Essay name: Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas
Author:
Kum. Geeta P. Kurandwad
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas by exploring the significance of the ten principal incarnations of Lord Vishnu as depicted in various ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. The research also investigates the social, political, philosophical, and religious impact.
Chapter 2 - Varieties of Myths
20 (of 93)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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30
In the Taittiriopaniṣad, there is beautiful prayer addressed to
Indra. 64
The Kenopaniṣad 65 presents an allegory to the same effect that
these two world grounds Brahman and Ātman, are essentially of one
nature and two aspects of the same great being. Once Brahman, won
victory over gods. Though the victory was due to Brahman, the gods
became elated by it, and thought 'verily this victory has been won by
us. The glory of it is ours. Brahman knew their vanity and he
appeared before them; but they did not understand who that adorable
spirit was. They deputed Agni, the god of fire to ascertain its identity.
He venturing his power to burn, was challenged to burn a straw, but
was baffled upon his returning, Vāyu, the god of wind was sent on the
same mission. He said to the adorable spirit that he could blow all
that was on the earth but he could not blow straw away and was
likewise baffled. Then the gods said to Indra “Maghavān find out who
64. यश्छन्दसामृषभो विश्वरूप� � छन्दोभ्योऽध्यमृतात्संबभू� � � मेन्द्रो मेघय� स्पृणोतु | अमृतस्� देवधारणो
भूयासम� � शरीरं मे विचर्षणम� || जिह्वा मे मधुमत्तम� � कर्णाभ्यां भूरि विश्रुवम� ॥|| ब्रह्मणः कोशोऽस�
मेघयापिहित� � श्रुतं मे गोपा� || आवहन्ती वितन्वान� � कुर्वाणा चीरमात्मनः � वासासि मम गावश्च �
अन्नपाने � सर्वदा � तत� मे श्रियमाव� || लोमशां पशुभिः सह स्वाहा �
- [yaśchandasāmṛṣabho viśvarūpa� || chandobhyo'dhyamṛtātsaṃbabhūva || sa mendro meghayā spṛṇotu | amṛtasya devadhāraṇo
bhūyāsam || śarīra� me vicarṣaṇam || jihvā me madhumattamā | karṇābhyā� bhūri viśruvam |||| brahmaṇa� kośo'si
meghayāpihita� || śruta� me gopāya || āvahantī vitanvānā || kurvāṇ� cīramātmana� || vāsāsi mama gāvaśca ||
annapāne ca sarvadā || tato me śriyamāvaha || lomaśā� paśubhi� saha svāhā ||
- ] Taittiriopanisad 1.4.1.
65. ब्रह्म� � वै हेवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य � ब्राह्मण� विजय� देवा अमहीयन्य � रोक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं विजयोग्म्पकमेवाय�
महिमेत� � तदैषां विजज्ञ� तेभ्यो � प्रदुर्बभू� तन्न व्याजानन्त किमिदं यक्षमिति � तेऽग्निमब्रुवञ्जातवे�
एतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमित� तथेत� � तदभ्यड्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीत्यग्निर्व� अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेद� वा
अहमस्मीति � यस्मींस्त्वयि कि� वीर्यमीत्यपी� सर्व� दहेय� यदिद� पृथिव्यामिति � तस्म� तृणं निदधावेत दहेत�
तदुय प्रेया� सर्वजनेन तन्न शशाक दग्धुं � तत� एव निववृत� नैतदशक� विज्ञातु� यदेतद्यक्षमिति �
होवा� किमेतद्यक्षमित�
सा ब्रह्मेत� होवा� ब्रह्मणे वा एतद्विजय� महीयध्वमिति तत� है� विदा�
चकार ब्रह्मेत� � तस्माद्ध� एत� देवा अतितरमिवान्यान्देवान्यदग्निर्वायुरिन्द्रस्ते� - लोके ज्येये
प्रतिष्टति ||
- [brahmā ha vai hevebhyo vijigye tasya ha brāhmaṇo vijaye devā amahīyanya ta rokṣantāsmākamevāya� vijayogmpakamevāya�
mahimeti || tadaiṣāṃ vijajñau tebhyo ha pradurbabhūva tanna vyājānanta kimida� yakṣamiti || te'gnimabruvañjātaveda
etadvijānīhi kimetadyakṣamiti tatheti || tadabhyaḍravattamabhyavadatko'sītyagnirvā ahamasmītyabravījjātavedā vā
ahamasmīti || yasmīṃstvayi ki� vīryamītyapīda sarva� daheya� yadida� pṛthivyāmiti || tasmai tṛṇa� nidadhāveta daheti
taduya preyāya sarvajanena tanna śaśāka dagdhu� sa tat eva nivavṛte naitadaśaka� vijñātu� yadetadyakṣamiti ||
hovāca kimetadyakṣamiti
sā brahmeti hovāca brahmaṇe vā etadvijaye mahīyadhvamiti tato haiva vidā�
cakāra brahmeti || tasmāddhā ete devā atitaramivānyāndevānyadagnirvāyurindrastena - loke jyeye
pratiṣṭati ||
- ] Kenopanisad 3-4.
