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 4 - Significance of Vaishnava Myths
38 (of 234)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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between the shell is the air; that tortoise thus in these worlds. It is
these worlds he lays down (to form part of the altar)."
While piloing up of the fire oltar in the sacrifice, the Kūrma is
built into it where it is left as the lord of the waters.75
Assuming the form of tortoise, he created offsprings. From this
it is clean that god is the Supreme, preserver, sustainer and cultivater
of all.76
In the Jaiminiya Brāhmaṇa there is a reference to this cosmic
tortoise.77
In the Vājasaneyi Samhitā, the Kaśyapa is also called the Lord
of the waters. 78
The Satapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the idea of the Kurma incarnation
in an embryonic form, where it is told that Prajāpati, desirous of
creating the earth, compressed already the existing egg and threw
it into the water. The juice which flowed out of it became a tortoise;
and that which was spirituated upwards, dissolved itself all over the
74. तस्य यदधर� कपाल� � अथ � लोकस्तत्प्रतिष्ठितमि� भवति प्रतिष्ठिततऽइव ह्यय� लोकोभ्� यदुत्तरं
सा द्यौस्तदव्यवगृहीतान्तमिव भवति व्ववग्रहीतान्ते� हि द्यौरथ यदन्तर� तदन्तरिक्ष सएषइ� एव
लोकाऽइमानेवैतल्लोकानुपदधात� �
[tasya yadadhara� kapālama | atha sa lokastatpratiṣṭhitamiva bhavati pratiṣṭhitata'iva hyaya� lokobhya yaduttara�
sā dyaustadavyavagṛhītāntamiva bhavati vvavagrahītānteva hi dyauratha yadantarā tadantarikṣa saeṣaima eva
lokā'imānevaitallokānupadadhāti ||
] Satapatha Brālmana VIII. 5.2.
75. Ibid., VII. 5.1.
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76. यद्वेव कूर्ममुपदधात� � प्राणो कूर्मः प्राणो हिमा� सर्व� � प्रजाः करोत� प्राणामेवैतदुपदधात� तं
पुरस्तात्प्रत्यञ्चमुपदधाति पुरस्तात्तत्प्रत्यञ्� प्राणा� दधात� तस्मात� पुरस्त� प्रत्यङ् प्राणो धीयत�
पुरुषमभ्यावृत्तं यजमाने तत्प्राणां दधात� दक्षिणातोऽषाढायै प्राणो वै कूर्मो वागषाढाप्राण� वै वाचा वृपा
प्राणो मिथुनम || [yadveva kūrmamupadadhāti | prāṇo kūrma� prāṇo himā� sarvā | prajā� karoti prāṇāmevaitadupadadhāti ta�
purastātpratyañcamupadadhāti purastāttatpratyañca prāṇāṃ dadhāti tasmāt purastā pratya� prāṇo dhīyate
puruṣamabhyāvṛtta� yajamāne tatprāṇāṃ dadhāti dakṣiṇāto'ṣāḍhāyai prāṇo vai kūrmo vāgaṣāḍhāprāṇo vai vācā vṛpā
prāṇo mithunama || ] Ibid., VII. 5.7.
77. Jaiminiya Brāhmana III. 203.27.
78. Vajasaneyi Samhita, 13.31
