Mahabhagavata Purana (translation and study)
by Prabir Kumar Nanda Goswami | 1999 | 107,488 words
The English translation of the Mahabhagavata Purana including an introduction and study. Another name for this text is the Devi Purana and it represents an ancient Sanskrit text comprising 81 chapters and belonging to the Shaktism tradition (worship of the Goddess). The Shakti cult, focusing on the worship of the female principle, is a significant ...
Chapter 1 - Introduction
CHAPTER I Introduction Our early tradition looks upon the Purana from two stand pointe, firstly Upabrhane theory of Svayambhuva as it illustrates and amplifies the vedic ideas and ideals, secondly the Pancalaksana theory of Amarasimha, which deals with the five charactere stics of the Pura00, The earlier one stresses the essence i.e., contents of the Purana but the latter one emphasises the form aspect like the description of creation of the universe dissolution and its recreation, Vamsa or Devine genealogy, which concerns early religion and mythology Manvantaxa or ages of Manus and the Vamsonucarile or ganealogies of the kings deal with traditional history. In these the later amplification coordination and restatement are found. In the last decades of the 18 th and beginning of the 19 th Centuries, the puranas were regarded as "pious fraud" and contained, all nonsence syllables", But later on when the study of our culture, religion society etc were emphasised upon, the Indologists felt the need of the true importance of the puranes which in corporated the popular religion, society, culture and so on. Our ancient tradition informs us of the eighteen Mohapuranas or Moyorpuzanes. They include Bralma, Visnu, Markandeya, Varalia, Blavisya Padma, Bralmavaivarta, Bhagavata, Matsya, Agni Noradiya, Skanda, Kurma, Linga, Brahmanda, Vayu, etc. majority of these Malapuranas contain the list of the eighteen Puranas but there is inconsistency in their list. Similarly Though
2 like the traditional list of 18 Mblapurana or major Puranas the Upapurahas (minor puranas) also tries to limit the l number to cibliteen. Hazra in his monumental work "The studies in the Upapuranas" refers to the list of the 18 Upapuranas quotas from the Kurma (1.1.17-20) Garuda (1.223.17.20) Maisya (53.58-62), Saura (9.13-14) Padma (Patalakhanda III.95-98) Devi Bhagavata (1.3.13-16) Skanda (5.111.Revakhanda 1.46-52) (Prabhasakhanda. 1.2-11-15,79-83), Ekamra 1.20 b-23 and Brhaddharana Thus Hazhe thees to furnish with the traditional 1.25.23-26. List from different Upapurinas. Out of these lists the Braddharna (1.25-20) only cursorily refers to the Molablagawata Purana Purana. The Malabhagavata Purana3contains 81 chapters. At present we come accross three editions of the text 1) The Mahabhagavata Purana published by Gyrati printing press Bombay 1913. 2) The Vangavasi Press edition Calcutta 1321 BS edited By Pandit Pancanan Tarkaratna and "T 2. 3. B.C.Hazra. Studies in the Upapuranas VOLI page 4 FF Brhaddhama Purana ed. H.P.Sastri, Asiatic Society 57 Parkstreet 1888. Brhaddhama 1.25.20 gives the reading Mahabhagavatam tatha. etc.. Out of these Jeditions the last one is critically edited by P.Kumar. I have based by study on this edition only.
3) The critical edition of the Mahabhagavata Purana with introduction and index by Dr. Puspendra Kumar. Published by the eastern book linkers. Delld, 1983 carries 81 chapters. Our analysis of the Mahabhagavata Purana is chiefly based on the later edition (Published from Delhi). Out of its 81 chapters four chapters (chapter 3-5 and 15) are devated to Sarga ch.10 to Pratisarga. Ch.29,30 and 35 (three chapters) to Vamsa and the account of Tirtha covers 2,5,8,53,70,73,78,79,80, and 81 chapters. In carnations of of Devi included Sati Parvati, Ganga and Kamakhya in the chapters like 4-11, 13-14,64, 20-29, 76-78,. The legend of Ramayana is depicted in Ch. 3748. The Mahabharata legends are narrated in the Ch. 50-58. The legend of Indra in narrated in Ch. 60-63. The Lalita Sahasranama stotra is utilized in Ch.23 besides the glory of Gita, in Ch.19, there is another section well known as Bhagavati Gitopanisad. Other sections deal with Siva Sahasranama stotra Ch.67 and 108 names of Ganga in Ch.75 and Kamakhya Kavaca Ch.77, which are also available in independent treatises. In addition to Tulasi Mahatmya and Rudraksa Mahatmya in Ch.79 and 80 are dealt with respectively. The last chapter (81) dwells at length on the decline of Dharma and rise of Adharma during the Kaliage. Though it professes to be an independent Sakta work it has borrowed from various sources including the epics and other sources. Above
4 all the text emphasises the importance of 51 st Saktapitha at Kamakhya where Sati's Yoni fall and Sivaperformed penance there. From the contents of the Mahabhagavata Purana it is quite clear that Upapurana is meant for the glorification of the Devi. This Devi is identified with the Sakti of Siva and has tim non-duality of Siva and Sakti. Sakti is distinguished from Siva only in the theoritical and conventional analysis but she is identical with Siva. If Siva is Ananda (bliss) Sakti is Paramananda Sandola and Paramananda Lahari when Siva is Bralmamaya Sakti is B ralmamayi This relation may be called Advaita. The Sakti or the Parasakti or Mula Prakrti creats Bralma, Visnu, Siva, Laksmi, Sarasvati, who though � form less assumes a female form at her own will.