Kalpas.

however,

we have

,

In the Vaishnava Puraiias,

only one original form, to which the name of

Nilalohita, 'the blue and red or purple complexioned', is assigned.

In the Kiirma, this youth comes from Brahma's mouth; in the

Vayu, from '

This

his forehead.

is

the Pauranik etymology: 'OrfMT^«i(«fT%^ ^'^t

or Rod, 'to weep', and Dru, 'to run'. the

name from Rud,

'to weep', with

The grammarians

Rak

affix.

8*

|

derive

VISHNU PURANA.

116

still wept seven times; and Brahma therefore gave to him seven other denominations: and to these eight persons regions and wives and posterity belong. The eight manifestations, then, are named Rudra,

the boy

Bhava, Sarva, Isana, Pasupati, Bhima, Ugra, and Mahadeva, which were given to them by their gi'eat progenitor.*

He

also assigned to

them

their respective

stations, the sun, water, earth, air, fire,t ether, the

moon

ministrant Brahman, and the

The Vayu

'

;

for these are their

The wives of the sun and the other

several forms. ^

details

the application of each

name

severally.

These eight Rudras are, therefore, but one, under as many appellations,

The Padma, Markaiideya,

and in as many types.

Kurma, Linga, and Vayu agree with our of the Rudras , and their types

,

text in the nomenclature

their wives ,

The

and progeny.

types are those which are enumerated in the Nandi or opening

benedictory verse of Sakuntala;

Purana was found

He

by M. Chezy

,

and the passage of the Vishnu ,

on the envelope of

his copy.

has justly corrected Sir William Jones's version of the term

i^'i\, 'the sacrifice

means, 'Brahmane

who

is qualified,

by

is

performed with solemnity'; as the word

officiant',

<{lf^d1 ^I^Ui:

'the

I

Brahman

initiation (Diksha), to conduct the rite.'

These

are considered as the bodies, or visible forms, of those modifications of

praised

Rudra which are variously named, and which, being in

them,

severally

^[^rg 'P^: ^rrflC The Bhagavata, III., l

usual;

but

whom

the

*

it

abstain

12,

11-13,

%

l

of

subsequently adverts,

the

with

scheme, as

eleven Rudras, to that

of

the eight

See an almost identical passage, from the Mdrka/ideya-purdna,

et seq.,

7ti|

Vayu Purana.

has a different

confounds the notion

text

from harming them:

^?^rr^ ffff^

LII., 2,

translated in Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., p, 286.

t In most MSS. seen by Puranas than the Visbuu.

me

the order

is

"fire, air";

and so iu other

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

Rudra and the

manifestations, termed

were, re-

rest,

Usha,* Vikesi, Siva, Swaha,

spectively: Suvarchala,

Disas, Diksha, and Rohini. their progeny,

117

VIII.

Now

hear an account of

by whose successive generations

this

world has been peopled. Their sons, then, were, severally: Sanaischara (Saturn), Sukra (Venus), the fierybodied f (Mars), Manojava (Hanumatt), Swarga,§ San tana, and Budha (Mercury).

Skanda^

was the Rudra of this description that married who abandoned her corporeal existence in consequence of the displeasure of Daksha. * She afterIt

Sati,

here specified.

These eleven

Mahat, Siva, Ritadhwaja, and Dhfitavrata; Sarpi,1[

their

!|

it

terms Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa,

Ugraretas, Bhava, Kala, Vamadeva,

wives are Dhi, Dhriti, Rasaloma, Niyut,

Ha, Ambika, Iravati, Swadha, Diksha, Rudrarii; and their

places are the heart, senses, breath, ether, air, sun,

moon, and tapas or

water, earth,

fire,

The same

ascetic devotion.

allegory or

mystification characterizes both accounts. '

See the story of Daksha's

sacrifice at the

end of the chapter.

* Several of the MSS. inspected by me have Swavarchala and Uma. The Mdrkandeya-purd/ia, LII., 9, has Uma.

t Lohitdnga. +

mat

The commentator says

that

Manojava

is

"a

certain wind".

Hanu-

"Son Wind"; and Marutwat. Some MSS. have Sarga; and so has the Mdrkandeya-purd/ia, LII., 11. The Bombay editions of the Bhdgavata-purdna have Kratudhwaja. is called,

however, Anilatmaja, Pavanatanaya, Vayuputra, &c.,

of the § II

"Dhi, Dhriti, Usana, Uma, Niyut, Sarpi, Ila, Ambika, and Diksha, the Riidranis, are thy wives, Rudra." Vfitti is a variant,

of

common

occurrence,

and "Swadha" are not found in any MS. that be feminine. Sarpis would be neuter.

Iravati,

for Dhriti. I

have seen.

Sudha,

"Rasaloma" Sarpi must

VISHNU PURANA.

118

wards was the daughter of Himavat (the snowy mountains)

by Mena and, in that character, as the only Uma, the ;

mighty Bhava again married her\* The divinities Dhatri and Vidhdtfi were born to Bhrigu by Khyati; as was a daughter, Sri, the wife of Narayana, the god of gods.*

—

It it commonly said that the goddess was born from the sea of milk, when it was churned for ambrosia. How, then, can you say that she was the daughter of Bhrigu by Khyati? Parasara. Sri, the bride of Vishnu, the mother of the world, is eternal, imperishable. In like manner as he is all-pervading, so also is she, best of Brahmans, omnipresent. Vishnu is meaning; she is speech. Hari

Maitreya.

Sri

—

polity (Naya);

is

she

understanding; she she

is

He

devotion.

is

prudence (Nlti). Vishnu

is intellect.

is

He

is

the creator; she

Sri is the earth; Hari, the support of

Lakshmi

content; the eternal desire; Sri

is

He

wish.

is

'

The

story of

Uma's

in the

deity

is

He

is

she

is sacrifice;

is

first

book:

some

it is

Sambhava of Kalidasa. ' The family of Bhrigu tenth chapter.

It is

is

sacrificial

the invocation is

and marriage occurs

the oblain the

Kasi Kharida of the Skanda Puraiia:

noticed briefly, and with

Riimayaria,

birth

creation.

resignation.

it.

which attends the oblation ;f Janardana

Parana, and

is

The

The goddess

donation (Dakshina).

Siva it

is

variation from the Puranas, in the

also given, in detail, in the

is

is

righteousness;

more

Kumara

particularly described in the

here mentioned merely to introduce the story

of the birth of the goddess of prosperity, Sri.

•

See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., p. 324. + For " the invocation which attends the oblation

of clarified butter", djydhuti, not djydhutl.

'',

read "the oblatioa

BOOK

Lakshmf

tion.*

I.,

CHAP.

119

viir.

the chamber where the females are

is

present (at a religious ceremony); Madhusi'idana, the

apartment of the males of the family.

Lakshmi

altar;

Hari, the stake (to wliich the victim

Sri

the fuel; Hari, the holy grass (Knsa).

is

the

is

bound).

is

He

the

is

personified Sama-veda; the goddess, lotos-throned,

the tone of

its

chanting, f

Lakshmi

is

oblation (Swdha); Vasudeva, the lord of the world,

the sacrificial

and

Srit

treya,

is

is

goddess. Vishnu

(Swadha), the eternal bestower

of nutriment. § Sri

is

with

wide-extended space.

all

things,

Sri is the

O Mai-

the lotos-seated

the tribe of progenitors (Pitrigana);

is

their bride

is

is

is

Sankara (Siva);

the bride of Siva (Gauri). Kesava,

the sun; and his radiance

is

Padma

Sauri (Vishnu)

fire.

is

the prayer of

is

moon; she

who

the heavens; Vishnu,

his unfading light.

is

The She

is

one

lord of called

is

the moving principle of the world; he, the wind which

Govinda is the ocean: Lakshmi, Lakshmi is the consort 'of Indra (Indrani); Madhusudana is Devendra. The holder of the discus bio weth. every where. its

shore.

(Vishnu)

is

Yama

throned goddess

(the regent of Tartarus); the lotos-

is

his dusky^ spouse (Dhiimorna). Sri

wealth; Sridhara (Vishnu)

is

is,

himself, the

god of

riches (Kubera).

Lakshini, illustrious Brahman,

Gauri; and Kesava

is

•

To render pvroddsa, "a

brooke's

Two

Treatises

on

is

the deity of ocean (Varuna). Sri

sacrificial

ike

cake of ground rice".

Hindu Law of

Inheritance,

See Cole-

p. 234,

first

annotation, and p. 337, second annotation.

t

"The

+

Here called

tone of

its

chanting", udgiti,

Bhiiti, in several of the

Most of the MSS. consulted by

me

MSS.

I

have examined.

have, not IfpgfyXffH rf T, "the eternal bestower of nutriment", but IJTlSrfTHfF?!; "the perpetual be§

stower of contentment

".

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

120 is

the host of heaven (Devasena); the deity of war, her

tlie mace is resistance; is the Kashtha Lakshmi the power the Muhiirta. and Nimesha the Hari, Kala; the and Lakshmi is the light; and Hari, who is all, and lord of She, the mother of the world, is the all, the lamp. creeping vine; and Vishnu, the tree round which she clings. She is the night; the god who is armed with

lord,

is

Hari.

mace and

the

blessings, is

discus

of

is Sri.

He, the bestower of

the day.

is

the bridegroom; the lotos-throned goddess

is

the bride.

one with

The wielder

oppose

to

all

The god

is

one with

The

female, rivers.

all

male, the goddess

lotos-eyed deity

is

the

standard; the goddess seated on a lotos, the banner. Lakshmi is cupidity; Narayana, the master of the world, is

thou

covetousness.

ness

is,

spouse,*

Govinda is

is

who knowest what

love;

pleasure.! But

and Lakshmi,

why

righteoushis gentle

thus diffusely enume-

enough to say, in a word, rate their presence? It that, of gods, animals, and men, Hari is all that is called male; Lakshmi is all that is termed female. There is is

nothing else than they.

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.^ (From

Vayu

the

Puraria.)

"There was formerly a peak of Meru, named Savitra, abounding with gems, radiant as the sun, and celebrated '

its

*

The

sacrifice of

historical

There

spouse".

is

Daksha

is

and archseological

nothing, in the M>SS.

a legend of some interest, from

relations. It

I

is,

obviously, intended

have seen, answering

f Rdga, "love";

to " his gentle

rati,

"pleasure".

121

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

throughout the three worlds; of immense extent, and difficult of access, and an object of universal veneration.

Upon

that glorious eminence, rich with mineral trea-

upon a splendid couch, the deity Siva reclined, accompanied by the daughter of the sovereign of mountains, and attended by the mighty Adityas, the

sures, as

powerful Vasus, and by the heavenly physicians, the

a struggle between the worshippers of Siva and of

to intimate

Vishiin, in which,

the latter, but, finally, the former,

at first,

acquired the ascendancy.

a favourite subject of Hindu

It is, also,

Hindus of the Saiva division, and both at Elephanta and Ellora. A re-

sculpture, at least with the

makes a conspicuous

figure

dispersion and

of the

presentation

logia. Vol.

VH.,

Solomon!

A

where

326,

figure of

tab. 10;

and the entire group,

p. 220.

It is described,

the subject, although

p.

in the

is

published in the Archgeo-

described as the

is

it

Virabhadra

of the gods and

mutilation

sages by Virabhadra, at the former,

is

Bombay

II.,

Transactions, Vol.

I.,

229: but Mr. Erskine has not verified

The group

cannot admit of doubt.

it

Judgment of

given by Niebuhr, Vol.

de-

scribed, p. 224, probably represents the introductory details given

the Ellora sculptures, a striking one occurs in

Of

in our text.

what Sir C. Malet

calls the

Doomar Leyna In one

Budder, with eight hands. Dutz."

A. R. Vol. VI.

,

396.

And

is

cave,

where

there

is

same

figure as that at Elephanta.

The legend

of Daksha, therefore,

"Veer

also a representation

of 'Ehr Budr' in one of the colonnades of Kailas the

is

suspended the slain Rajah

Bombay

;

being, in fact,

Tr., Vol. III., 287.

was popular when those cavern is told in much more detail

temples were excavated.

The

in several other Purarias,

and with some variations, which will

be noticed

:

style of the its

but the above has been selected as a specimen of the

Vayu

inartificial,

struction,

story

is,

Puraria, and as being a narration which, from

obscure, tautological, and uncircumstantial con-

probably, of an ancient date.

the same words,

is

given in the

Brahma

The same

Puraiia,

legend,

irj

]

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

22

sons of Aswinf: by Kubera,* surrounded by his train

who dwells on MuniUsanas: there order, with Sanatkumara at preceded by Angiras; Viswa-

of Guliyakas, the lord of the Yakshas, Kailasa.

There

also

were Rishis of the

was the first

their head; divine Rishis,

gi-eat

vasu, with his bands of heavenly choristers; the sages

Narada and Parvata; and innumerable troops of celestial nymphs. The breeze blew upon the mountain, bland, pure, and fragrant; and the trees were decorated with flowers that blossomed

in

every season.

Vidyadharas and Siddhas, affluent

upon Mahadeva, the lord of

many

in devotion,

The

waited

and

living creatures ;f

other beings, of various forms, did him homage.

Rakshasas of

terrific

semblance, and Pisachas of great

strength , of difl'erent shapes and features,

various weapons, and blazing like

armed with

were delighted to be present, as the followers of the god. There stood the royal Nandin, t high in the favour of his lord, armed fire,

with a fiery trident, § shining with inherent lustre; and there the best of rivers, Ganga, the assemblage of

holy waters,!! stood adoring the mighty deity.

worshipped by

all

all

Thus

most excellent of sages and of

the

gods, abode the omnipotent and all-glorioust Mahadeva.

"In former times Daksha commenced a holy sacrion the side of Himavat, at the sacred spot Ganga-

fice

*

f *

In the original, Vaisravana.

PaMtpati: rather, "lord of

§ Sula,

"a pike"; and

extract from the li

animals"; and so in

p. 125,

1.

3.

The more

"trident" occurs in the present

so •wherever

Vdyu-purdna.

literal

rendering would be

places situate on streams":

1

sacrificial

In the Sanskrit, Nandi'swara.

:

"rising from the water of all holy

^4rn^<3tHf)^
l

I

Instead of "omnipotent and all-glorious", read "divine", bhagavatf

123

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

The gods,

dwara. frequented by the Rishls. of assisting at this solemn

Mahadeva, and intimated

their head, to

desirous

came, with Indra*

rite,

at

their purpose,

and, having received his permission, departed, in their

splendid chariots, to Gangadwara, as tradition reports.^

They found Daksha, the best of the devout, surrounded by the singers and nymphs of heaven, and by numerous sages, beneath the shade of clustering trees and climbing plants; and all of them, whether dwellers on earth, in air, or in the regions above the skies, approached the patriarch with outward gestures of respect. Adityas, Vasus, Rudras,f Maruts,

all

The

entitled to partake

of the oblations, together with Jishnu, were present.

Ushmapas, Somapas, Ajya-

The

(four classes of Pitris)

pas,

and Dhumapas, (or those who feed upon the flame,

the acid juice, the butter, or the smoke of offerings),

came along with Brahma. Creatures of every class, born from the womb, the egg, from vapour, or vegetation, came upon their invocation as did all the gods, with their brides, who, the Aswins, and the progenitors,

;

in theii- resplendent vehicles, blazed like so

Or

'

is

in

Tt^

this

may be

^5[f?T:

usually

understood to imply, that the original story

I

Gangadwara, the place where the Ganges descends

— or

specified

precise, calling

Haridwar, as as

it

the scene

it

is

Kanakhala, which

rately, however, describes this as

Himalaya:

The Sanskrit has Kratu.

is

the village

p. 59).

It

still

called

rather inaccu-

upon Hamsa peak, a point of

i^^ ff^R^f^l^^

t Add Sadhyas.

—

is more usually termed The Linga is more

of action.

Kankhal, near Haridwar (Megha Duta,

•

fires.

the Vedas; the term being, as usual in such a reference,

to the plains

the

many

\

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

124

Beholding them thus assembled, the sage Dadhicha

was

filled

with indignation, and observed: 'The

who worships what ought

pays not reverence where veneration

most assuredly, of heinous Daksha, he said to him: to the

god who

is

man

not to be w^orshipped, or is

due,

is guilty,

Then, addi'essing

sin.'

'Why do you

the lord of life*

not offer

homage

(Pasubhartri)?'

Daksha spake: 'I have already many Rudras armed with tridents, wearing braided hair, and

present,

existing

in eleven forms. I recognize no other Mahadeva.' Dadhf cha spake 'The invocation that is not addressed to Isa is, for all, but a solitaiy (and imperfect) summons. :

Inasmuch

as I behold

no other divinity

who

is

superior

be comDaksha spake: 'I offer, in a golden cup, this entire oblation, which has been consecrated by many prayers, as an offering ever due to the unequalled to Sankara, this sacrifice of

Daksha

will not

pleted.'f

Vishnu, t the sovereign lord of

'

The Kurma Puraria

Dadhicha and Daksha; and matter. is

gives

all.'

also

this

discussion

their dialogue contains

Daksha, for instance,

states that

between

some curious

no portion of a

sacrifice

ever allotted to Siva, and no prayers are directed to be addres-

sed to him, or to his bride:

•

Rather, ''the guardian of animals

For the text,

for sacrifice".

fit

from the Mahdbhdrata

with that in which these verses occur,

,

of a

passage nearly identical

accompanied by a very

different

rendering from that given above, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., pp. 314, t

The

et seq.

epithet makh&sa, "lord of sacrifice", is here omitted.

125

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

"In the meanwhile the vh-tuous daughter of the mountain king, observing the departure of the divinities, addressed her lord, the god of Hving beings, and said~Uma spake —'Whither, lord, have the gods, preceded by Indra,*

this

day departed? Tell

me

truly.

Dadhicha apparently evades the objection, and claims a share

for

Rudra, consisting of the triad of gods, as one with the sun, who undoubtedly,

is,

hymned by

the several

ministering priests of

the Vedas:

Daksha

replies that the twelve Adityas receive special oblations;

that they are all the suns

Munis,

who

;

^ ^ T^ ^TT 1 W^ f^^ These notions seem days of the

The

and that he knows of no other.

overhear the dispute, concur in his sentiments:

Padma

to

Tf^'

»

have been exchanged for others,

in

the

Puraria and Bhagavata; as they place Daksha's

neglect of Siva to the letter's filthy practices,— his going naked, smearing himself with ashes, carrying a skull, and behaving as if

he were drunk or crazed; alluding, no doubt, to the practices of Saiva mendicants, who seem to have abounded in the days of Sankara Acharya, and since. There is no discussion in the Bhagavata; but Rudra

when

is

described as present at a former assembly,

his father-in-law censured

him before the guests, and,

in

consequence, he departed in a rage. His follower Nandinf curses the

company; and Bhrigu retorts in language descriptive of the "May all those". left hand worshippers of Siva.

Vamacharins or

*

Sakra, ia the original.

+ Nandiswara.

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

126

who knowest

tbou

plexes me.' the excellent

all

truth

;

for a great

doubt per-

Maheswara spake: 'Illustrious goddess, patriarch Daksha celebrates the sacrifice

of a horse; and thither the gods repair.'

Devi spake: most mighty god, dost thou also not proceed to this solemnity? By what hinderance is thy progress thither impeded?' Maheswara spake: 'This is the contrivance, mighty queen, of all the gods, that, in all sacrifices, no portion should be assigned to me.

'Why,

then,

In consequence of an an*angement formerly devised, the gods allow me, of right, no participation of sacrificial offerings.'

Devi spake: 'The lord god lives is eminent through

forms;* and his might faculties.

He is

unsurpassable, he

is

in all bodily

his superior

unapproachable, in

splendour and glory and power. That such as he should

be excluded from his share of oblations fills me with deep sorrow; and a ti'embling, sinless, seizes upon he 6ays,t

who

"who

adopt the worship of Bhava (Siva),

©ppugaers of holy doctrines. of purification; hair,

all

may

May

they neglect the observances

they be of infirm intellects, wearing clotted

and ornamenting themselves with ashes and bones ; and

they enter the Saiva initiation, in which spirituous liquor •

those

follow the practices of his worshippers, become heretics, and

may

is

the

libation."

• Professor Wilson doubtless read 4j3D'^M but the MSB. which have consulted give ^^"^"^g, "ia all the gods". -.

t Bhdffavata-purdna, IV.,

^^^wrrvKT

This

passage

Part IV., p.

2,-ii.

will

2,

I

28—29:

%^^

'^

cTpfwj^m:

bo found translated in

i

Original Sanskrit

TexU,

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

my

frame.

Shall I

obtain a share, sacrifice ? '

now

my

penance, so that

—a

127

practise bounty, restraint, or

lord,

who

is

inconceivable,

half, or a third portion,

may

— of the

^

"Then the mighty and incomprehensible

deity,

being

pleased, said to his bride, thus agitated and speaking:

'Slender-waisted queen of the gods, thou knowest not

know

the purpoi-t of what thou sayest. But I

with large eyes for the holy declare

all

;

By

ditation.

'

This

thy perplexity this day are

modified

quarrel begins with

by

in

other accounts.

Daksha

^^^^TfTcRT'nrrarfT

Daksha, and curses him

to

It is in this

She,

relate the dispute in

more

own

to the dispute

daughter:

to a prior period;

The Linga

between Daksha and

Sail,

and

an end to herself by Yoga:

— in

the Kasi

between father and daughter

detail.

destroys conies to

be born as a Kshatriya, the son of

The Padma, Bhagavata, and Skanda, and

in spite,

subsequent birth that the sacrifice occurs.

to the latter's putting

Upon

he abuses her hus-

Siva, hearing of this,

!

the Prachetasas, and to beget a son on his

and Matsya allude

is

the

the patriarch's being, as he thinks,

his son-in-law, with less respect than is his due.

band, and turns her out of his house. :

the gods,

all

In the Kiinna,

his daughter Sati's subsequently visiting him,

lierself

thou

by me-

simple account of Sati's share in the transaction

considerably

treated,

it.

things

The

first

Khanda,

in a like

refers the death of Sati,

manner, however,

and that and the Bhagavata both ascribe

it

to

Yoga:

The Kasi Khanda, with an improvement indicative of a later age, makes Sati throw herself into the fire prepared for the solemnity. *

Bhwjavata-purdna, IV.,

4, 27.

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

128

with Mahendra and

all

the three worlds, utterly con-

those who worship me repeat my praises, and chant the Rathantara song of theSamaveda. My priests worship me in the sacrifice of true

founded. In

my

sacrifice,

needed and, in this, they offer me my portion.'* Devi spake: 'The lord is the root of all, f and, assuredly, in every assem-

wisdom, where no

officiating

Brahman

is

;

blage of the female world, praises or hides himself at will.'

Mahadeva spake: 'Queen of the gods,

not myself. Approach, and behold for the

purpose of claiming

my

whom I

I praise

shall create

share of the

rite.'

"Having thus spoken to his beloved spouse, the mighty Maheswara created, from his mouth, a being like the fire of fate;: a divine being,

with a thousand

heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet; wielding a

thousand clubs, a thousand shafts; holding the shell, the discus, the mace, and bearing a blazing bow and

and

battle-axe; § fierce

terrific,

shining with dreadful

splendour, and decorated with the

crescent

moon;

clothed in a tiger's skin dripping with blood, having a

capacious stomach

,

and a vast mouth armed with forlips were pen-

midable tusks. His ears were erect; his dulous; his tongue was lightning; his

hand brandished

flames streamed from his hair; a

the thunder bolt;

wound round

necklace of pearls

his neck; a garland of

flame descended on his breast.

Radiant with

lustre,

consumes the world. Four tremendous tusks projected from a mouth which

he looked Uke the

final fire that

• See Original Sa7tskri( Texts, Part IV., p. 316, noie 281.

t Supnikrita. *

Kdldgni.

§

Add

Some MSS. have

"sword"',

asi.

krodhdgni, "the

lire

of

wrath".

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

extended from ear to strength, a

ear.

mighty male and

He was

129

of vast bulk, vast

lord, the destroyer of the

universe, and like a large fig-tree in circumference;

shining like a hundred

moons

at once;

fierce as the

of love; having four heads, sharp white teeth, and

fire

of mighty fierceness, vigour, activity, and courage;

glowing with the blaze of a thousand fiery suns

at the

in bulk, like

thousand undimmed moons; Himadri, Kailasa, or Sumeru, or Mandara,

with

gleaming herbs; bright as the sun of de-

end of the world: all

its

like a

struction at the end of ages;

and beautiful aspect;

a countenance burning like

of irresistible prowess

with lowering eyes, and

irascible,

fire;

clothed in the hide of

the elephant and lion,* and girt round with snakes; his head, a moon on his brow; sometimes savage, sometimes mild; having a chaplet of many flowers on his head, anointed with various

wearing a turban on

unguents, adorned with different ornaments and

many

wearing a garland of heavenly Karnikara flowers, and rolling his eyes with rage. Sometimes sorts of jewels,

he danced; sometimes he laughed aloud; sometimes he stood wrapt in meditation sometimes he trampled upon the earth; sometimes he sang; sometimes he ;

wept repeatedly. And he was endowed with the faculof wisdom, dispassion, power, penance, truth, endurance, fortitude, dominion, and self-knowledge. " This being then knelt down upon the ground, and,

ties

raising his hands respectfully to

his

head, said to

Mahadeva: 'Sovereign of the gods, command what

*

The

original,

the accusative. I.

ia the

That

is

MSS. known

me, is M 4| i^ ^rf%c('^ •! , iQ no mention of "the elephant".

to

to say, there is

it

9

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

ISO is tba-t I

must do

phed: 'Spoil the

for thee'; to

which Maheswara reThen the mighty

sacrifice of Daksha.'

Vicabhadra, having heard the pleasure of his lord,

bowed down

his

head to the feet of Prajapati./'" and, from bonds, despoiled the

starting like a lion loosed

sacrifice of Daksha: knowing that he had been created by the displeasure of Devi. She, too, in her wrath, as the fearful goddess Rudrakali, accompanied him, with

her

all

Irahi, to

witness his deeds.

Vfrabhadra, the

fierce, abiding in the region of ghosts, is the minister

of the

j^no;er

of Devi.

And he

then created, from the

pores of his skin, powerful demigods, f the mighty attendants upon Rudra, of equal valour and strength,

who

started, by hundreds and thousands, into existence. Then a loud and confused clamour filled all the ex-

panse of ether, and inspired the deni/.ens of heaven with dread. The mountains tottered, and earth shook; the winds roared, and the depths of the sea were distur})ed; the fires lost their radiance,

pale; the planets of the

and the sun grew

firmament shone not, neither

did the stars give light; the Rishis ceased their hynms,

and gods and demons vrere mute; and thick darkness eclipsed the chariots of the skies.

"Then from

th(>

'

t

gloom emerged

fearful

ous fonns, shouting the cry of battle;

'

The

dc scription of

and numer-

who

Virahhadra and his followers

instantly

is

other Puranas, in the same strain, but with less detail.

•

In tLe original, Umapati.

t

The

^

Hereabouts

original

calls-

the.

them Rauiaas:

translation

is

somewhat

free.

given in

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

broke or overturned the

sacrificial

131

columns, trampled

upon the altars, and danced amidst the oblations. Running wildly hither and thither, with the speed of wuid, they tossed about the implements and vessels of sacrifice, which looked like stars precipitated from the heavens. The piles of food and beverage for the gods, which had been heaped up like mountains; the rivers of milk; the banks of curds

and

butter; the sands

of honey, and butter-milk, and sugar; the

mounds of

condiments and spices of every flavour; the undulating knolls of flesh and other viands; the celestial liquors, pastes, and confections, which had been prepared; these the spirits of wrath devoured, or defiled, or scattered abroad. Then, falling upon the host of the gods, these

vast and resistless Rudras beat or terrified them, mocked

and insulted the nymphs and goddesses, and quickly rite, although defended by all the

put an end to the

gods; being the ministers of Rudra's wrath, and similar ^ Some then made a hideous clamour, whilst

to himself.

others fearfully shouted,

when Yajna was

decapitated.

For the

divine Yajna, the lord of sacrifice, then began to fly up to heaven, in the shape of a deer; and Vira-

bhadra, of immeasurable

'

spirit^

apprehending his power,

Their exploits, and those of Virabhadra, are more particu-

larly specified elsewhere, especially in the Linga,

Kurma, and knocked down and trampled on; Yama has his staff broken; Saraswati and the Matfis have their noses cut off; Mitra or Bhaga has his eyes pulled out; Pushan has his teeth knocked down his throat; Chandra is pummelled; Bhagavata Puranas.

Vahni's hands are cut

Indra

off;

is

Bhfigu loses his beard

;

the

Brahmans

are pelted with stones; the Prajapatis are beaten; and the gods

and demigods are run through

witii

swords, or stuck with arrows. 9*

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

132

mounted

cut off his vast head, after he had

into the

Daksha, the patriarch, his sacrifice being destroyed, overcome with terror, and utterly broken in spirit, fell, then, upon the ground, where his head was

sky/

spurned by the feet of the cruel Virabhadra.^ The scores* of sacred divinities were all presently

thiiiiy

This

'

and the

is

also mentioned in the Linga and in the Hari

Mrigasiras

;

Vamsa:

thus accounts for the origin of the constellation

latter

Yajna, with the head of a deer, being elevated to the

planetaiy region, by Brahma.

As he

'

prays to Siva presently,

could not well be meant,

it

Daksha was decapitated, although that is the story in The Linga and Bhagavata both state that Viraother places.

here, that

bhadra cut

off

Daksha's head

the fray, therefore

,

and threw

,

when Siva

it

into the fire.

restored the dead to

mutilated to their limbs, Daksha's head

text,

Khan da,

that of a ram.

After

and the

notice

or, is

It

according to

taken, in our

of the conflict elsewhere described between Virabhadra and

In the Linga, the latter

Vishnu.

blown, by the wind, into the

Purana, it

No

,

was not forthcoming.

was, therefore, replaced by the head of a goat, the Kasi

life

is less

contest

Brahma

in

fire.

is

beheaded; and his head

The Kurma, though

is

a Saiva

irreverent towards Vishnu, and, after describing

which both parties aud separate

interpose,

occasionally the

makes The Kasi

prevail,

combatants.

Khaiida of the Skanda Purana describes Vishnu as defeated, and at the mercy of Virabhadra, who is prohibited, by a voice from heaven, from destroying his antagonist; whilst, in the Hari Vaiusa,

Vishnu compels Siva nearly strangling him. this throttling,

and

to

fly,

him by the throat and

after taking

The blackness of

Siva's neck arose from

not, as elsewhere described,

from his drinking

the poison produced at the churning of the ocean.

"Three huudred and

thirty millions".

The

original ist

133

SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA.

bound, with a band of they

all

fire,

by

their lion-like foe; and

then addressed him, crying: '0 Rudra, have

lord, dismiss thine anger!' mercy upon thy servants! Thus spake Brahma, and the other gods, and the pa-

triarch

Daksha; and, raising their hands, they said: who thou art.' Virabhadra

'Declare, mighty being, said: 'I

am

not a god, nor an Aditya; nor

am

come

I

hither for enjoyment, nor curious to behold the chiefs

of the divinities.

Know

that I

am come to destroy am called Virabha-

the sacrifice of Daksha, and that I dra, the issue of the

wrath of Rudra. Bhadrakali,

who has sprung from the anger the god of gods, to destroy this of kings, with is

him who

is

of Devi, rite.

is

Take

the lord of

also,

sent here,

by

refuge, king

Uma. For

better

the anger of Rudra than the blessings of other gods.'

"Having heard the words of Virabhadra, the

right-

eous Daksha propitiated the mighty god, the holder of the trident, Maheswara.

The hearth

of sacrifice,

deserted by the Brahmans, had been consumed; Yajna

had been metamorphosed to an antelope; the fires of Rudra's wrath had been kindled; the attendants,

wounded by the tridents of the servants of the god, were groaning with pain; the pieces of the uprooted sacrificial posts were scattered here and there; and the fragments of the meat-offerings were carried off by

flights

jackals.

of hungry vultures and herds of howling

Suppressing his vital

airs,

and taking up a

posture of meditation, the many-sighted victor of his foes,

Daksha, fixed

thoughts. altar,

his eyes

Then the god

everywhere upon his

of gods appeared from the

resplendent as a thousand suns, and smiled upon

him, and said: 'Daksha, thy sacrifice has been destroyed

EXTRACT FROM THE VAYU PURANA.

134

through sacred knowledge. I thee.'

I

do

And then

am

well pleased with

he smiled again, and said: 'What

shall

Declare, together with the preceptor

for thee?

of the gods.'

"Then Daksha,

frightened, alarmed, and agitated,

his eyes suffused with tears, raised his tially to his if I

brow, and said:

have found favour

in

'If,

thy sight;

object of thy benevolence;

me

a boon, this

is

lord,

if

hands reveren-

thou art pleased; if I

am

to be the

thou wilt confer upon

the blessing I

solicit,

that

all

these

provisions for the solemn sacrifice, which have been collected with much trouble, and during a long time, and which have now been eaten, drunk, devoured,

may

not have been

be', replied

Hara^ the sub-

burnt, broken, scattered abroad,

prepared

'So let

in vain.'

duer of Indra.*

it

And thereupon Daksha

upon the earth, and praised,

knelt

down

gratefully, the author of

god Mahddeva, repeating names of the deity whose emblem

righteousness, the three-eyed

the eight thousand

a bull."

is

*

Bhaganetra

article

is

here used, in the

Sanskrit,

for

"Indra".

tl^^l'Sil in Professor Wilson's Sanskrit Dictionary.

See the

CHAPTER

IX.

Legend of Lakshrai. Durvasas gives a garland it

and

disrespectfully,

to Indra:

cursed by the Muni.

is

he treats

The power

the gods impaired: they are oppressed by the Danavas,

The churning

have recourse to Tishnu.

of the ocean.

of

and

Praises

of Sri.

Parasara.

—But, with respect

to the question thou

hast asked me, Maitreya, relating to the history of Sri,

hear from

me

the

tale,

as

it

was

told to

me by Marichi.

Durvasas, a portion of Sankara (Siva),^ was wandering over the earth;

nymph

when he

beheld, in the hands of a

of air,^ a garland of flowers culled from the

odour of which spread

trees of heaven, the fragrant

throughout the forest, and enraptured beneath

its

shade.

The

sage,

who was

all

who dwelt

then possessed

by religious phrensy,^ when he beheld that garland, demanded it of the graceful and full-eyed nymph, who,

'

Durvasas was the son of Atri by Anasuya, and was an

in-

carnation of a portion of Siva. '

A

According

sphere.

nymph by ^

These beings, male and female, are

Vidyadhari.

of an inferior order

He

,

to the

Vayu,

*

the garland

was given

to the

Devi.

observed the Vrata, or

vow

some

of insanity,

'^rifTfslflM*^

I

religious fanatics.

'In this

says the commentator, 'even saints are devils':

^f«{«f\

equivalent to the ecstasies of state',

spirits

tenanting the middle regions of the atmo-

The MSS.

of

the,

commentary

-which

I

have bad access

to

read:

VISHNU PURANA.

136

bowing to it

liim reverentially,

He, as one

to liim.

frantic,

his brow, and, thus decorated,

immediately presented placed the chaplet upon

resumed

when

his path;

he beheld (Indra) the husband ofSachi, the ruler of the three worlds, approach, seated on his infuriated elepliant, Airavata,

The

and attended by the gods.

phrensied sage, taking from his head the garland of flowers,

threw

it

amidst which the bees collected ambrosia, to the king of the gods,

suspended

it

like the liver

who caught

on the brow of Airavata, where

it, it

and

shone

Jahnavi, glittering on the dark summit

The elephant, whose eyes were dim with inebriety, and attracted by the smell, took hold of the garland with his trunk, and cast it on the earth. That chief of sages, Durvasas, was highly of the mountain Kailasa.*

incensed at this disrespectful treatment of his

gift,

and

thus angrily addressed the sovereign of the immortals: "Inflated with vile of spirit,

land

the intoxication of power,

I pi-esented to thee,

Fortune

(Sri).

Vasava,

thou art an idiot not to respect the gar-

Thou

largess; thou hast not

which was the dwelling of

hast not acknowledged

bowed

thyself before

it

as a

me; thou

hast not placed the wreath upon thy head, with thy

countenance expanding with delight.

Now,

fool, for

that thou hast not infinitely prized the garland that I

gave thee, thy sovereignity over the three worlds shall be subverted. Thou confoundest me, Sakra, ^vith other Brahmans; and hence I have suffered disrespect from

The

original is simply:

BOOK thy arrogance. But,

CHAF.

I.,

in like

the garland I gave thee

137

IX.

manner

down on

as thou hast cast

the ground, so shall

thy dominion over the universe be whelmed in ruin.

Thou all

whose wrath

hast otTended one

is

dreaded by

created things, king of the gods, even me,

by thine

excessive pride."

Descending hastily from his elephant, Mahendra endeavoured to appease the sinless Dnrvasas. But, to the excuses and prostrations of the thousand-eyed, the

Muni answered: "I am not nor

is

may

of a compassionate heart,

forgiveness congenial to

know me,

my nature.

Other Munis

Thou Gautama and others; for know me, Indra, to be Durvasas, whose nature is a stranger to remorse. Thou hast been flatrelent; but

Sakra, to be Durvasas.

hast in vain been rendered insolent by

tered by Vasishtha and other tender-hearted saints,

whose loud

praises have

made thee who is

thou hast insulted me.* But verse that can behold

my

frowns, and surrounded by

tremble?

What need

so arrogant that

there in the uni-

countenance, dark with

my

blazing hair, and not

of words?

I will

not forgive,

whatever semblance of humility thou mayest assume." Having thus spoken, the Brahman went his way: and the king of the gods, remounting his elephant, returned to his capital,

Amaravati.

Thenceforward,

Maitreya, the three worlds and Sakra lost their vigour;

and

all

vegetable products, plants,

and herbs were

withered and died; sacrifices were no longer offered

devout exercises no longer practised; men were no

more addicted *

to charity,

or any moral or religious

See Original ^amkrit Texts, Part

I.,

p, 95, note.

VISHNU PURANA.

138 ohligation;

beings became devoid of steadiness;*

all

the faculties of sense were obstructed

all

by cupidity;

and men's desires were excited by frivolous objects. Where there is energy* there is prosperity; and upon prosperity energy depends. How^ can those abandoned

by prosperity be possessed of energy? And without energy where is excellence? Without excellence there can be no vigour or heroism amongst men. He who has neither courage nor strength will be spurned by and he who is universally treated with disgrace must suffer abasement of his intellectual faculties. The three regions being thus wholly divested of

all;

prosperity, and deprived of energy, the

Danavas and

sons of Diti, the enemies of the gods,

who were

in-

capable of steadiness, and agitated by ambition, put forth their strength against the gods.

war with the

in

feeble

and unfortunate

They engaged divinities;

Indra and the rest, being overcome in fight, refuge, to

and

fled, for

Brahma, preceded by the god of llame

(Hutasana).

When

the great father of the universe

had come to pass, he said to the deities: "Repair, for protection, to the god of high and low; the tamer of the demons; the causeless cause oi

had heard

all

that

creation, preservation,

and destruction; the progenitor

of the progenitors ; the immortal, unconquerable Vishnu the cause of matter and spirit, of his unengendered

products; the remover of the grief of

themselves before him. '

will give

all

you

who humble

Here and below,

(^^),

Having

aid."

They became (f'T^^), Nibsattwa; and Saitwa

throughout, by Dhairya •

He

is

explained,

'steadiness', 'fortitude'.

this represents sattwa.

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

139

IX.

thus spoken to the deities, Brahma proceeded, along with them, to the northern shore of the sea of milk, and, with reverential words, thus prayed to the supreme

Hari "

:

We

him who

glorify

is all

things; the lord

supreme

unborn, imperishable; the protector of the mighty ones of creation; the unperceived,* indivisible over

all;

Narayana; the smallest of the smallest, the largest of the largest, of the elements; in whom are all things; from whom are all things; who was before existence; the god who is all beings; who is the end of ultimate objects;

who

supreme

soul;

is

final liberation,

beyond

who

is

final spirit,

and

is

one with

contemplated, as the cause of to be free; in

by sages anxious

whom

are not the qualities of goodness, foulness, or darkness, that belong to undeveloped nature. May that purest

of

all

pure

spirits this

day be propitious to

us.

May

whose inherent might is chain of moments, or progressive the of not an object he who is called the May time. up make that days, of that Hari be propitious to us,

supreme god, who is not in need of assistance, Hari, the soul of all embodied substance, be favourable unto who us. May that Hari, who is both cause and effect; the is who he effect; of is the cause of cause, the. effect effect of successive effect;

who

is

the effect of the effect

the of the effect, himself; the product of the effect of I him To substance).^ elemental (or effect, the of effect

bow. '

The cause

The

first effect

effect of the effect,

of the cause; the cause of the cause of primary cause

or of Prakfiti,

is

is

nature, or Prakfiti; the

Mahat;

Aprakdsa; explained, by the commentator,

to

effect

mean

in the third

"self-illuminated".

VISHNU PURANA.

140

them

of the cause; the cause of

him who

is

all:

him

to

bow. To

I

the enjoyer and thing to be enjoyed; the

creator and thing to be created;

who

is

the agent and

The

the eftect: to that supreme being I bow.

nature of Vishnu

is

hifinite

pure, intelligent, perpetual, unborn,

undecayable, inexhaustible, inscrutable, immutable; is

neither gross nor subtile,

fined: to that ever holy nature of

him whose

Vishnu

bow. To

I

faculty to create the universe abides in but

a part of but the ten-millionth part of him; to is

it

nor capable of being de-

one with the inexhaustible supreme

him who bow:

spirit, I

and to the glorious nature of the supreme Vishnu, which nor gods, nor sages, nor I, nor Sankara apprehend; that nature which the Yogins, after incessant effort, effacing both moral merit and demerit, behold to

be contemplated

in the mystical

monosyllable

Om:

the supreme glory of Vishnu, who is the first of all; of whom, one only god, the triple energy is the same lord of all, great with Brahma, Vishr'ui, and Siva: soul of all, asylum of all, undecayable, have pity upon

thy servants

Vishnu, be manifest unto

!

Parasara continued.

us.''

— The gods, having heard

this

prayer uttered by Brahma, bowed down, and cried:

"Be favourable degree

is

to us!

Be present

Aharhkara; in the fourth, or the

(Ahamkara) of the

effect

(Mahat) of

the succeeding ascending scale, the cause of

matter;

which

is

its

cause

subtile

Brahma

is

effect

tlie effect

Vishnu

mentary substance, or Bhuta.

life;

to our sight.

is

Brahma

of the effect

(Prakfiti), is ele-

each and is

We

all.

So,

in

the cause of mortal

the egg, or aggregate elementary

is,

therefore, elementary matter; the cause of

or

rudimental matter,

Ahamkara; and so

on,

Vishnu

is,

which originates from

also, each

and

all

of these.

BOOK

bow down

141

IX.

to that glorious nature whicli the

Brahma does not know;

whom

imperishable, in the

CHAP.

I.,

that which

is

mighty

O

thy nature,

the universe abides."

Then,

gods having ended, Brihaspati and the divine

"We bow down

Rishis thus prayed:

who

titled to adoration;

who was

before the

is

the

first

to the being en-

object of sacrifice;

of things; the creator of the

first

creator of the world; the undefinable. that has been or

is

lord of

all

to be; imperishable type of sacrifice;

have pity upon thy worshippers! Appear

to

them pros-

Brahma; here

is

Trilochana

trate before thee.

Here

is

(the three-eyed Siva), with the Rudras; sun), with the Adityas; and Fire, with

Pushan

all

(the

the mighty

Here are the sons of Aswini (the two Aswinf Kumaras), the Vasus and all the winds, the Sadhyas, the Viswadevas, andlndra, the king of the

lummaries.*

gods;

all

of

whom bow

tribes of the immortals,

have

lowly before thee.

vanquished

If^

the

All the

demon

host,

fled to thee for succour."

Thus prayed

to,

the supreme deity, the mighty

holder of the conch and discus, showed himself tu them; and, beholding the lord of gods, hearing a shell, a discus,

and a mace, the assemblage of primeval form, and

radiant with embodied light, Pitamaha and the other deities, their eyes

moistened with rapture,

first

paid

him homage, and then thus addressed him: "Repeated salutation to thee, who art indefinable! Thou art Brahma; thou art the wielder of the Pinaka bow (Siva); thou art Indra; thou art

"

"Fire, with

all its

forms":

t Varuna, in the origiDal.

fire, air,

the god of waters,

TH^c^ ^^ 4J^lfMfH:

I

VISHNU PURANA.

142

kmg

the sun,* the

of death (Tama), the Vasus, the

Maruts (the winds), the Sadhyas, and Viswadevas. This assembly of divinities, that now has come before thee, thou art; for, the creator of the world, thou

Iation,f the mystic syllable creatures.

Thou

We

discomfited

,

passion upon us!

There

will

be

all sins.

unto us,

all

be known, or to be

Do

Spirit of

all,:

fled to

have com-

Defend us with thy mighty power. and grief, until obtained: but thou art the remover

affliction, desire, trouble,

thy protection of

the sovereign of

by the Daityas, have

Vishnu, for refuge.

thee,

Om,

art all that is to

universal soul, the whole world consists

unknown. of thee.

ai-t

art the sacrifice, the prayer of obr-

Thou

everywhere.

is

pure of spirit, show favour

thou, then,

who have

fled to thee!

lord of

all,

protect

us with thy great power, in union with the goddess

who

is

thy strength." ^§

Hari, the creator of the uni-

prayed to by the prostrate divinities, smiled, and thus spake: "With renovated energy, gods, I will restore your strength. Do you act as 1

verse, being thus

the gods, associated with the Asuras,

enjoin.

Let

cast

sorts of medicinal herbs into the sea of milk;

all

all

and then, taking the mountain Mandara for the churnVasuki for the rope, churn the

ing-stick, the serpent

*

*

f *

With thy

Sakti, or the goddess Sri or

Lakshmi.

In the Sanskrit, Savitri. VashatTcora, "the exclamation at a sacrifice". These words, and "universal soul", just above, are

to render sar-

vdtman. §

"Lord

of all energies,

make

us,

by

tliy

power, to prosper":

BOOK

I.,

143

CHAP. IX.

ocean together for ambrosia; depending upon

at

my

aid.

secure the assistance of the Daityas, you must be

To

peace with them, and engage to give them an equal

portion of the fruit of your associated

toil;

them, that, by drinking the Amrita that

promising

shall

be pro-

duced from the agitated ocean, they shall become mighty and immortal. 1 will take care that the enemies of the gods shall not partake of the precious draught; that they shall share in the labour alone."

Being thus instructed by the god of gods, the divinientered into alliance with the demons: and they

ties

jointly undertook the acquirement of the beverage of

They

immortality.

collected various kinds of medicinal

herbs, and cast them into the sea of milk, the waters of which were radiant as the thin and shining clouds

They then took

of autumn. for the staff,

commenced

the mountain

Mandara

the serpent Vasuki for the cord, and

to

The

churn the ocean for the Ami-ita.

assembled gods were stationed, by Krishna, at the of the serpent; the Daityas and Danavas, at

tail

head

Scorched by the flames emitted from

and neck. hiflated

its

his

hood, the demons were shorn of their glory;

whilst the clouds, driven towards his of his mouth,

tail

by the breath

refreshed the gods with revivifying

showers. In the midst of the milky sea, Hari himself, in the

form of a

tortoise,

served as a pivot for the

was whirled around. The holder of the mace and discus was present, in other forms, amongst the gods and demons, and assisted to drag the monarch of the serpent race; and, in another vast body, he sat upon the summit of the mountain. With mountain

,

as

it

one portion of his energy, unseen by gods or demons,

144

VISHNL'

PURANA.

he sustained the serpent-king, and, with another, infused vigour into the gods.

From

ocean, thus churned by the gods and

the

Danavas,

uprose the cow Surabhi, the fountain

first

of in ilk and curds, worshipped

by the

and

divinities,

beheld by them and their associates with minds disturbed and eyes glistening with delight.

Then, as the

wondered what

this could be,

holy Siddhas

in

the sky

appeared the goddess

Varui'ii (the deity of

wine)

,

her

Next, from the whirl-

eyes rolling with intoxication.

pool of the deep, sprang the celestial Parijata tree, the delight of the

with

its

nymphs of heaven; perfuming the world The troop of Apsarasas (the nymphs

blossoms.

of heaven), were then prod need, of surprising loveliness,

endowed with beauty and with taste. The cool-rayed moon next rose, and was seized by Mahadeva; and then poison was engendered from the sea, of w^hich the snake-gods (Nagas) took possession. Dhanwantari, robed in white, and bearing in his hand the cup of Amrita, next came ibrth; beholding which, the sons of Diti and of Danu, as well as the Munis, were filled with satisfaction and delight.

blown

lotos,

goddess

Sri,

The great

Then, seated on a fulland holding a water-lily in her hand, the

radiant with beauty, rose from the waves.

hymned her

sages, enraptured,

song dedicated to her praise.^* Or

witli

the Siiktii, or

hymn

with the

Viswavasu and other

of the Vedas, commencing,

"Hiranyavarnain", Ac.

• "The sons: dedicated to her praise" translates iSfn'-su/tto. hymn so called, with its commentary, edited by me, seo Muller's

Vol. IV., Varietas Lectiouis, pp. 5,

et

seq.

For tbe Aig-veda,

BOOK

L,

CHAP.

145

IX.

heavenly quiristers sang, and Ghritachi and other celestial

nymphs danced

before her.

Ganga and other

holy streams attended for her ablutions; and the

ele-

phants of the skies, taking up their pure waters in vases of gold, poured them over the goddess, the queen of the universal world.

The

sea of milk, in person,

presented her with a wreath of never-fading Howers;

and the

artist of the

gods (Viswakarman) decorated

her person with heavenly ornaments.

Thus bathed^

and adorned, the goddess, in the view of the celestials, cast herself upon the breast of Hari, and, attired,

there reclining, turned her eyes upon the deities, who were inspired with rapture by her gaze. Not so the Daityas, who, with Viprachitti at their head, were filled with indignation, as Vishnu turned away from them: and they were abandoned by the goddess of

prosperity (Lakshmi).

The powerful and indignant Daityas then

forcibly

was in the hand of Dhanwantari. But Vishnu, assuming a female form, fascinated and deluded them, and, recovering the Amfita from them, delivered it to the gods. Sakra and the other deities quaffed the ambrosia. The incensed demons, grasping their weapons, fell upon them. But the gods, into whom the ambrosial draught had infused new vigour, defeated and put their host to flight; and they fled through the regions of space, and plunged into seized the Amrita-cup , that

the subterraneous realms of Patala. greatly rejoiced, did

homage

The gods

thereat

to the holder of the dis-

cus and mace, and resumed their reign in heaven.

sun shone with renovated splendour, and again charged his appointed task; and the I.

The dis-

celestial luminaries 10

VISHNU PURANA.

146

best of Munis, in their respective orbits.

again circled,

more blazed

Fire once

splendour;

aloft, beautiful in

and the minds of all beings were animated by devotion. The three worlds again were rendered happy by prosperity; and Indra, the chief of the gods, was restored to power.

Seated upon his throne, and once more in

^

of the ocean does not occur in several of the

The churning

'

Puranas, and

is

but cursorily alluded to in the Siva, Linga, and

The Vayu and Padraa have much

Kurma Puranas.

narrative as that of our text; and so have the vata, except that they refer only briefly to the

same

the

Agni and Bhaga-

anger of Durvasas,

without narrating the circumstances; indicating their being posterior, therefore, to the original tale.

to

Durvasas appears

The

however, assigned

part,

be an embellishment added to the ori-

to

ginal; for no mention of

him occurs

even in the Hari Vamsa.

Neither does

in

the Matsya Puraiia or

occur in what

it

Ramayana and Mahabharata. to the desire of the

may be

those of the

considered the oldest extant versions of the story,

Both these ascribe the occurrence

The

gods and Daityas to become immortal.

Matsya assigns a similar motive

to the gods,

instigated

by ob-

serving that the Daityas slain by them in battle were restored to life,

by Sukra, with the Sanjivini or herb of immortality, which

The account

he had discovered. obscure, and in

is

in the

which the churning of the ocean

the ambrosia

The legend

Hari Variisa

is

final

is

of the

Serampore edition

liberation.

Ramayana ,

is

typifies ascetic

But

this is

mere

translated, Vol.

also, the original text,

I.,

penance, and mystificatioti.

in his

poems, London,

of the

p. 410,

Bhagavad Gita.

Calcutta edition, p. 40.

It

See,

has been pre-

sented to general readers, in a more attractive form, by

my

friend,

Draught of Immortality, printed, with other

1827.

The Matsya Purana has many

stanzas of the Mahabharata interspersed with others.

some

and

and that of the Mahabharata, by Sir C. Wil-

kins, in the notes to his translation of the

H. M. Parker,

brief

explained, by the commentator, as an allegory,

variety in the order

and number of

articles

of the

There

is

produced from

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

147

IX.

heaven, exercising sovereignty over the gods, Sakra thus eulogized the goddess who bears a lotos in her hand:

As London

have observed elsewhere (Hindu Theatre, Vol. I., popular enumeration is fourteen. But

the ocean.

1

p. 59,

edition), the

Ramayaria

the

specifies but nine; the

gavata, ten; the

Padma,

nine; the

perhaps, gives the whole number.

Mahabharata, nine; the Bha-

Vayu, twelve: Those

in

the Matsya,

which most agree

are:

1. the Halahala or Kalakuta poison, swallowed by Siva; Varuni or Sura, the goddess of wine, who being taken by the gods, and rejected by the Daityas, the former were termed Suras,

2.

and the

Asuras; 3. the horse Uchchaihsravas taken by Kaustubha, the jewel worn by Vishnu; 5. the moon; Dhanwantari, with the Amfita in his Kamaridalu or vase; latter,

,

Indra; 6.

4.

and these two products;

articles are

the goddess

nymphs of heaven; rijata

Indra. 13.

,

in the

Padma

Vayu

,

considered as distinct

or Sri;

'8. the Apsarasas or Surabhi or the cow of plenty; 10. the Patree or tree of heaven; 11. Airavata, the elephant taken by

7.

9.

The Matsya adds:

the ear-rings taken

12.

the umbrella taken by Varuna;

by Indra, and given

to Aditi; and, apparently, another horse, the white horse of the sun. Or the num-

ber

may

be completed by counting the Amfita separately from

The number is made up, in the popular lists, by adding the bow and the conch of Vishnu. But there does not seem to be any good authority for this; and the addition is a sectarial one. So is that of the Tulasi tree, a plant sacred to Krishna, which is one of the twelve specified by the Vayu Dhanwantari.

Pu-

raria.

The Uttara Khanda

of the

Padma Purana

has a peculiar

enumeration, or: Poison; Jyeshiha or Alakshmi, the goddess of misfortune, the elder born to fortune; the goddess of wine; Nidra or sloth; the Apsarasas; the elephant of Indra; Lakskmi; the moon; and the Tulasi plant. The reference to Mohini, the fe-

male form assumed by Vishnu,

is very brief in our text; and no taken of the story told in the Mahabharata and some of the Puranas, of the Daitya Rahu's insinuating himself amongst

notice

is

10*

VISHNU PURANA.

148 ""

bow down

I

mother of all beings, seated

to ^rf, the

on her lotos-throne, with eyes like full-blown lotoses, reclining on the breast of Vishnu. Thou art Siddhi

(superhuman power); thou

art

Swadha and Swaha;

thou art ambrosia (Sudha), the purifier of the universe; thou art evening, night, and dawn; thou art power, intellect, faith;*

thou art the goddess of

wati).

votion,

knowledge,^

tual

Thou

letters (Saras-

knowledge of deThou, great knowledge, mystic knowledge, and spiribeautiful goddess, art

which confers eternal

art the science of

the arts and sciences;'^

liberation.

reasonmg,t the three Vedas, thou art moral and political

Being beheaded,

the gods, and obtaining a portion of the Amfita.

by Vishnu, the head became immortal, in consequence Amfita having reached the throat, and was transferred, as

for this,

of the

moon detected Rahu pursues them with impla-

a constellation, to the skies: and, as the sun and his presence

amongst the gods

cable hatred, eclipses;

and his

Rahu

,

typifying

,

to seize

efiforts

the ascending and descending nodes.

This seems to be the simplest

The

and oldest form of the legend.

equal immortality of the body, under the

his being the cause of meteorical

an afterthought.

In the

The

name Ketu, and

phenomena, seems

to

have been

Padma and Bhagavata, Rahu and Ketu

are the sons of Simhika, the wife of the '

them are the causes of

Danava

Viprachitti.

four Vidyas or branches of knowledge are said to be

Yujna-vidya, knowledge or performance of religious rites vidya, great knowledge, the worship of the female principle, trika worship;

;

MahaorTan-

Guhya-vidya, knowledge of mantras, mystical prayers,

and incantations; and Atma-vidya, knowledge of soul, true wisdom. ^

Or Vartta, explained

sculpture,

•

to

mean

the Silpa-sastra

,

and architecture; Ayur-veda, medicine; &c.

Bhuti, medhd, and iraddfid.

t Anvikshiki.

mechanics,

BOOK

The world

science, f

or displeasing forms. is

is

I.,

CHAP. IX.

149

by

thee, with pleasing

peopled,

Who

else

than thou,

goddess,

seated on that person of the god of gods, the wielder

of the mace, which is made up of sacrifice, and contemplated by holy ascetics? Abandoned by thee, the

three worlds were on the brink of ruin: but they have

been reanimated by thee.

From

thy propitious gaze,

mighty goddess, men obtain wives, children, dwellings, friends, harvests, wealth. Health and strength, power, victory, happiness are easy of attainment to

those upon of

all

whom

thou smilest.

Thou

beings; as the god of gods, Hari,

art the is

mother

their father:

and this world, whether animate or inanimate, is pervaded by thee and Vishnu. thou who purifiest all things, forsake not our treasures, our granaries, our

dwellings, our dependants, our persons, our wives.

Abandon not our thou

jewels,

children, our friends, our lineage, our

who

abidest on the

bosom

god by truth, by purity, and goodness, by every amiable and excellent quality; whilst the base and worthless upon whom thou lookest favourably become immediately endowed with all excellent qualifications, with families, and with power. He on whom thy countenance is of gods.

turned

is

They whom thou

of the

desertest are forsaken

honourable, amiable, prosperous, wise, and

of exalted birth, a hero of irresistible prowess. But his merits

lessness,

all

and his advantages are converted into worthfrom whom, beloved of Vishnu, mother of

the world, thou avertest thy face. The tongues of I/rahma are unequal to celebrate thy excellence. Be

t Dandanitii

VISHNU PURANA.

150 propitious to

forsake

me

me,

goddess, lotos-eyed; and never

more."

Being thus praised, the gratified Sri, abiding

and heard by

creatures,

all

in all

beings, repHed to the

god

am pleased, monarch adoration. Demand from me

of a hundred rites (Satakratu): "I

by

of the gods,

what thou

"K, goddess", prayers;

if I

request,

first

thine

desirest.

I

have come to

replied Indra,

am worthy

—

of thy bounty;

that the three worlds

be deprived of thy presence.

My

daughter of Ocean,

is,

who

thy praises

shall celebrate

fulfil

thy wishes."

"thou wilt grant

may

be

this

my my

never again

second supplication,

that thou wilt not forsake in

him

the words I have

addressed to thee."

"I will not abandon", the goddess answered, "the three worlds again. This thy first boon is granted: for I am gratified by thy praises. And, I will never turn my face away from that mortal who, morning and evening, shall repeat the

further,

hymn

with which thou hast addressed me." Parasara proceeded. Thus, Maitreya, in former times the goddess 6ri conferred these boons upon the

—

kmg her

of the gods, being pleased first

birth

by his adorations. But was the daughter of Bhrigu by Khyati.

was at a subsequent period that she was produced from the sea, at the churning of the ocean, by the demons and the gods, to obtain ambrosia.^ For, in It

The cause of this, however, is left unexplained. The Padma Puraria inserts a legend to account for the temporary separation of Lakshmi from Vishnu, which appears to be peculiar to that work.

Bhrigu was lord of Lakshmipura, a city on the Narmadd, by Brahma. His daughter Lakshmi instigated her

given him

husband

to request

its

being conceded to her, which offending

BOOK like

manner

I.,

CHAP.

151

IX.

as the lord of the world, the

god of gods,

Janardana, descends amongst mankind (in various

Thus, when Hari

shapes), so does his coadjutrix Sri.

was born as a dwarf, the son of Aditi, Lakshmi appeared from a lotos (as Padma or Kamala). When he was born as Rama, of the race of Bhrigu (or Parasurama), she was Dharahi. When he was Raghava (Ramachandra), she was Sita. And, when he was Krishna, she became Rukmini. In the other descents of Vishnu, she

is

his associate.

appears as divine;

if

If

too; transforming her

ever character

it

he takes a

celestial

form, she

a mortal, she becomes a mortal,

own person agreeably

to what-

pleases Vishnu to put on. Wliosoever

hears this account of the birth of Lakshmi, whosoever reads

it,

shall

never lose the goddess Fortune from

his dwelling, for three generations;

and misfortune,

the fountain of strife, shall never enter into those

houses in which the hymns to Sri are repeated. Thus, Brahman, have to thy question,

I

narrated to thee, in answer

how Lakshmi,

formerly the daughter

of Bhrigu, sprang from the sea of milk. shall

never

visit

And

those amongst mankind

recite the praises of Lakshmi, uttered

misfortune

who

daily

by Indra, which

are the origin and cause of aU prosperity. Bhrigu, he cursed Vishnu to be born upon earth ten times, to be separated from his wife, and to have no children.

an insipid modern embellishment.

The legend

is

CHAPTER

X. r

The descendants of

Maitreya.

the daughters of

—Thou hast narrated

that I asked of thee.

all

Daksha married

Now

to the Rishis.

to me, great Muni,

resume the account of

the creation subsequently to Bhfigu.

Parasara.

—Lakshmi, the bride of Vishnu, was the

daughter of Bhrigu byKhyati. They had also two sons, Dhatri and Vidhdtri,

who married

of the illustrious Meru, Ayati

the two daughters

and Niyati, and had, by

them, each, a son, named PrAna and Mfikanda.* The

whom VedaPrana was named Dyuti-

son of the latter was M4rkandeya, from siras

'

was born.^ The son

The commentator

of

interprets the text

Prana: ITHJ^I "^(^f^^T

refer to

son of Prana.'

So

^

I

7f^ "^^f^^

l

W%

to

'Vedasiras was born the

the Bhjigavataf has:

The Linga, the Vayu, and Markandeya, however, confirm our reading of the text: making Vedasiras the son of Markandeya. Prana, or, as read

in the

two former, Pandu, was married

to

Piindarika, and had, by her, Dyutimat,

whose sons were Srijavana and Asruta or Asrutavrana. Mrikaiida (also read Mfikandu) married Mana^wini, and had Markandeya, whose son, by Miirdhanya, was Vedasiras. He married Pivari, and had many cbildren,

who

constituted the family or Brahmanical tribe of the

Bhargavas, sons of Bhfigu. The most celebrated of these was Usanas, the preceptor of the Daityas, who, according to the Bhagavata, was (he son of Vedasiras. But the Vayu makes him the son of Bhfigu by Paulomi, and born at a different period.

*

All the

+ IV.,

],

MS8. seen by me have Mfikandu. 45.

BOOK

153

CHAP. X.

I.,

mat; and his son was Rajavat; after

Bhrigu became

whom

the race of

infinitely multiplied.

Sambhiiti, the wife of Marichi, gave birth to Paurfia-

masa, whose sons were Virajas and Sarvaga. hereafter notice his other descendants,

when

I shall

I give

a

^

more particular account of the race of Marichi. The wife of Angiras, Smriti, bore daughters named Sinivalf, Kuhu, Raka, and Anumati (phases of the moon).^ Anasiiya, the wife of Atri, was the mother '

Alluding especially to Kasyapa, the son of Marichi, of whose

posterity a full detail

is

Vayu and

dhaman, a Lokapala, or

Linga, four daughters,

The

Tushti, Pushti, Twisha, and Apachiti.

grandsons of Pauriiamasa.

(quasi Sarvaga) has,

The Bhagavata adds

subsequently given.

a daughter, Devakulya; and the

latter inserts

ruler of the east quarter;

and Parvasa

by Parvasa, Yajnavama and Kasyata,

*

The names MSS.

were, both, founders of Gotras or families. f these occur in different forms ^

•

in

The Bhagavata

t

in different

i"

my

first

of the Vdyu-purd/ia, in the

line

of this

quotation

^^IWTTnrf^^

Trf^H:without

his

"Kasyata",

I find,

And

after the latter.

next note.

The words

The l|4^<

who

of all

adds, that, in the Swarochisha Manwantara,

Professor Wilson had "Parvasi". Instead of MSS., Kasyapa: and there is a goira named

see

the

has Su-

Virajas, married to Gauri,

All those

conjectural

I

is,

in

&c.; and one

MSS. have mending,

^

MSS. within

my

some MSS. that MS. has, instead

^TfT^nTX:,

the line in

or

^^

question

reach, are:

I

have seen,

of

JHf^^t, But,

HfTEnr:. yields

no

sense.

Professor Wilson's "quasi Sarvaga" seems to imply that the MS., or MSS., which he followed had some such lection as ^EfqT T^* * These names and forms of names and so throughout the notes to are very numerous; and a fully satisfactory account of them, this work

—

—

in the absence of critical editions of the Furanas,

is

impracticable.

^

154

VISHNU rURANA.

Soma

of three sinless sons:

the ascetic* Dattatreya/ son, called, in a

former

(the moon), Durvasas,

and

Pulastya had, by Priti, a

birth, or in the

Manwantara, Dattoli,f who

is

Swdyambhiiva

now known

as the sage

Ksliama, the wife of the patriarch Pulaha,

Agastya."

was the mother of three sons: Karmasa,t Arvarfvat,§ the sages

Utathya and Brihaspati were also sons of Angiras;

and the Vayu, &c. specify Agni and Kirttimat as the sons of the patriarch, in the first

Manwantara.

Agni, married

has Parjanya, married to Marichi; and their son Kirttimat has, by

a Lokapala.

is

to

Sadwati,

Hirariyaronian,

Dhenuka, two sons, Charishnu

and Dhntimat. '

The Bhagavata

the three gods,

became,

gives an account of Atri's penancCj

Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, were

in portions

of themselves,

Datta, and Durvasas.

by which

propitiated,

severally his sons,

and

Soma,

The Vayu has a totally diflFerent series, Havya, Aporaurti, Sani, and Soma;

or five sons: Satyanetra,

and one daughter, '

The

text

who became

Sruti,

would seem

a former Manwantara:

in

the wife of

Kardama.

imply that he was called Agastya

to

but

the commentator explains

it

as

The Bhagavata calls the wife of Pulastya, Havirbhu, whose sons were the Muni Agastya, called, in a former birth, Dahragni (or Jatharagni) and Visravas. The latter had, by Idnvida, the deity of wealth, Kubera, and, by Kesini, the Rale shasas Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Vibhisharia. The Vayu above.

*

II

Yogin.

t Variants of this

name

are

Dattali,

Dattotti,

Dattotri,

Dattobhri,

Dambhobhi, and Dambholi +

Kardama seems

II

The

And

text

the

is

more common reading than "Karmasa". and Arvariyat.

to be a

§ Also written Avarivat, as follows:

commentator observes: fTMcTt ^^T^W^JfTI ^^'STf'T

^T*

BOOK

155

CHAP. X.

I.,

and Sahishnu.* The wife of Kratu, Samnatl, brought

pigmy sages,*

forth the sixty thousand Valikhilyas,

no bigger than a joint of the thumb, chaste, pious, resplendent as the rays of the

Vasishtha had

sun.'*

seven sons, by his wifeUrja: Rajas, Gatra,Urdhwabahu,

Savana,f Anagha, Sutapas, and Sukra, the seven pure The Agni named Abhimdnin, who is the eldest

sages.'

specifies three sons of Pulastya,

— Dattoli, Vedabahu,+ and Vinita,

and one daughter, Sadwati, married (see

p,

note 2) to Agni,

153,

The Bhagavata reads Karmasreshtha, Variyas, and Sahishriu. The Vayu and Linga have Kardama and Ambarfsha, in place of '

the

two

first,

and add Vanakapivat and a daughter, Pivari, married

to Vedasiras (see p. 152, note).

note

2),

Kardama married

Sruti (p. 154,

and had, by her, Sanlihapada, one of the Lokapalas, and

a daughter,

Kamya, married

to Priyavrata (p, 108, note 1).

Vana-

kapivat (also read Dhanakapivat and Ghanakapivat) had a son,

Sahishnu, married to Yasodhara; and they were the parents of

Eamadeva. '

The

The Vayu adds

different authorities agree in this place.

two daughters

,

Punya and Sumati

,

married to Yajnavama (see

153, note 1).

p.

^

The Bhagavata has an

entirely different set of

names, or:

Chitraketu, Surochis, Virajas, Mitra, Ulbaria, Vasubhfidyana, and

Dyumat.

It

also specifies Saktri and others

different marriage.

,

as the issue of a

The Vayu and Linga have

the same sons

as in our text; reading Putra andHasta, in place of Gatra,

add a daughter, Pundanka, married

The

eldest son,

according to the Vayu, espoused a daughter of

Markandeya, and had, by

The seven sons

They

to Paridu (see p. 152, note).

her, the

Lokapala of the west, Ketumat.

of Vasishtha are termed

,

in the text

,

the seven

r

Rishis; appearing, in that character, in the third Manwantara.

•

Yati.

t Yasana 5 I find

is

another reading.

Pevabahu

in one

MS. of the Vcythpurdiia.

156

VISHNU PURANA.

born of Brahma, had, by Swaha, three sons of sui*pass-

Pavamana, and Suchi, who They had forty-five sons, who, with

ing brilliancy: Pavaka,

drinks up water.

the original son of Brahma, and his three descendants, constitute the forty-nine fires.^

The progenitors (Pitris),

who, as I have mentioned, were created by Brahma, were the Agnishwattas and Barhishads; the former being devoid

of,

and the

possessed

latter

of, fires. ^

By

The eldest son of Brahma, according to the commentator, upon the authority oftheVedas: ^^T^J^tT^ft-S^T^ ^MI^(M<4||The Vayu Purana enters into a very long detail i^nffi ^^ '

'.

I

of the

names and places of the whole forty-nine

to that

,

also

,

that produced

Pavaka by

is electric

friction,

or Vaidyuta

or Nirmathya;

fires.

fire

;

According

Pavamana

and Suchi

is

solar

is

Pavamana was the parent of Kavyavahana, the fire Suchi of Havyavahana the fire of the gods and Pavamana, of Saharaksha, the fire of the Asuras. The Bhagavata explains these different fires to be so many appellations of (Saura)

fire.

of the Pitris

fire

;

,

employed

,

in the invocations with

to fire are offered in the ritual of the

explained, by the commentator; ifM^cJrllifiT '

X^ f^^T2r%

;

which

different oblations

Vedas:

%f^% ^i^fW "TW %Tf TRrf^7T T^ 5^T^ 1 Hlf^**!:

Hhilni

According to the commentator,

I

this distinction is

derived

from the Vedas.

The first class, or Agnishwattas, consists of who, when alive, did not maintain their donor offer burnt-sacrifices; the second, of those who

those householders

mestic fires,

kept up the household flame, and presented oblations with

Manuf

calls these

fire.

Agnidagdhas and the reverse, which Sir William

Jones renders 'consumable by fire', &c. KuUuka Bhatta gives no explanation of them. The Bhagavata adds other classes of •

Bhagavatorpurdiia, IV.,

1,

6U

f

lU., 199.

BOOK

157

CHAP. X.

I.,

them Swadha had two daughters, Mena and Dharini,

who were, both, acquainted with theological truth, and both addicted to religious meditation, both accomplished in perfect wisdom, and adorned with

mable

all esti-

Thus has been explained the progeny of the daughters of Daksha.^ He who, with faith, recapitulates the account shall never want offspring. qualities.^

Pitris; or, the Ajyapas, 'drinkers of ghee',

The commentator,

of the acid juice.'

terms

the

tllMq

1

1

Sagni

Anagni,

and

ds^f^rfT^»i'J|*^I

that the Pitris

who

I

and Soniapas, 'drinkers

explaining the meaning of

has:

4
^T?|t^'^

(

which might be understood

are 'without fire' are those to

are not offered, and those 'with

fire'

are they to

whom whom

%

to signify-

oblations oblations

are presented.

The Vayu

'

carries

genealogy forward.

this

Dharini was

married to Meru, and had, by him, Mandara and three daughters,

The two

Niyati, Ayati, and Vela.

and Vidhatfi

(p. 152).

first

were married

she had Samudrl, married to Prachinabarhis the ten Prachetasas

,

whom

and the mother of

,

the fathers of Daksha, as subsequently nar-

Mena was married

rated.

to Dhatri

Vela was the wife of Saraudra, by

to

Himavat, and was the mother of

Mainaka, and of Ganga, and of Parvati or Uma. *

No

notice is here taken of Sati, married to

intimated in

c.

8 (pp. 117, 118),

when

Bhava, as

is

Of

describing the Rudras.

these genealogies the fullest and, apparently, the oldest account is

given in the

the

Vayu Parana. As

two nearly agree;

far as that of

the names frequently varying same work, leaving it doubtful which

originating in inaccurate transcription in difTerent copies of the

reading should be preferred. (p. 109

ting,

our text extends,

allowing for differences of appellation,

note 3), has created

;

The Bhagavata, some

as observed above

further perplexity by substitu-

as the wives of the patriarchs, the daughters of Kardaraa,

for those of

Daksha. Of the general statement

that, although, in

some

it

may

be observed,

respects, allegorical, as in the

names of

the wives of the Rishis (p. 109), and, in others, astronomical

,

as

VISHNU PUR AN A.

158 in the

denominations of the daughters of Angiras

seems probable that persons, in

some

it

is

instances,

(p. 153),

yet

it

not altogether fabulous, but that the

had a real existence; the genealogies

originating in imperfectly preserved traditions of the families of the

first

teachers of the

individuals

who

Hindu

religion,

took an active share in

its

and of the descent of propagation.

CHAPTER XL Legend of Dhruva, by

his father's

the son of Uttanapada

:

he

is

unkindly treated

second wife: applies to his mother: her advice:

he resolves to engage in religious exercises: sees the seven Rishis,

who recommend him

Paras ARA continued.

—

to propitiate Vishnu.

I

mentioned to you that the

Manu Sw^yaiiibhuva had two had a son,

whom

these two the latter

he dearly loved, Uttama,

favourite wife, Suruchi. to

heroic and pious sons,

Of

Priyavrata and Uttdnapdda.

By

his queen,

named

by

his

Suniti,

whom he was less attached,

Dhruva.

'

he also had a son, called Observing his brother Uttama on the lap of

he was seated upon his throne, Dhruva was desirous of ascending to the same place; but, as Suruchi was present, the Raja did not gratify the desire

his father, as

of his son, respectfully wishing to be taken on his father's knee.

Beholding the child of her rival thus

anxious to be placed on his father's lap, and her

own

son already seated there, Suruchi thus addressed the

boy: "Why, child, do you vainly indulge in such pre-

sumptuous hopes?

You

are born from a different

mother, and are no son of mine, that you should aspire fit for the excelleut Uttama you are the son of the Raja: but I

inconsiderately to a station alone.

'

It is true

The Matsya, Brahma, and Vayu

Puraiias speak of but one

wife of Uttanapada, and call her Siinfita.

They

say, also, that she

had four sons: Apaspati (or Vasu), Ayushmat, Kirttimat, and Dhruva. The Bhagavata, Padma, and Naradiya have the same account as that of the text.

VISHNU PLRANA.

160

have not given you

birth.

of the king of kings,

should you aspire to

is

its

This regal throne, the seat

suited to

if you were you are but the offspring of Suniti?"

such lofty ambition, as forget that

son only. Why Why idly cherish my son? Do you

my

occupation?

The boy, having heard the speech of his step-mother, and repaired, in a passion, to the apartment of his own mother; who, beholding him vexed, took him upon her lap, and, gently smiling, asked him what was the cause of his anger, who had

quitted his father,

if any one, forgetting the respect had behaved ill to him. Dhruva, in her all that the arrogant Suruchi had

displeased him, and

due

to his father,

reply, repeated to

Deeply disby the narrative of the boy, the humble Suniti,

said to him, in the presence of the king.

tressed

dimmed with

her eyes

has rightly spoken.

tears, sighed,

Thine, child,

and

is

said: "Suruchi

an unhappy

fate.

to fortune are not liable to the

Those who are born

Yet be not afflicted, my child. what thou hast formerly done, or assign to thee what thou hast left undone? The throne, the umbrella of royalty, horses, and ele-

insults of their rivals.

For who shall

regal

shall efface

phants are his whose virtues have deserved them.

Remember

my

this,

son, and be consoled.

king favours Suruchi

is

That the

the reward of her merits in a

The name of wife alone belongs to who have not equal merit. Her son is the

former existence. such as

I,

piety, and is born as Uttama. Dhruva, of inferior moral worth.

progeny of accumulated

Mine has been born

my

as

it is not proper for you to grieve. be contented with that degree which appertains to him. But, if you contmue to feel hurt

Therefore,

A

wise

man

son,

will

BOOK at the

words of

religious merit

T.,

161

CHAP. XI.

Suruclii endeavour to augment that which bestows all good. Be amiable; ,

be pious; be friendly; be assiduous in benevolence to

For prosperity descends upon low ground." Dhruva answered: "Mother, the words that you have addressed to me, for my consolation, find no place all

living creatures.

modest worth,

as water flows towards

in a heart that

contumelv has broken.

I will

myself to obtain such elevated rank, that revered by the whole world. of Suruchi, the beloved of the

my

glory,

her

child, possess the

I

who am your

son.

it

exert

shall

be

Though I be not born king, you shall behold

Let Uttama,

my brother, my father. as my own

throne given to him by

wish for no other honours than such

actions shall acquire, such as even

my

father has not

enjoyed."

Having thus spoken, Dhruva went forth from his He quitted the city, and entered an adjoining thicket, where he beheld seven Munis, sitting upon hides of the black antelope, which they had taken from off their persons, and spread over the holy Kusa grass. Saluting them reverentially, and bowing humbly before them, the prince said: '"Behold, in me, venerable men, the son of Uttanapdda, born of

mother's dwelling.

Suniti.

you."

Dissatisfied with the world, I appear before

The

but four or child,

ftishis replied:

"The son of a

five years of age, there

why you

king, and

can be no reason,

should be dissatisfied with

life.

You

cannot be in want of anything, whilst the king, your father, reigns.

We

cannot imagine that you suffer the

pain of separation from the object of your affections; I.

li

VISHNU PUEANA.

162

nor do we observe, in your person, any sign of disease. What is the cause of your discontent? Tell us, if it is known to yourself." Dhruva then repeated to the Rishis what Suruchi had spoken to him; and, when they had heard his story, they said to

"How

one another:

surprising

is

the vehemence of tha Kshatriya nature, that resent-

cherished even by a

ment

is

from

his

cliild, and he cannot efface mind the harsh speeches of a step-mother!

Son of a Kshatriya, tell us, if it be agreeable to thee, what thou hast proposed, through dissatisfaction with the world, to accomplish.

what thou hast

If

to do, declare

thou wishest our aid

it

freely: for

we

in

perceive

that thou art desirous to speak."

Dhruva

said: "Excellent sages, I

want dominion.

neither do I

no one before

as

me

has attained. Tell

do, to effect this object;

superior to

not within the reach of

Do

(Achyuta)." spirits,

such a station

me what I must

reach an elevation

(The Rishis severally

Marichi said: "The best of stations

thus replied.)

vinda.

how I may

other dignities."

all

wish not for riches;

I aspire to

thou,

men who

prince,

is

to propitiate

is

Go-

worship the un decaying

"He with whom

Atri said:

Janardana,

fail

pleased,

the

first

of

obtains imperishable

I declare unto you the truth." Angiras said: you desire an exalted station, worship that Govinda whom, immutable and undecaying, all that is exists."

dignity. "If

in

Pulastya said:

"He who

adores the divine Hari, the

supreme soul, supreme glory, who is the supreme Brahma, obtains what is difficult of attainment, eternal liberation."

"who, in

"When

thai Janardana'"', observed Kratu,

sacrifices, is

the soul of sacrifice, and who, in

BOOK abstract contemplation,

there

is

nothing

CHAP.

I.,

supreme

is

man may

163

XI.

pleased,

spii^it,* is

not acquire." Pulaha said:

"Indra, having worshipped the lord of the world, ob-

Do

tained the dignity of king of the celestials.

thou

adore, pious youth, that Vishnu, the lord of sacrifice."

"Anything, child, that the mind covets", exclaimed Vasishtha,

"may be obtained by

even though

it

propitiating Vishnu,

be the station that

the most ex-

is

cellent in the three worlds."

Dhruva replied

to

them "You have :

bending before you, what deity

Now inform me what prayer him

that will offer

looking upon

me

is

thou deservest to hear

how

me how

I

am

the adoration of Vishiiu

who have been devoted

external impressions; and a in

by me,

the great Rishis,

The mind must first be made

on that being

humbly

Rishis answered: "Prince,

has been performed by those

steadily

May

with favour, instruct

The

all

told me,

to be propitiated.

to be meditated

gratification.

to propitiate the god."

to his service.

is

whom

man must the world

to forsake

then

fix it

By him

is.

whose thoughts are thus concentrated on one only object, and wholly filled by it; whose spirit is firmly under control; the prayer that we shall repeat to thee is to be inaudibly recited: 'Om! Glory to Vasudeva, whose essence is divine wisdom; whose form is in-

The commentator says •?!% ^r^TrffTtn^ :

The meaning

is,

im^

I

"^ff't

then: ""who, in the idsfra of sacrifice,

soul of the sacrifice, and, in the

Yoga

idstra, the

supreme

^H^IUJl^ is

I

called the

spirit."

1

VISHNU PURANA.

64

scrutable, or is manifest as

Brahma, Vishnu, and

Siva!'^

This i^rayer, which was formerly uttered by your grandsire, the

Manu Swayambhuva, and

propitiated

by

which, Vishnu conferred upon him the prosperity he

and which was unequalled

desired, is

by

to be recited

thee.

Do

in the three worlds,

thou constantly repeat Govinda."

this prayer, for the gratification of

'

The

instructions of the Rishis

of the Yoga.

amount

External impressions are,

particular positions,

to the performance to be obviated

first,

then be fixed on the object of meditation: this

repetition of a ject of the

;

is

more

ild^^R

fully detailed in

^^rrr^Tsf

Dharana. Next

is

and then the Japa or inaudible

Mantra or short prayer: as

Yoga

in the text.

^-ra^ 't^:

^

i

^m^

I

ii

Glory to Vasudeva, -who has the form of Hiranyagarbha, and

of soul, and of

pradhdna when not yet evolved

nature of pure intelligencer

Brahma, muttered pitiated,

sub-

II

ffm ^jrfq ^ftfTJ^ d^q i(d(^
"'Oml

The

a subsequent book.

IRT^: f^flTTf^I^ ^TT
^

by

The mind must

modes of breathing, &c.

comes the meditation or Dhyana

*

this prayer.

Manu,

the holy

,

and who possesses the

son of the Self-existent

Janardana, thy grandsire, of yore, pro-

bestowed on him wealth to his wish, such as

acquired in the three worlds.

is

hard to be

Therefore, daily muttering this prayer,

do thou, too, propitiate Govinda."

For Hiranyagarbha and pradhdna, see pp. 13, 20, 39, and 40, supra.

CHAPTER

XII.

Dhruva commences a course of religious

austerities. Unsuccessful attempts of Indra and his ministers to distract Dhruva's attention they appeal .to Vishnu, who allays their fears, and appears :

to

Dhruva.

Dhruva

praises Vishnu, and

is

raised to the skies,

as the pole-star.

The

prince, having received these instructions, re-

spectfully saluted the sages, forest, fully confiding in

purposes. of the

He

and departed from the

the accomplishment of his

repaired to the holy place, on the banks

Yamuna,

Madhu or Madhuvana, (the grove demon of that name, who formerly

called

of Madhu), after the

abided there. Satrughna (the younger brother of Rama)

having

slain the

founded a

At

this

city

Rakshasa Lavana, the son of Madhu, spot, which was named Mathura.

on the

holy shrine— the purifier from

all

sin,

which

enjoyed the presence of the sanctifying god of gods— Dhruva performed penance, as enjoined by Marichi

and the sages. He contemplated Vishnu, the sovereign of

all

the gods, seated in himself.

was wholly absorbed

Whilst his mind

in meditation, the

identical with all beings

and with

all

mighty Hari,

natures, (took

possession of his heart).

Vishnu being thus present mind, the earth, the supporter of elemental life, could not sustain the weight of the ascetic. As he

in his

stood upon his left foot, one hemisphere bent beneath him; and, when he stood upon his right, the other half of the earth sank down.

with his toes,

it

When he

shook, with

all its

touched the earth

mountains; and the

VISHNU PURANA.

166 rivers

and the seas were troubled; and the gods par-

took of the universal agitation.

The

Yamas

called

celestials

being excessively

,

alarmed, then took counsel with Indra, interrupt the devout exercises of

they should

Kushmandas in company with commenced anxious efforts to distract his

divine beings termed their king,

how

Dhruva; and the ,

One, assuming the semblance of his

meditations.

mother, Suniti, stood weeping before him, and calling in tender accents:

"My

stroying thy strength

gained thee,

my

son,

by

my

son, desist from de-

this fearful penance.

son, after

much anxious

I

have

Thou

hope.

canst not have the cruelty to quit

me, helpless, alone, and unprotected, on account of the unkindness of my

my

rival.

Thou

art

thou.

What

hast thou, a child but five years old, to

only refuge.

do with rigorous penance? practices, that yield

I

Desist from such fearful

no beneficial

the season of youthful pastime; and, the time for study.

it is

worldly enjoyment; and, tion.

This

is

have no hope but

First

fruit.

when

that

comes

is

over,

Then succeeds the period of lastly, that of austere

thy season of pastime,

my

child.

devo-

Hast

thou engaged in these practices to put an end to thine existence?

Thy

chief duty

according to time of

life.

is love for me. Duties are Lose not thyself in bewilder-

ing error. not, if

Desist from such unrighteous actions. If thou wilt not desist from these austerities, I will

terminate

my

life

before thee."

But Dhruva, being wholly intent on seeing Vishnu, beheld not his mother weeping in his presence, and calling upon him; and the illusion, crying out, "Fly, fly,

my

child: the hideous spirits of

ill

are crowding

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

.167

xir.

into this dreadful forest, with uplifted weapons", quickly

disappeared.

Then advanced frightful Rakshasas, wield-

ing terrible arms, and with countenances emitting fiery flame; and nocturnal fiends thronged around the prince,

and whirling and tossing their Hundreds of jackals, from w^hose mouths gushed flame ,^ as they devoured their uttering fearful noises,

threatening

weapons.

prey, were howling aloud, to appal the boy, wholly

engrossed by meditation. The goblins called out: "Kill

him,

And

kill

him; cut him to pieces; eat him, eat him."

monsters, with the faces of lions and camels and

and yelled, with horrible cries, to But all these uncouth spectres, appalling cries, and threatening weapons made no impression upon his senses, whose mind was completely intent on Govinda. The son of the monarch of the crocodiles, roared

terrify the prince.

earth, engrossed

by one only

idea, beheld, uninter-

ruptedly, Vishnu seated in his soul, and

saw no other

object.

All their delusive stratagems being thus foiled, the

Alarmed at by the devotions of

gods were more perplexed than ever. their discomfiture,

and

afflicted

the boy, they assembled, and repaired, for succour, to Hari, the origin of the world,

who

or end, and thus addressed him:

is

without beginning

"God

of gods, sov-

ereign of the world, god supreme, and infinite spirit

^

A

marginal note, by a Bengali Pandit, asserts

fact, that, it

when

to be a

a jackal carries a piece of meat in his mouth,

shows, in the dark, as

•

it

*

if it

was on

Puruskottama, in the original.

See

fire.

my

third note in p. 16, supra.

168

VISIINU PIJKANA.

distressed

by the

austerities of

to thee for protection.

Dhruva, we have come

As the moon

increases in his

orb day by day, so this youth advances incessantly

towards superhuman power, by his devotions. Terrified

by the

ascetic practices of tlie son of Uttdnapada,

have come to thee for succour. fervour of his meditations. station

he aspires

—

Do

we

thou allay the

We know

not to what

to the throne of Indra, the regency

of the solar or lunar sphere, or to the sovereignty of

Have compassion on us, lord from our breasts. Divert the son of Uttanapada from persevering in his penance." Vishnu replied to the gods: "The lad desireth neither riches or of the deep.

remove

this

affliction

the rank of Indra, nor the solar orb, nor the sovereignty of wealth or of the ocean. I will grant.

All that he solicits

Return, therefore, deities, to your man-

list; and, be no more alarmed. I will put an end to the penance of the boy, whose mind is immersed in deep contemplation."

sions, as ye

The gods, being thus pacified by the supreme, saluted him respectfully, and retired, and, preceded by Indra, returned to their habitations.

But Hari, who

is

all

thmgs, assuming a shape with four arms, proceeded to Dhruva, being pleased with his identity of nature, and thus addressed him: "Son of Uttanapada, be prosperous.

boons,

Contented with thy devotions,

am

present.

Demand what boon

1,

the giver of

thou desirest.

In that thou hast wholly disregarded external objects,

and fixed thy thoughts on me, I am well pleased with Ask, therefore, a suitable reward." The boy,

thee.

hearing these words of the god of gods, opened his eyes, and, beholding that Hari,

whom

he had before

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

169

xir.

seen in his meditations, actually in his presence, beaiing, in his hands, the shell, the discus, the mace, the

bow, and

bowed on

sciraetar,

his

and crowned with a diadem, he

head down

to earth: the hair stood erect

brow, and his heart was depressed with awe. reflected how best he should oifer thanks to the

his

He

god of gods, what he codd say in his adoration, what words were capable of expressing his praise; and, being overwhelmed with perplexit)', he had recourse, for consolation, to the deity.

lord

contented with

is

reward,

—

that I

How can I, is

thee.

to

My

may know how to Brahma and

heart

lord, grant

is

he exclaimed, "the

"If",

devotions,

a child, pronounce his

unknown

Vedas?

my

let this

my

be

him as I wish. praises, whose abode praise

to others learned in the

overflowing with devotion to

me the faculty

worthily to lay mine

adorations at thy feet."

Whilst lowly bowing, with his hands uplifted to his forehead, Govinda, the lord of the world, touched the

son of Uttanapada with the

tip

of his conch-shell.

And

immediately the royal youth, with a countenance sparkImg with delight, praised respectfully the imperishable protector of living beings.

"I venerate", exclaimed

Dhruva, "him whose forms are earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, the first element* (Ahamkara), primeval nature, and the pure, subtile, all-pervading soul, that surpasses nature. f

that

is

void of qualities; that

elements and *

Bhtitddu

See

all

my

Salutation to that is

supreme over

spii'it

all

the

the objects of sense, over intellect, first

note in p. 33, supra.

t Hero, and in the next sentence, "nature" first note in p. 20, supra.

is

for pradhdna.

See

my

VISHNU PURANA.

170 over nature and

have taken refuge with that

I

spirit.

supreme, which

pure form of thine,

one with

is

which transcends all the world. Salutation to that form which, pervading and supporting all, is designated Brahma, unchangeable, and con-

Brahma, which

is spirit,

Thou

templated by religious sages.

male with

art the

a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand

who

beyond that,

its

Whatever has been, or

contact.^

Purushottama, thou

Swaraj

,

Samraj

,

art.

feet,

and passest ten inches

traversest the universe,

From

to be,

is

thee sprang Viraj,

and Adhipurusha. ^ The lower, and

upper, and middle parts of the earth are not inde-

pendent of thee. in thee,

From

and that

that has been,

assuming

thee

and

this

universe,

all this

this universal form.^

The commentator understands

'

that the

all this

is

shall be;

all

world

From

thee

and without

limit.

is

passage to imply merely,

supreme pervades both substance and space; being

finitely vast,

is

in-

'Having a thousand heads', &c.

denotes only infinite extension; and the 'ten inches beyond the expresses merely non-restriction by

contact of the universe'

boundaries.

^T^t^T(2rrfV
I

^rft^l^'^^:

its

^^

I

Explained, severally, the Brahraanda or material universe;

'

Brahma,

the creator;

Manu, the ruler of

the period;

and supreme

or presiding spirit.

So

'

the inscription

to yeyovog, xal

upon

the temple of Sais: Eyio eifit riav

So the Orphic

ov, yal iao^ievov.

verse, cited

by Eusebius, beginning: "£*' Ji 64uctg

'One

regal

^aolKnov

body

in

h

which

(f»

(viz.,

Mahat), the

k.

r.

and

first

air,

and night, and day,

generator, and divine love:

for all these does Jupiter include in his expansive form.'

ceeds, also, precisely in the

X.

things are comprehended (viz.,

Viraj), fire, and water, and earth,

and Intelligence

nuvia xvxlthnt,

it(3(

all

Pauranik

It

strain, to describe the

pro-

mem-

BOOK saciifice derived,

and

I.,

all

and animals of either

CHAP.

171

XI[.

oblations,

and curds, and ghee,

From

class (domestic or wild).

thee the Rig-veda, the Saman, the metres (of the Vedas),

and the Yajnr-veda are born. Horses, and cows having teeth in one jaw only,^ proceed from thee; and from thee come goats, sheep, deer. Brahmans sprang from thy mouth; warriors, from thy arms; Vaisyas, from thy thighs; and Sudras, from thy

feet.

From

thine

eyes come the sun; from thine ears, the wind; and, from thy mind, the moon; the vital airs, from thy central fire, from thy mouth; the sky, from thy navel; and heaven, from thy head; the regions, from thine ears; the earth, from thy feet. All this world was derived from thee. As the wide- spreading Nyagrodha

vein; and

(Indian fig) tree

is

compressed

in a small seed,^ so, at

the time of dissolution,* the whole universe

hended

in thee, as its

is

compre-

germ. As the Nyagrodha ger-

a shoot, and world proceeds from thee, and expands into magnitude. As the bark and leaves of the plantain tree are to be seen in its

minates from the seed, and becomes, then rises into

first,

loftiness, so the created

—

stem, so thou art the stem of the universe; and all things are visible in thee. The faculties of the intellect, that are the cause of pleasure and of pain, abide in

bers of this universal form. his hair; the '

A

The heaven

is

his head; the

piece of natural history quite correct, as applied to the

front teeth, which, in the genus ox, occur in the lower *

This

is,

also,

Samyama.

jaw only.

conformable to the doctrine, that the rudiments

of plants exist in their cotyledons.

•

stars,

sun and moon, his eyes, &c.

172

VISHNU PURANA.

thee, as one with

all

But the sources of

existence.

pleasure and of pain, singly, or blended, do not exist in thee,

who

exempt from

art

all qualities.

Salutation

^

to thee, the subtile rudiment, which, being single, be-

comes manifold.

Salutation to thee, soul of existent

things, identical with the great elements.

Thou, im-

perishable, art beheld, in spiritual knowledge, as perceptible objects, as nature, as spirit, as the world, as

Brahma,

Manu, by

as

thou art in

all,

every form:

all is

I salute thee,

one with

art

'

In

life,

internal contemplation.*

the element of

thou art

from thee; and thou

universal soul. all

all:

things.

art

all,

But

assuming

from

thyself.

Glory be to thee! Thou

lord of

all,

thou art present

or living beings, perception depends not, according

Hindu metaphysics, upon the external senses; but the impressions made upon them are communicated to the mental organ to

—

mind to the understanding Sarhvid (^f^f^) which they are distinguished as pleasurable, pain-

or sense, and by the in the text ful

— by

or mixed.

,

ness;

But pleasure depends upon the quality of good-

pain, on that of darkness; and their mixture, on that of

foulness, inherent in the understanding: properties belonging to

Jiveswara, or god as one with

life,

or to embodied spirit, but not

as Pararaeswara or supreme spirit.

"Thou

art regarded,

in

mental action, as the evolved, as pradhdna,

as spirit; as virdj, samrdj, a.nd swardj ; as,

among

souls, the imperishable

soul."

my first note in p. 18, and ahamkdra, &c. that is meant by "the evolved", viz., pradhdna. Pradhdna, unqualified, is here to be taken as unevolved. Virdj, samrdj, and swardj are well-known technicalities of the Vedauta philosophy. The Supreme, under various aspects, is described in this couplet. For pradhdna, the same as prakriti, see

the

first in

p.

20, supra.

It is

BOOK

What

in all things.

can

I

in the heart,

all

that

all

creatures, origin of

is

CHAP.

I.,

173

xir.

say unto thee? soul of

all,

Thou, who

things.

all

beings, knowest the desires of

all

Thou knowest

sovereign lord of

that I cherished has been gratified, lord,

art all

The

creatures.

by

desire

thee.

My

devotions have been crowned with success, in that I

have seen thee."

Vishnu said to Dhruva: "The object of thy devotions been attained, in that thou hast seen me:

has, in truth,

for the sight of me,

young prince, is never unproductive. me what boon thou desirest: for

Ask, therefore, of

men in whose sight I appear obtain all theii' wishes." To this, Dhruva answered: "Lord god of all creatures, who abidest in the hearts of all, how should the wish that

I cherish

be unknown to thee?

I will confess

unto thee the hope that ray presumptuous heart has entertained; a

hope that

but that nothing

it

would be

when

is difficult,

world, art pleased.

Through thy

difficult to gratify,

thou, creator of the

favour, Indra* reigns

over the three worlds. The sister-queen of

my mother

has said to me, loudly and arrogantly: 'The royal throne

now

is

not for one

solicit

who

is

not born of me': and I

of the support of the universe an exalted

station, superior to all others,

and one that

forever." Vishnu said to him: askest thou shalt obtain: for I

of old, in a prior existence.

shall

endure

"The station that thou was satisfied with thee, Thou wast, formerly, a

Brahman, whose thoughts were ever devoted to me, ever dutiful to thy parents, and observant of thy duties. In course of time, a prince became thy friend, who was *

Maghavat, in the origiDaU

VISHNU PURANA.

174

in the period of youth, indulged in all sensual pleasures,

and was of handsome appearance and elegant form. Beholding, in consequence of associating with him, his

you formed the desire that you might be accordmg to your wish, you obtained a princely birth, in the illustrious mansion of Uttanapada. But that which would have been thought a great boon by others, birth in the race of Swayambhuva, you have not so considered, and, therefore, have propitiated me. The man who worships me obtains speedy liberation from life. What is heaven to one whose mind is fixed on me? affluence,

subsequeoitly born as the son of a king; and,

A

station shall be assigned to thee,

Dhruva, above the

three worlds;^ one in which thou shalt sustain the stars

and the planets

a station above those of the sun, the moon, Mars, the son of Soma (Mercury), Venus, the son of Surya (Saturn), and all the other constellations; above the regions of the seven Rishis and the divinities '

The

;

station or sphere

polar star.

In

the mother of Dhruva.

Suniti,

related in our text, told,

is

that of the north pole, or of the

former case, the star

the

it difi'ers,

is

in its circumstances,

by Ovid, of Callisto and her son Areas, Imposuit

suggests

some suspicion

autliorities

have

we

,

considered to be

The legend, although,

as

it

is

from the story

whom

Jove

cajlo vicinaque sidera fecit,

of an original identity.

perhaps , the primitive

In neither of the

fable.

from the quotation, that presently follows in the

It is evident,

text, of

a stanza

by Csanas, that the Puraiia has not the oldest version of the legend; and Ovid's representation

own.

of

it is

after a fashion of his

All that has been retained of the original

is

the conformity

of the characters and of the main incident, the translation of a

mother and her son the pole-star is the

to the heavens,

as constellations^^ in which

most conspicuous luminary.

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

175

XII.

traverse the atmosphere.* Some celestial beings endure for four ages; some, for the reign of a Manu.

who

thee shall be granted the duration of a Kalpa. Thy mother, Suniti, in the orb of a bright star, shall abide

To

near thee for a similar term; and all those who, with minds attentive, shall glorify thee at dawn, or at evenacquire exceeding religious merit. Thus, the sage Dhruva, having received a boon from Janardana, the god of gods, and lord of the world,

tide, shall

an exalted station. Beholding his glory, Usanas, the preceptor of the gods and demons, repeated these verses: "Wonderful is the efficacy of this penance, resides in

marvellous

is its

reward, that the seven Rishis should too, is the pious Suniti,

be preceded by Dhruva. This, his parent,

who

is

called SiinritA."^

Who

can celebrate

her greatness, who, having given birth to Dhruva, has become the asylum of the three worlds, enjoying, to all

future time, an elevated station, a station eminent He who shall w^orthily describe the ascent ail?

above

Dhruva, for ever shaU be freed from sin, and enjoy the heaven of Indra. Whatever be dignity, whether upon earth, or in heaven, he shall

into the sky of all

his

never

fall

from

it,

but shall long enjoy

life,

possessed

of every blessing.^ 1

The Vairaanika

'heavenly ears', 2

The

devas, the deities

or, rather,

text says merely:

who

travel in

Vimanas,

'moving spheres.'

The commentator ^^^f^T^T^ ^Wf ^[^^fR TT We have already I

says: 'Perhaps* formerly so-called';

I

remarked, that some Puranas so denominate her. 2 The legend of Dhruva is narrated in the Bhagavata, • The ^T, here rendered "perhaps", connects two means "or else".

Padma

interpretations,

and

VISHNU PUR AN A.

176

(Swarga Kbauda), Agni, and Naradiya, much and partly in the same

double, the Hari Variisa, the to

to the same purport, The Brahma, and its Matsya, and Vayu, merely allude

•words., as

our

text.

Dhruva's having been transferred, by Brahma, to the skies, in

reward of

his austerities.

The

story of his

religious penance

and adoration of Vishnu seems to be an embellishment polated by the Vaishnava Puranas; saint,

by

their sect.

The

as a

allusion to Si'mrita, in our text, concurs

with the form of the story as the priority of the

inter-

Dhruva being adopted,

it

appears elsewhere, to indicate

more simple legend.

CHAPTER

XIII.

Legend of Vena: his impiety: he is put to The production of Rishis. Anarchy ensues.

Posterity of Dhruva.

death by the

Nishada and Pfithu: the of Siita and Magadha:

the

latter,

first

The

king.

origin

they enumerate the duties of kings.

Pfithu compels Earth to acknowledge his authority: he levels it:

introduces cultivation: erects

cities.

Earth called, after him,

Pfithivi: typified as a cow.

Parai^ara.

—The sons of Dhruva, by

bhu, were Bha\^'^a and

Slishti.

was the mother of

of the latter,

his wife

Sam-

Suchchhaya, the wife five virtuous sons;

Ripu, Ripunjaya, Vipra, Vfikala, and Vrikatejas.

The

son of Ripu, by Brihati, was the illustrious Chakshusha,

who begot

the

Manu Chakshusha on

Pushkarinl, of the

family of Varuna, the daughter of the venerable patri-

arch Anaranya. The

Manu

had,

by

his wife Nadvala,*

the daughter of the patriarch Vairaja, ten noble sons:

Puru,f Satadyumna, Tapaswin, Satyavach, Kavi, Agnishtoma, Atir4tra, Sudyumna, and Abhimanyu.

IJru,

The wife of Uru, Agneyi, bore six excellent sons: Anga^ Sumanas, Swati, Kratu, Angiras, and Siva. Anga had, by his wife Sunitha, only one son,

whose

right

arm was rubbed, by the

purpose of producing from

it

progeny.

named Vena,

Rishis, for the

From

the

arm

of Vena, thus rubbed, sprang a celebrated monarch.

*

Professor Wilson inadvertently put "Navala".

t Puru

is

the older form of this word,

as, for instance,

veda, Sdkuntala, &c. I.

12

in the Rig-

VISHNU PURANA.

178

named

Prithu,

by whom,

in

olden time, the earth was

milked for the advantage of mankind.

'

descent of Prithu from

The

Dhruva

^

similarly traced in

is

Matsya Parana, but with some variety of nomenclature. Thus, the wife of Dhruva is named Dhanya, and the eldest son of the Manu, Taru. The Vayu introduces another generation; making

the

the eldest son of Slishti,— or, as there termed, Pushti,— father of

Udaradhi, and the

latter,

the father of Ripu, the father of Cha-

The Bhagavata* has an almost

kshusha, the father of the Manu.

names, having converted the family of personifications of divisions of time and of day and

entirely different set of

Dhruva night.

into

The account

there given is:

Dhruva had, by

Bhrami (revolving), the daughter of Sisumara

The

and Vatsara.

latter

wife

his

(the sphere),

Kalpa

married Swarvithi, and had six sons:

Pushpania, Tigmaketu, Isha, Urja, Vasu, Jaya.

The

first

married

Prabha and Dosha, and had, by the former, Pratas (dawn), Madhyandina (noon), and Saya (evening), and, by the latter, Pradosha, Nisitha, and Vyushia, or the beginning, middle, and end, of night. to Akiiti,

The

by Pushkaririi, Chakshus, married

last has,

and the father of Chakshusha Manu.

He has

twelve sons

Puru, Kutsa, Trita, Dyumna, Sat^avat, Rita,t Vrata, Agnishtoma, Atiratra,

Pradyumna,

of six sons,

Gaya.t Prithu.

The

named

eldest,

The

last is the father

is

the father of

who

is

called

Vena, the father of

are, evidently, the creatures of the author's

The Brahma Puraua and Hari Vamsa have

same genealogy

as the Vishnu;

Vayu, Pushkarini or

* IV.,

and Ulmuka.

Anga,

These additions

imagination.

Varuria.

Sibi,

as in our text, except the last,

Virarii,

the

reading, as do the Matsya and

the daughter of Virana, instead of

They, as well as copies of the

text, present several

10 and 13.

+ Professor Wilson had "Kritsna'*, "Rita", and "Dhrita", instead of Kutsa, Trita, and Rita. *

my

The Bhdgavata-purdna

also has

second note in the next page.

Khyati, instead of Swati.

And

see

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

179

xrrr.

—

Maitre YA. Best of Munis, tell me why was the right hand of Vena rubbed by the holy sages, in consequence of which the heroic Prithu was produced. Parasara. Sunitha was, originally,* the daughter of Mfityu, by whom she was given to Anga to wife. She bore him Vena, who inherited the evil propensities of his maternal grandfather. When he was inaugurated,

—

by the

monarch of the

Rishis,

earth, he caused

it

to

be everywhere proclaimed, that no worship should be

performed, no oblations offered, no the Brahmans.

gifts

the king", said he,

For who but I am

sacrifice.

The

"I,

bestowed upon

"am

the lord of

entitled to the oblations ?"

fcshis, respectfully approaching the sovereign,

addressed him in melodious accents, and said: "Gra-

we salute you. Hear what we have to reFor the preservation of your kingdom and and for the benefit of all your subjects, per-

cious prince, present.

your

life,

mit us to worship Hari, the lord of

the

all sacrifice,

god of gods, with solemn and protracted

rites,^

—a por-

other varieties of nomenclature, f The Padnia Parana (Bhiimi Khanda) says Anga was of the family of Atri; in allusion, per-

haps, to the circumstance, mentioned in the

Brahma Purana,

of

Uttanapada's adoption by that Rishi. '

With

the Dirghasatra,

'long sacrifice'; a ceremony lasting

a thousand years.

•

Some MSS. have.jnstead

'^^IH^((,

I

It

of

^Wt: H«|*1dti»T^5 ^W^*

ITO*

seems, therefore, better to substitute: "Sunitha was

Mrityu's eldest daughter."

t The principal variants "Slishfi",

Sishfi;

for

of the

"Vanina",

Vishnu-purdna are as follows: for "Anaranya", Aranya;

Viriiia;

for for

"Kavi", Suchi; for " Agnisht'oma", Agnisht'ut; for "Sudyumna", Pradyumna; for "Swati", Kbyati; for "Siva", Ushij. 12*

180

vismhj puRiCNA.

tion of the fruit of

which

VishAu,

will revert to you. *

the god of oblations,* being propitiated with sacrifice

by

grant you,

us, will

princes have

all

king,

your

all

Hari, the lord of sacrifice,

is

adored with

"Who", exclaimed Vena,

rites."

Those whose realms

desires.

their wishes gratified, in

Who

besides

Hari,

whom you

me

is

sacrificial

"is superior to

worship? WTio

entitled to

me? this

Brahma,

style the lord of sacrifice?

Janardana, Sambhu, Indra, Vayu,

is

Yama, Ravi

(the

Pushan

(the

sun), Hutabhuj (fire), Varuna, Dhatri,

sun), Bhiimi (earth), the lord of night (the moon), these,

all

and whatever other gods there be who

to our vows,

—

all

The essence

king.

Conscious of

of a sovereign

this, I

is all

You

of

my

divine.f

is

and

are not to sacrifice, not

to offer oblations, not to give alms.

women

that

my commands:

have issued

look that you obey them.

of

listen

these are present in the person of a

As

the

first

duty

obedience to their lords, so observance

is

orders

is

incumbent, holy men, on you." "Give

command,

great king", replied the Rishis, "that piety

may

no decrease.

'

suffer

That

is,

are propitiated

All this world

but a trans-

is

the land will be fertile in proportion as the gods ;

and the king will benefit accordingly, as a sixth

part of the merit and of the produce will be his.

mentator explains the word 'portion':

*

Yajnapurusha.

See

my

^sni*.

"^^

So

m^*

the

com-

I

note in p. 163, supra.

In place of "whatever other gods there be

who

listen to

our vows",

read "whatever other gods bestow curses or blessings."

The end that

is

of the stanza signifies, literally:

divine."

"A

king

is

made up

of all

BOOK

I.,

CHAP.

mutation of oblations; and, the world

at an end."

is

vain; and, although this

181

XIII.

devotion be suppressed,

if

But Vena was entreated in request was repeated by the

sages, he refused to give the order they suggested.

Then those pious Munis were

filled

with wrath, and

cried out to each other: "Let this wicked wretch be slain.

The impious man who has

sacrifice,*

who

is

reviled the

without beginning or end,

to reign over the earth."

And

they

fell

god of

is

not

upon the

fit

king,

and beat him with blades of holy grass, consecrated by prayer, and slew him, who had first been destroyed

by

towards god.

his impiety

Afterwards the Munis beheld a great dust arise; and they said to the people

And

who were

nigh:

"What

is

this?"

"Now that the dishonest men have

the people answered and said:

kingdom begun to

is

without a king, the

seize the property of their neighbours.

you behold,

great dust that

excellent Munis,

is

The

raised

upon and together rubbed the thigh of the king, who had left

by troops

of clustering robbers, hastening to

their prey."t

no

The

produce a son.

ofifspring, to

rubbed, came

fall

sages, hearing this, consulted,

From

the thigh, thus

forth a being of the complexion of a

charred stake, with flattened features

(like

a negro),

"What am I to do?" cried he eagerly to the Munis. "Sit down" (nishfda), said they: and thence his name was Nishada. His descendand of dwarfish

stature.

ants, the inhabitants of the

Muni, are

•

still

Vindhya mountain, great and are characterized by

called Nishadas,

F
t There

is

here considerable compression in the translatioQ.

182

VISHNU PURANA,

the exterior tokens of depravity. *

By

means the

this

wickedness of Vena was expelled; those Nishadas being The Matsya

'

says there were born outcast or barbarous races,

(^^pTTW^^,

Mlechchhas

as black as collyrium.

The Bhagavata

describes an individual of dwarfish stature, with short arms and legs, of a

complexion as black as a crow, with projecting chin,

broad

nose, red eyes, and tawny hair; whose descendants

flat

The Padma (Bhumi Khaiida)

were mountaineers and foresters.*

has a similar description; adding to the dwarfish stature and black

complexion, a wide mouth, large ears, and a protuberant belly.

Nishadas

It also particularizes his posterity as

Bhrahmaras, Pulindas,

Bahanakas,

,

Kiratas

Mlechchhas, living in woods and on mountains. intend, and do not the

much exaggerate,

Gonds, Koles, Bhils, and other

,

Bhillas,

and other barbarians or

These passages

the uncouth appearance of uncivilized tribes,

scattered

along the forests and mountains of central India, from Behar to

*

Bhdgavata-purdna, IV., 14, 43-46:

^g^rrfw^^T'Twnft


"Ayant dn

^yr^

translation

is

TWT^^^rra^^:

^Mi«^i t^rfr^rr'nrTt^Tr:

i

in these words:

pris cette resolution, les Kichis secouerent

roi qu'ils

ii

avaient tu^, et

en

11

sortit

"Noir comme un corbeau, ayant

le

rapidemeot

la cuisse

un nain

corps d'une extreme petitesse, les

bras courts, les machoires grandes, les pieds petits, le nez enfonce, les

yeux rouges

et les

cbeveux cuivres.

"Prosterne devant eux, fasse?

Et

vint le

nom

les

Brahmanes

h

pauvre nain

lui repondirent:

s'ecria:

Que

faut-il

Assieds-toi, ami.

De

que je la lul

de Nichada.

" C'est de sa race que sont sortis les Naichadas qui habitent les caverues et les

montagnes; car

de Vena."

c'est lui

dont

la naissan«e effa^a la fante terrible

BOOK

bom

CHAP.

I.,

of his sins, and carrj^ing

183

xm.

them away. The Brah-

rub the right arm of the king, from which friction was engendered the ilhistrious son of Vena, named Prithu, resplendent in person, as if the

mans then proceeded

to

blazing deity of Fire had been manifested.

There then fell from the sky the primitive bow (of Mahadeva) named Ajagava, and celestial arrows, and panoply from heaven. At the birth of Prithu, all living creatures rejoiced; and Vena, deUvered, by his being born, from the hell

The

above.*

their depths),

seas

named and

Put, ascended to the realms

rivers, bringing jewels (from

and water to perform the ablutions of

his installation, appeared.

The great parent

of

all,

Brahma, with the gods and the descendants of Angiras (the fires) and with all things animate or inanimate, ,

assembled, and performed the ceremony of consecrating Beholding in his right hand the the son of Vena.

(mark of the) discus of Vishnu, Brahmd recognized a portion of that divinity in Prithu, and was much For the mark of Vishnu's discus

pleased.

the hand of one

who

one whose power Khandesh

,

and

who

is

is

is visible in

born to be a universal emperor,^

invincible even

are, not

by the gods.

improbably, the predecessors of the

country. They present occupants of the cultivated portions of the and have counteare always very black, ill-shapen, and dwarfish,

nances of a very African character. » A Chakravartin, or, according to the

text,

one in

whom

the

Vishnu) abides (vartate); such a figure being grammatical etymology delineated by the lines of the hand. The territoiy called extensive an over, rules or in, is: "He who abides

Chakra

(the discus of

a Chakra.' •

See Ordinal Sanskrit Texts, Part

I.,

pp. 60-63.

VISHNU PURANA.

184

The mighty Prlthu, the son

of Vena, being thus in-

by those who were

vested with universal dominion skilled in the rite,

people

whom

soon removed the grievances of the

his father

had oppressed; and, from win-

ning their affections, he derived the king.^

the ocean: the

solid,

ner passed unbroken (through the forests)

needed not cultivation; and, prepared:

all

was stored

of Raja or

title

when he traversed mountains opened him a path: his ban-

The waters became

:

the earth

food was cow of plenty: honey At the sacrifice of the

at a thought,

kine were like the

in every flower.

which was perfonned by Brahma, the was produced, in the juice of the moon-plant, on the very birth-day.^ At that great sacrifice also was produced the accomplished Magadha. And the holy sages said to these two perbirth of Prithu,

intelligent Siita (herald or bard)

sons: "Praise ye the king Prithu, the illustrious son

of Vena, For this

is your especial function, and here is your praise." But they respectfully replied to the Brahmans: "We know not the acts of

a

fit

subject for

the new-born king of the earth.

understood by us: his fame

is

His merits are not

not spread abroad.

form us upon what subject we may

In-

dilate in his praise."

"Praise the king", said the Rishis, "for the acts this

'

From

Rilga

'

The

birth

'passion' or 'affection.'

("^J^lj),

obvious etymology

is

Raj (l^T^),

of Prithu

is to

'to

be considered as the

which Brahma, the creator, was the performer. places, as in the rite

was

Padma,

it is

But

the

more

shine' or 'be splendid.' sacrifice,

of

But, in other

considered that an actual sacrificial

celebrated, at which the

The Bhagavata doeg not account

first

encomiasts were produced.

for their appearance.

BOOK

1.5

CHAP.

185

XIII.

heroic monarch will perform: praise him for the virtues

he

will display."

The and

king, hearing these words, was

reflected

,

that persons acquire

much

pleased,

commendation by

virtuous actions, and that, consequently, his virtuous

conduct would be the theme of the eulogium which the bards were about to pronounce. Whatever merits, then, they should panegyrize, in their encomium, he

determined that he would endeavour to acquire; and, they should point out what faults ought to be avoided,

if

he would try to shun them.

He, therefore, hstened

attentively, as the sweet-voiced encomiasts celebrated

the future virtues of Prithu, the enlightened son of Vena. "The king is a speaker of truth, bounteous, an ob-

server of his promises. valiant,

duties;

and a terror

is

wise, benevolent^ patient,

he acknowledges services: he

and kind-spoken. forms

He

to the wicked.

sacrifices;

He

is

He knows

his

compassionate

respects the venerable; he per-

he reverences the Brahmans.

cherishes the good, and, in administering justice,

He is

indifferent to friend or foe."

The virtues thus celebrated by the Suta and the Magadha w^ere cherished in the remembrance of the Raja, and practised, by him, when occasion arose. Protecting this earth, the monarch performed many great sacrificial

ceremonies, accompanied by liberal dona-

His subjects soon approached him, suffering from the famine by which they were afflicted; as all the edible plants had perished during the season of

tions.

anarchv. In reply to his question of the cause of their coming, they told him that, in the interval in which the earth was without a king,

all

vegetable products

186

VISHNU PURANA.

had been withheld, and that, consequently, the people had perished. "Thou", said they, "art the bestower of subsistence to us: thou art appointed, by the creator,

the protector of the people.

Grant us vegetables, the

support of the lives of thy subjects,

who

are perishing

with hunger."

On

hearing

this,

Prithu took up his divine

bow

Aja-

gava, and his celestial arrows, and, in great wrath,

marched forth

to assail the Earth.

Earth, assuming

the figure of a cow, fled hastily from him, and traversed,

through fear of the king, the regions of the heavenly spheres.

Brahma and

But, wherever went the sup-

porter of living things, there she beheld Vainya with uplifted weapons.

At

last,

trembling (with terror), and

anxious to escape his aiTows, the Earth addressed

"Know you men", said the Earth, "the sin of killing a female, that you thus perseveringly seek to slay me?"

Prithu, the hero of resistless prowess. not, king of

The prince

replied:

"When

the happiness of

many

is

secured by the destruction of one malignant being, the

death of that being the Earth, subjects,

is

an act of virtue." "But", said

order to promote the welfare of your

"if, in

you put an end

to

me, whence, best of mon-

archs, will thy people derive their support?"

obedient to

my

my people by the efficacy of Then the Earth, overcome with

thee, I will support

own

"Dis-

rule", rejoined Prithu, "if I destroy

devotions."

my

apprehension, and trembling in every limb, respectfully saluted the king,

are successful,

employed.

iif

and thus spake: "All undertakings means of eflPecting them are

suitable

I will impart to you means of success, which you can make use of, if you please. All vege-

BOOK

my

milk.

Do

I will restore

you, therefore, for the benefit of mankind,

most virtuous of princes, give I

may

so that I

may

cause

me

that calf

Make,

be able to secrete milk.

level,

187

XIII.

and destroyed by me: but, at them, as developed from

table products are old,

your command,

CHAP.

I.,

my

by which

also, all places

milk, the seed of

all

vegetation, to flow everywhere around."

uprooted the mountains, by

Pfithu, accordingly,

hundreds and thousands, for myriads of leagues; and they were, thenceforth, piled upon one another. Before his time there

were no defined boundaries of villages

or towns, upon the irregular surface of the earth; there

was no

way

cultivation,

no pasture, no agriculture, no high-

for merchants. All these things (or

all

Where

originated in the reign of Prithu.

civilization)

the ground

was made level, the king induced his subjects to take up their abode. Before his time, also, the fruits and roots which constituted the food of the people were procured with great

difficulty;

all

vegetables having

been destroyed: and he, therefore, having made Swayaihbhuva Manu the calf,^ milked the Earth, and re'

'Having willed or determined the Manu Swayarhbhuva

be the

to

calf:'

So the Padma Purana:

********

The Bhagavata* has: the

calf.'

By

W^ T^^

^TtEf

the 'calf,

^R^ cH^: TRif^Hli

or

Manu

I

I

'Having made the Manu

in that character,

is

typified,

the commentator observes, the promoter of the multiplication of

progeny:

M^dlfl^MM^^^

• lY., 18, 12.

I

188

VISHNU PURANA.

ceived the milk into his

own hand,

for the benefit of

Thence proceeded all kinds of corn and vegetables upon which people subsist now and perpetually. By granting life to the Earth, Pfithu was as her father; and she thence derived the patronymic mankind.

appellation Prithivi (the daughter of Prithu).

Then

the gods, the sages, the demons, the Rakshasas, the

Gandharvas, Yakshas,

Pitris, serpents,

mountains, and

trees, took a milking vessel suited to their kind,

and

And the milker their own species.

milked the earth of appropriate milk.

and the

'

calf

were both peculiar

to

^

The Malsya, Brahma, Bhagavata, and Padma

enter into a

greater detail of this milking, specifiying, typically, the calf, the milker, the milk, and the vessel.

Thus, according to the Matsya,

the Rishis milked the earth through Bfihaspati; their calf

Soma;

When

the

was Vedas were the vessel; and the milk was devotion.

the gods milked the earth, the milker

was Mitra

(the sun);

Tndra was the calf; superhuman power was the produce.

gods had a gold, the Pitns, a silver, vessel: and, for the

The latter,

was Antaka (death); Yaraa was the calf; the milk was S\^adha or oblation. The Nagas or snake-gods had a gourd

the milker

for their pail

was

;

their calf

their milker

was

and

;

was Takshaka; Dhritarashtra (the serpent) their milk was poison. For the Asuras,

was the was of iron. their vessel was of unbaked earth; the milk was the power of disappearing. The Rakshasas and others employed Raupyanabha as the milker; their calf was Sumalin; and their milk was blood. Chitraratha was the calf, Vasuruchi, the milker, of the Gandharvas and nymphs, M.-iya

the milk; Virochana, the son of Prahlada,

was Dwimiirdhan and the The Yakshas made Vai.sravana their calf;

calf;

the milker

who milked was of

vessel

fragrant odours into a cup of lotos-leaves.

of the mountains, pail

;

crystal

Meru was ;

the milker;

Himavat, the

On

and the milk was of herbs and gems.

trees extracted sap in a vessel of the Palasa;

behalf

calf; the

The

the Sal being the

BOOK

CHAP.

I.,

169

XIIT.

—

This Earth the mother, the nurse, the receptacle, and nourisher,of all existent things— was produced from calf. The descriptions that occur Bhagavata, * Padma, and Brahma Puranas are, occasionally,

milker, and the Plaksha, the in the

slightly varied;

words

but they are, for the most part, in the same of the Matsya.

that

as

These mystifications are,

all,

probably, subsequent modifications of the original simple allegory,

which

cow,

typified the earth as a

who

yielded to every class of

beings the milk they desired, or the object of their wishes.

*

The account given

in the

Bhdgavata-picrdAa—lY., 18, 12-27

these words:

^<^ ir^T tnrnrt

w^ mmw^w^'^fi^t^r^:

^ ^i^ ^t»tt^^

f^Tr:

ii

i

f^i4H^^^«^1
ii

w^ f^
i

^?n^^ ^5n^"Wfn:

T^f^ f^^

twr:

^^

'^

ii

^^^qfTR^ft'i;

f^^T^TT^:

"^ "^ TTf^i^ TrerrTTrvT^^Trnji^T^

^

ncR^T^i

^f^^

n^^Twr^^

f^vn^ T^irfr

^ixrr%

^rrsn^^^

ii

"^ ^fFf^^m% f^ trsr: ^(^ if^T ^ ^f ^1^

^^^

^

II

i

11

^r^TTftf^ ^fTrf^ f^iTT^: fT?fiTrnir^T:

^if^T^T f ^^:

i

II

I

i

—

is

lu

190

VISHNU PURANA.

And

the sole of the foot of VishDu.

thus was born

who was

the mighty Pfithu, the heroic son of Vena,

f^'JWr f^TTTt ^N<*i^ '^ wz^^i ^T5m^: ^T(^wE( Tm:

^f^?^rrf«p^ wYt5^ Burooufs translation of this passage "Se conformant aa conseil amical et

Manu,

le

i

ffT^ft^ HMivrr^'^^i^if

r*K
pour veau

II

se

et

«p^3[f

II

II

as follows:

is

utile

de

la terre, le roi lui

a la traire de sa main,

niettant

donna

en

il

tira

toutes les plantes annuelles.

"C'est ainsi que d'autres sages ont su,

comme

ce roi, retirer de toutes

choses une substance precieuse; les autres etres vinrent egalement traire, selon leurs desirs, la terre soumise par Prithu.

"Les aussi lis

Richis, 6 sage excellent, lui

traire

la

re^urent

le

donnant Brihaspati pour veau, vinrent

vache divine; leurs organes etaient

pur

lait

le

vase dans lequel

des chants sacres.

"Les troupes des Suras, lui amenant Indra comme veau, en tirereut Soma, ce lait qui donne la force, Tenergie, la vigueur, et le re^urent dans un vase d'or. "Les Daityas et les Danavas, prenant comme veau Prahrada, chef des

le

Asuras, vinrent la

traire,

dans un vase de

et re^urent

fer

le lait des

liqueurs spiritueuses et des sues fermentes.

"Les Gandharvas

et les Apsaras,

aussi traire la vache;

voix et

la

"Les

la

prenant un lotus pour vase, vinrent

Vi(?vavasu fut le veau;

le

lait

fut la

douceur de

beaute des Gandharvas.

Pitris,

dont Aryaman

etait le

veau,

eurent pour

lait I'offrande

qu'on presente aux Manes; les Divinites des funerailles, 6 grand sage, la recueillirent avec foi

"Kapila fut

le

vase dans lequel

dans un vase d'argile crue.

veau des Siddhas ils

et des

Vidyadharas;

le

ciel

fut

le

re^urent les charmes et la puissance surnaturelle

qui consiste dans I'acte senl de la voloote.

'D'autres Dieux livres a la magie, prenant

Maya pour

Maya, simple acte de la reflexion, que connaissent qui peuvent disparaitre a leur gre.

la

"Les Yakchas, ••jui

se

les

veau, re(;urent

les etres

Rakchasas, les Bhutas, les Pi^atchas et

merveilleux

les

Demons

nourrissent de chair, prirent pour veau le chef des Bhutas, et

re^urent dans un crane le sang dont

ils

s'enivrent.

BOOK the lord of the earth

,

and who

affections of the people,

the

was

of Raja

title

CHAP.

I.,

xm.

191

from conciliating the was the first ruler to whom ,

Whoever

ascribed.

shall recite

this story of the birth of Prithu, the

son of Vena, shall

never suffer any retribution for the

evil

And

committed.

such

Pfithu's birth, that those

be relieved from '

who hear

repeated shall

it

affliction.^

Another reading

is,

^tl^M^Wll*!

* * ^Ofd

-K-

The legend of Prithu Mahabharata, Raja Dharma, and occurs

counteracts evil dreams.' in

the

he may have

the virtue of the tale of

is

is briefly

in

I

'It

given

most of the

Purarias, but in greatest detail in our text, in the Bhagavata, and, in the

especially,

Padma, Bhiimi Khanda,

29, 30.

s,

All the

versions, however, are, essentially, the same.

"Les reptiles, les serpents, les animaux venimeux, les Nagas prirent Takchaka pour veau, et re^urent dans leur bouch© le poison qu'ils avaieut trait

de

la

vache.

"Prenant pour veau

le

taureau,

et

les forets, les bestiaux

pour vase

Accompagnees do

re^urent I'herbe des paturages.

roi des

animaux,

les

betes feroces,

"Qui

se nourrissent de chair, prirent la viande

et les volatiles, I'insecte qui se

"Les chacnn

meut

et le fruit immobile.

arbres, rois des forets, le

iait

recueillirent

"Toutes

chacune dans leur corps;

amenant comme veau Suparna, eurent pour leur part prenant

le Jiguier

pour veau, recueillirent

de leur propre seve; les montagnes

chacune sur leurs sommets

les creatures enfin,

prenant

re?urent chacune dans leur vase

les

metaux

comme veau

le Iait qu'elles

amenant I'Himavat,

,

varies. le

chef de leur espece,

etaient venues trairo de

vache, mere feconde de tous biens, qu'avait domptee Prithu. "C'est ainsi, 6 descendant de Kuru, que Prithn et les autrcs etres, avides de nourriture, trouverent tous d'excellents aliraeuts dans les diverses especes de Iait qu'ils re<jurent, en presentant chacua a la terre son veau la

et son vase."

CHAPTER Legend of

Descendants of Prithu. sired

by their father

,

,

to

XIV. the Prachetasas: they are de-

multiply mankind

,

by worshipping

Vishnu: they plunge into the sea, and meditate on and praise him: he appears, and grants their wishes.

Prithu had two valiant sons, Antardhi and Palin.^ of Antardhana, by his wife Sikhafidini, was

The son

Havu'dhana, to

whom Dhishaha,

a princess of the race

of Agni, bore six sons: Prachinabarhis, J^ukra, Gaya,

'

The

text of the

Vayu and Brahma

(or Hari Varii^a) read,

like that of the Vishnu:

M. Langlois* understands the two last words as a compound The epithet: " Et jouirent da pouvoir de se rendre invisibles." construction would admit of such a sense :t but it seems more probable that they are intended for names. is is

The

lineage of Prithu

immediately continued through one of them, Antardhana, which the same as Antardhi; as the commentator states, with regard

^«?TlV^n •PT^TT and as the commentator on the Hari Vamsa remarks, of the succeeding name: ^I«tTV'RT'^"« <^f ^^*^ brothers being called Antardhana ^nTt^^fTRl. to that appellation:

t

I

I

or Antardhi' leaves no other sense for Palin but that of a proper

name. The Bhagavatat gives Prithu

five

sons: Vijitaswa,

Dhumra-

kesa, Haryaksha, Draviiia, and Vrika; and adds,§ that the elder

was

also

named Antardhana,

in

consequence of having obtained,

from Indra, the power of making himself

•

Vol.

I.,

p.

invisible:

10.

disposition t The alternative sense implies, rather, that they had the to render themselves invisible. :

IV., 22, 54.

§ IV., 24, 3.

BOOK

I.,

CHAP. XIV.

Krishna, Vraja, and Ajina.'

The

mighty prince and patriarch, by multiplied after the death

from

called Prachinabarhis,

first

The Bhagavata,

as usual,

of these was a

whom mankind

of Havirdhana. his placing

the sacred grass, pointing to the east.-

'

193

was

He was

upon the earth At the termina-

modifies this genealogy.

Antar-

dhana has, by Sikharidini, three sons, who were the three fires, Pavaka,Pavamana, and Suchi,* condemned, by a curse ofVasishtha, to be born again.

By

another wife, Nabhaswati, he has Havir-

whose sons are the samef as those of the text; only giving another name, Barhishad, as well as Prachinabarhis, to dhana,

the

first.

According

to the

Mahabharata (Moksha Dharma), which

has been followed by the

born

Padma

Puraiia, Prachinabarhis

^Rf^^ ^^r^^ win^f^: ^TPT^: The

'

Kusa

text

or Barhis

which

it

is,

properly, 'sacrificial grass' (Poa); and Prachiits tips

towards the east'; the direction

should be placed upon the ground, as a seat for the

gods, on occasion of offerings made to them. fore,

I

is,

nagra, literally, 'having in

was

in the family of Atri:

The name,

there-

intimates either that the practice originated with him, or,

as the commentator explains

it,

that

fie

was exceedingly devout,

offering sacrifices, or invoking the gods, everywhere:

^«l»llf|^

I

The Hari VamsaJ adds a

^T^^

^TSTT"

verse to that of our text,

reading:

Bhagavata- purdfia, IV., 24, 4. At IV., 1, 59, they are spoken of Agul by Swaha. And see pp. 155 and 156, supra. t The BMgavata-purdria IV., 24, 8, gives their names as follows: Barhishad, Gaya, Sukla, Krishna, Satya, and Jitavrata. *

as SODS of

,

I I.

Stanza 85. 13

VISHNU PURANA.

194

tion of a rigid penance, he married Savarna, the daugh-

who had been

ter of the ocean,

which M. Langlois* has rendered:

'

Quaud

marchait sur la

il

de causa etaient courbees vers I'orient'; which

les pointes

terre,

pre^dously betrothed

he supposes to mean, 'que ce prince avait tourne ses pensees

et

porte sa domination vers Test:" a supposition that might have

been obviated by a

Manuf

to

which he

little

further consideration of the verse of

refers: "If he

have sitten on culms of kusa,

with their points toward the east, and be purified by rubbing that holy grass on both his hands, and be further prepared by three suppressions of breath, each equal, in time,

then

may

to five short

The commentary

pronounce OTO."t

fitly

passage as above, referring tlf^^l dH"^ T^UJ

'>

I

TfTfNWr:

cT^; as:

^f^T^

'He was

called Prachinabarhis

T\T^

,

to

vowels, he

explains the

^^Tt, not

^t: ^^fiH^iR'sft

to

^^:

because his sacred grass, point-

was going upon the very earth, or was spread over the whole earth,' § The text of the Bhagavata|| also explains clearly ing east,

what

is

meant:

*By whose sacred grass, pointing sacrifice after

sacrifice,

the

to the east,

whole earth, his

as he performed sacrificial

ground,

was overspread.'^ • Vol.

*

I.,

p.

10.

t

This rendering, which

in keeping with the § Rather:

"On

is

that of Sir William Jones,

commentary

75:

is

not altogether

of KuUiika Bhat't'a.

his land the sacred grass,

was forthcoming on the face was filling the entire circuit

II-,

of the earth, of the earth.

pointing towards the east, as

it

were,

that is

to

say,

Hence he was called Pra-

chinabarhis." il

IV., 24,

10.

1 Burnouf— Vol. IL, Preface, qui, faisant succeder les sacrifices

p.

III.,

aux

note— renders

sacrifices, couvrit

thus: "C'est lui

de tiges de

Kufa

BOOK

I.,

195

CHAP. XIV.

and who had, by the king, ten sons, who were styled Prachetasas, and were skilled in military

to him, all

They

science.

all

observed the same duties, practised

and remained immersed in the bed of the sea for ten thousand years. Maitreya. You can inform me, great sage, why the magnanimous Prachetasas engaged in penance in

religious austerities,

—

the waters of the sea.

Paras ARA.

—The sons of Prachinabarhis were,

ori-

ginally, informed, by their father, who had been appointed as a patriarch, and whose mind was intent on multiplying mankind, that he had been respectfully

enjoined, this end,

by Brahma, the god of gods, to labour to and that he had promised obedience. "Now,

therefore", continued he,

"do you,

my

sons, to oblige

me, diligently promote the increase of the people: for the orders of the father of all creatures are entitled to

The sons

respect." father's

of the king, having heard their

words, replied: "So be

it."

But they then

in-

quired of him, as he could best explain it, by w^hat means they might accomplish the augmentation of mankind.

He

said to

them: "Whoever worships Vishnu,

the bestower of good, attains, undoubtedly, the object of his desires. There is no other mode. What further

can

I tell

you? Adore,

the lord of

dont

all

therefore, Govinda,

les extr^mites regardaient rorient,

faisait ainsi

ua

is

Hari,

la surface

de la terre, dont

il

teiTain consacre."

Also see the Bkdgavata-purdiia, IV., 29, 49. S'ndhara Swamin's comment on IV., 24, 10,

vrm^

who

beings, in order to effect the increase

^^^innf '^^w^rt t^rT^«ft

is

as follows:

^n^ m: "g

T^

gt^a ^^t^^TlM

^x[^

VISHNU PUR AN A.

196

human

of the

race, if

Purushottama

is

you wish

to succeed.

to be propitiated

The

eternal

by him who wishes

Adore by whom, when propitiated, the created; and mankind will assuredly

for virtue, wealth, enjoyment, or liberation.

him, the imperishable,

world was

first

be multiplied."

Thus

by

instructed

their father, the ten Prachetasas

plunged into the depths of the ocean, and, with minds wholly devoted to Narayana, the sovereign of the universe,

by

who

is

beyond

all

worlds, were engrossed

religious austerity for ten thousand years.

Remain-

ing there, they, with fixed thoughts, praised Hari, who,

when

propitiated, confers on those

who

praise

him

all

that they desire.

Maitreya.

—The

excellent praises that the Prache-

tasas addressed to Vishnu, whilst they stood in the

deep, you,

best of Munis, are qualified to repeat

to me.

Parasara.

—Hear,

Maitreya, the

hymn which

the

Prachetasas, as they stood in the waters of the sea, sang, of old, to Govinda, their nature being identified

with him:

"We bow

to

him whose glory

of every speech;

him

first,

of the boundless world;

without his

him

who

like; indivisible

is

is

the perpetual theme

last;

the supreme lord

primeval light;

and

infinite;

who

is

the origin of

existent things, movable or stationary. To that supreme being who is one with time, whose first forms, though he be without form are day and evening and

all

,

night, be adoration

things,

who

is

!

Glory to him, the

life

of

all

living

the same with the moon, the receptacle

of ambrosia, drunk daily

by the gods and progenitors;

BOOK to

him who

197

CHAP. XIV.

one with the sun, the cause of heat and

is

who

cokl and rain,

I.,

dissipates the gloom,

and ilhiminates

him who

is one with and the asylum of smell and other objects of sense, supporting the whole world by its solidity! We adore that form of the deity Hari which

the sky with his radiance: to earth, all-pervading,

is

water, the

beings.

the

womb

Havya;

to the eater of the

the progenitors; to to

of the world, the seed of

all

living

Glory to the mouth of the gods, the eater of

him who

is

Kavya, the mouth of

Vishnu, who

one with

air,

is

identical with fire;

the origin of ether, existing

as the five vital airs in the body, causing constant vital action; to

him who

is

identical with the atmosphere,

pure, illimitable, shapeless, separating

who

Glory to Krishna, sible objects;

of sense!

who is

who

We

is

is

Brahma

all

in the

creatures!

form of sen-

ever the direction of the faculties

offer salutation to that

supreme Hari

one with the senses, both subtile and substantial,

the recipient of

all

impressions, the root of

all

know-

who, as internal intellect, delivers the impressions, rieceived by the senses, to soul; to him who has the properties of Prakfiti; in whom, without end, rest all things; from whom all things proceed; and who is that into which all things resolve. We worship that Purushottoma, the god who is pure ledge; to the universal soul,

spirit,

and who, without

qualities, is ignorantly con-

endowed %vith qualities. We adore that supreme Brahma, the ultimate condition of Vishnu, sidered as

unproductive, unborn, pure, void of qualities, and free

from accidents; who

is neither high nor low, neither bulky nor minute, has neither shape, nor colour, nor shadow, nor substance, nor affection, nor body; who

VISHNU PUKANA.

198 is

neither ethereal nor susceptible of contact, smell, or

taste;

who

has neither eyes, nor ears, nor motion, nor

speech, nor breath, nor mind, nor name, nor race, nor

enjoyment, nor splendour;

who

is

without cause, with-

out fear, without error, without fault, undecaying, immortal, free from passion, without sound, imperceptible, inactive,

from

all

independent of place or time, detached

investing properties; but (illusively) exercising

irresistible

might, and identified with

pendent upon none.

all

beings, de-

Glory to that nature of Vishnu,

which tongue cannot tell, nor has eye beheld!" Thus glorifying Vishnu, and intent in meditation on him, the Prachetasas passed ten thousand years of austerity in the vast ocean; on which, Hari, being pleased with them, appeared to them amidst the waters, of the complexion of the full-blown lotos-leaf.

Behold-

him mounted on the king of birds, (Garuda), the Prachetasas bowed down their heads in devout homage; when Vishnu said to them: "Receive the boon you have desired for I, the giver of good, am content with you, and am present." The Prachetasas replied to him with reverence, and told him that the cause of their devotions was the command of their father to effect the multiplication of mankind. The god, having, accordingly, granted to them the object of their prayers, disappeared; and they came up from the water.

ing

;

199

CORIIIGENDA,

&c.

p. VII., notes, 1. 4. So runs the stanza in the Maisya, Kurma, and other Puranas. The MdrkaMeya-purdna, in its concluding chapter,

has the same, with the exception of '^IJTt for "^^l.

purdna,

For

III.,

6,

second

tffe

The Vishnu-

17, reads:

line, it gives, at

^^ii^^ftTT

VI,, 8, 2:

%w ^^^ 'rf^

wm

i

p. XXX., 11. 6 and 32. Read Bhiimi Khanda. P. XLII., 1. 18. Read Vena. P. XLV., notes, 1. 4. Read editor's note in p. LV., infra. P. LVII., notes, 1, 2. Read Venkafa. P. LXIII., 1. 11, Read Swayambhii. P,

LXVI., note,

P,

LXXXVII.,

P

CII., notes,

P.

CXXII.,

1.

2.

For

^ *f^

(?)

read

H^r\4

-

2. "Durvasasa" is the reading of Professor 1, MS. But it is un grammatical. P. XCV., 11. 15 and 29. Read Satarupa. 1.

4.

Read

2 ab infra.

1.

"Wilson's

Christa Sangita. Read Maruts.

P. 6. The Translator's note is here misnumbered. And the same is the case at pp. 19 and 34. P. 22, notes, 1. 2 ab infra. For p. 15 read p. 18. P. 25, notes, 1. 13. Professor Wilson must have adopted the following reading, that of a few MSS. which I have seen:

Dr. Muir does the same, where he translates the stanza in which this See Original Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., p. 3, first foot-note.

line occurs.

P, 25, notes,

1,

16.

P. 31, notes,

1

5.

Read Jp^^T^. Read:

p. 36, note, 1 9. Cudworlh's very words are: "When this world was made, a certain sphere of flams or fire did first arise and encompass the air which surrounds this earth, (as a bark doth a tree)", &c. But both the Greek and the English are inadequately quoted. to have added, that the commentator's p. 44, Editor's note. I ought Tiew approaches more nearly that of the translator than my own.

His rendering, however, of "^1^1 n^ stereotype epithet of to

my

Brahma

— by

— which,

in the

Vedanta,

eR
it

is

a

doubtful,

mind, whether his interpretation is preferable to that which I The commentary runs as follows: xrf'^^^rfff 1|^^

have proposed.

TtTT

wi^ ^% I

ft ^'^^

m^wi

^FTfrirRf'm^Tf^^m^

CORRIGENDA,

200

^Rfrf^^^ ^z
*rT^:

tn;!^, &c,

46.

quoted

at

p

i

&c.

H'^n '^ ^ftr:

wi'^i

jj

i

^ tt^,

<scc..

and

"R^fTt f^^'^TTf'ir't

g

f ^^:qlnHi ?^^«iM«i'4i»p
^^ ^ I

^^S^^WT3fT,

&c., quoted at p. 45. t^TTrTf

The passage thus annotated will be found translated Sanskrit Texts, Part IV., p. 31, foot note. P. 56, 1 5. P. 63, notes, P 85, notes,

^^t^^

%%f7f

'

Original

Read NaraK. 1. 12. Read

I-am-ness. Referring to this place, I'rofessor Wilson has written: iastra, les prieres [mentales] qui sont comme la glaive; and, in a note in the Vishnu Fttrdna, 1 have translated the same expression of the Bhdgavata, 'the unuttered incantation'. But The difference between it may be doubted if this is quite correct. ia-stra and stoma seems to be, that one is recited, whether audibly 6.

1.

"M. Burnouf renders

Translation of the Rig-veda, Vol

or inaudibly; the other, sung." note.

I.,

p. 22,

P. 86, notes,

and 42. is

P.

TRT

L. 27. Foireat/Tl'^T. ^'arf-^pJI^I^fTT**The. passage to -which I refer is IV., 1, 40 Arundhati V^ilson says, At III., 24, 23 and 24, as Professor 1.

P. 110, notes,

16.

1.

2 ab infra.

married to Vasishfha, and Santi, 1. 4. Read Dharma's. 1. 6 ab infra. Read

to

Atharvan.

Ill, notes,

^m^.

P. 124, notes,

P. 125, notes,

1.

3 ab infra.

P. 135, notes,

1.

3 ab infra.

P. 136, 1. 4. P. 142, 1. 2. P. 152, notes,

Read Sachi. Read Maruts.

Read Vamacharins. Read qn«nNotes,

1.

6 ah infra.

Read

Savitri. ^

1. 6 What is really stated is, that Praiia had ab infra. two sons, Vedasiras and Kavi and the latter was father of Usanas. See Burnouf's Bkdgavaia-purdna, Vol. II., Preface, pp VI-IX. ;

P. 155, notes, P. 164, notes,

1.

13.

1.

4.

P. 170, notes,

1.

6.

Read Puiiya. Read Dharana. Read - ^Hl|<^4i^

Berlin, printed by

Unger

.

brothers, Printers to the King.

i»f

,u

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