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 12, Part 1 (1970)
177 (of 240)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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A NOTE ON SYLVAIN LEVI'S INTERPRETATION OF 'TATO JAYAM UDĪRAYET'. The benedictory stanza 'नारायण� नमस्कृत्� नर� चै� नरोत्तमम� | देवी� सरस्वती� व्यासं तत� ( [nārāyaṇa� namaskṛtya nara� caiva narottamam | devī� sarasvatī� vyāsa� tato (] v. 1. चै�) जयमुदीरयेत� � [caiva) jayamudīrayet ||] ' which is given at the beginning of the critical text of the Vāmana-Purāṇa, is well-known. It is the famous Sloka of the Bhāgavatas with which not only the each Parvan of the Mahābhārata begins, but some of the Purāṇas also contain it in their beginning. Bühler recognised and pointed out its religious significance when he remarked: 'It is a characteristic mark of the works of the ancient Bhagavata-sect, where it is in- variably found.' (Indian Studies, No II p. 4, n. 2). It is generally placed in the beginning of the works which are considered to have been composed by Vyāsa and are by Vyāsa and are more Vaisnavite in their character. Hence in this stanza an obeisance is also made to Vyāsa in addition to Narāyaṇa, Nara and Goddess Sarasvati. The last pādas of this stanza ( 'तत� जयमुदीरयेत� [tato jayamudīrayet] ' ) aroused some controversy as to its correct interpretation. Prof. Sylvain Levi gave to it a unique interpretation in his article published in the Memorial Sylvain Levi (Paris, 1937); an English version of this article was published in Purana, Vol. 2 (1960) pp. 112-119. The contro- versy centers round the two words of this pada, viz. ч and ''. Prof. S. Levi has partially quoted the interpretations of this benedictory stanza as given by Nilakantha in his commentary of the Adi-Parvan of the Mahābhārata and by P. C. Roy in his translation. Nilakantha's interpretation of the pāda ‘¶àªªàªL' is as follows:- तत� व्याप्तस्तयै� सरस्वत्य� परमकारुणिकया जनबोधायाविष्टो जयम् [tato vyāptastayaiva sarasvatyā paramakāruṇikayā janabodhāyāviṣṭo jayam ] 'जय� नामेतिहासोऽयम् [jayo nāmetihāso'yam] ' इत� वक्ष्यमाणत्वात� जयसंज्ञं भारताख्यमितिहासं वा अन्य� वा पुरुषार्थप्रतिपादक� ग्रन्थ� शारी- [iti vakṣyamāṇatvāt jayasaṃjña� bhāratākhyamitihāsa� vā anya� vā puruṣārthapratipādaka� grantha� śārī- ] P. C. Roy translates this stanza thus: Having bowed down to Nārāyaṇa and Nara, most exalted male being, and also the goddess Sarasvati, must the word 'success' be uttered'. Sylvain Levi rejects both these interpretations. He also does not accept the meaning attributed by Nilakantha to the word '' and calls it as 'purely scholastic and even imaginary which can never be justified by the actual usage of the word in the 20
