Essay name: Purana Bulletin
Author:
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
The "Purana Bulletin" is an academic journal published in India. The journal focuses on the study of Puranas, which are a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and philosophical teachings. They represent Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit and cover a wide range of subjects.
Purana, Volume 6, Part 2 (1964)
18 (of 234)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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पुराणकर्त्तर्महर्ष� वेदव्यासस्� चिरजीवित्वम�
राजेश्वरशास्त्री द्रविड
[ [purāṇakarttarmaharṣi vedavyāsasya cirajīvitvam
rājeśvaraśāstrī draviḍa
[] Maharṣi Vyāsa, the celebrated author of the
Purānas and the Mahābhārata, is traditionally believed
to be one of those seven personages who are considered
to be cirajivins (long-lived or deathless), the other six
bein Aśvatthāman, Bali, Hanumat, Vibhīṣaṇa, Krpa
and Parasurāma; Mārkandeya, though not included in
the list of the seven Cirajivins, is also said to be death-
less and is believed to be surviving even during the
Pralaya or the dissolution of the universe.
The learned writer in this article has tried to
establish the longevity of Vyāsa. According to him
longevity or even immortality is quite possible and
can be acquired by a Yogin by such means as tapas
(austerities), samādhi, conquest of his Udana Vayu
and use of certain herbs. In support of this state-
ment he quotes from the Kasyapa-Samhita and the
Yoga-Sutras. Vyāsa was a great Yogin; and by
means of his tapas and samadhi he had undoubtedly
acquired great siddhis or super-natural powers which
must have led to his longevity.
To support his thesis the writer gives another
argument also. He quotes certain verses from a
commentary (called Upadhyaya-nirapekṣ�) of the
Kāmandakīya Nītisāra, which record a tradition of
the composition of works on the Rajanīti or Indian
politics. According to this tradition Brahmā first
composed a work consisting of one hundred thousand
Adhyāyas or chapters. This work was then studied
and summarised by Nārada, Indra, Bṛhaspati, Sukra,
Bhārad vāja, Viśālākṣa, Bhisma, and Parāśara's son
