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 7, Part 1 (1965)
186 (of 222)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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180
啶啶班ぞ啶｀ぎ啷� - [pur膩峁嘺m - ] 笔鲍搁膧狈础
[Vol. VII., No. 1
similarity with those of the description in the Vanaparvan of the
Mah膩bh膩rata. We can establish the correlation by this equation
3.80.1-3, 156.21 = 3090-11450.
It is repeatedly mentioned that the pilgrims have the sight
of a definite god at different T墨rthasth膩nas. We can agree with
Paul Hacker when he states that this refers to the sight of the
idol which the pilgrim sees at this place. The comparison shows
that Vi峁ａ箛u and 艢iva are worshipped with the same devotion.
Besides these two there were innumerable other gods, the seven
R峁s and the Pitrs who engage our attention. Mostly the worship
consists of baths and fasts and now and then attains the climax
in the praise songs of gods (33. 5; 34. 35; 37. 1; 47. 62-162). The
same religious practices as in the case of the Taptak峁沜chravrata
and the Nak峁trapuru峁vrata (62.8-26; 80.1-38) demand really
greater undertakings from the worshipper and are not restricted
to the place of pilgrimage. Among diverse gifts the gift of a
damsel (Kany膩d膩na 34. 43) and a sacrifice of the damsel (Kany膩-
yaj帽a 37. 12) and of slave and slave girls are also named (95. 44).
The aim for undertaking the pilgrimage always looms large
before the eye of the pilgrim. These are: purification from the
sins and freeing oneself from the flood of the hells (41. 31; 48.
16. 37), virtue, possessions, pleasures and salvation (17.20), gold
(35. 15), sovereignty over the seven worlds (36. 13), the state of
a Br膩hma峁嘺 (39. 14), the money and corn (42. 15), enjoyments
(48. 32), beauty (79. 82), and lastly the entry into the world of
the gods. Besides different heavens the attainment of diverse
worlds are given prominence: The world of Brahm膩 (36. 13),
the world of 艢iva (37. 1; 48. 23), the highest step (35. 19; 37. 14;
38. 23; 46. 58), the highest Brahman (39. 2), the highest charm
(42. 29), the highest consummation (45. 17), and the highest absolu-
tion (49. 34. 35). Now and then a reassurance is also given
that a return to the worldly existence is not to be dreaded
(35. 19; 39. 2; 49. 35).
Thus from the above discussion we can surmise about the
V膩, P. that it is peculiar of the eighteen Mah膩pur膩峁嘺s in this that
