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Puranic encyclopaedia

by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222

This page describes the Story of Bhutas included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).

Story of ūٲ

(A set of beings created by Rudra).

General.

A Բ class or sect in ancient India. In the ʳܰṇa, this Բ sect is classified into four subdivisions. (1) Dharmapraja (2) Īśvarapraja (3) Kāśyapīyapraja (4) Pulahapraja.

Birth.

In the ṇḍ ʳܰṇa there is the following story about the birth and shape of ūٲ:�

ūٲ are one of the subdivisions of Pulaha’s creations. Long ago, asked the Rudra, īdz󾱳ٲ, to perform the function of creation. Accordingly he begot thousands of ūٲ in the womb of his wife ī. All the issues were the exact replica of his own figure. Lean limbs, long ears, thick hanging lips, red eyes, bushy eyebrows, long, pointed and protruding teeth, long nails, matted dirty hair etc. were the grotesque features of these ūٲ. These music-haters used serpents as their ۲ñDZ貹īٲ (sacred threads). These spirits who loitered in Ś’s assembly were, as a rule, naked and carried skulls on their heads. But at times they wore fantastic dress with elephant skin. Their chief weapons were, trident, bow, sword, etc.

ūٲ Chief.

In the ʳܰṇa, Rudra is acknowledged as the ūٲ chief. That is why Rudra is known by such names as "ūٲnāyaka", "Gaṇanāyaka", "Rudrānucara", "Bhavapariṣada" etc. But since the common name Rudra is used for the ruler (king) of all the ūٲ, 峾Բ ʳܰṇa declares that Rudra is not an individual. Both 峾Բܰṇa and Ѳٲⲹܰṇa represent ī󲹻 and Ի徱ś as two Rudras who are the masters of ūٲ. (Ѳٲⲹܰṇa 181, 2; 峾Բܰṇa 4, 17).

In 峾Բ ʳܰṇa, the number of ūٲ is given as 11 crores. Śkanda, , Bhairava are the chief among them. Under them are innumerable ūٲ. Ashes and Khatvāṃga etc. are their weapons. The emblem on the banner is a cow or a bird. That is how the Gaṇanāyakas have got the titles like "Ѳū󱹲Ჹ", "Mayūravāhana". (峾Բ ʳܰṇa 67, 1-23).

War with Asuras.

In the war between Ś and Ի󲹰ܰ, the ūٲ fought on the side of Ś. It was վⲹ첹, the master of the ūٲ hordes who first came into conflict with the Asura. In that battle Andhaka defeated վⲹ첹. After that, Nandi, another leader of the ūٲ, attacked Andhaka jointly with վⲹ첹 and defeated him. At last, Andhaka approached Ś himself for protection, and Ś received him and appointed him as commander of one of his hordes of ūٲ. It is this Ի󲹰ܰ who later became famous under the name of ṛṅ.

In this way, the ūٲ had fought many battles with the Asuras, joining the party of the Devas. But at the time of ٲṣa’s ⲹñ, they joined the party of the Asuras and opposed the Devas.

Although the ūٲ won all the battles they fought both on the side of the Devas and on the side of the Asuras, in the end they had to leave north India and to come and settle down in south India. By the time of Vaivasvata manvantara they had already become South Indians.

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