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The Manasa or Bhrigu Theory:28





The eternal ageless God called Manasa at first created Mahat from which was evolved Akaia (ether), the support of all BhUtas. The evolution here differs from the traditional one. From Akasa is evolved water, from water arose fire and wind and the earth is the product of fire and wind. The unmanifest Manasa (Vishnu) created the lotus from which was born Brahma, the embodiment of Vedas, also known as Ahaifikdra. The earth is the lotus for the Brahma form of Manasa and Mount Meru is its pericarp. Manasa created mentally all the subjects.

The first theory is a popular Puranic way of attributing the functions of creation, protection and destruction to the Trinity whose mutual identity and one-ness with the Brahman is always emphasized.

27. NP. 1.3.6.36. The verse after 36 enumerates the worlds (bhuva nakoJa).

28. Ibid., 1.42. 7-40. This is borrowed from Mbh.-Santi 182-11-33.

The second theory which appears with some modifications in the VP. (1.2.4, 5 etc.), Bh.P. (Ill Skandha) and with some difference in KP.I.4 employs the doctrine of transformation (Parinamavdda) typical of the Sdnkhya29 30 system of thought to explain the evolutionary process. The philosophic aspect of this theory cannot be discussed here.80

The third theory is a quotation from Mbh. Sdntu 182.11-38. How far the credit of this is to be given to the NP. is doubtful. But as NP. claims it as its part, this theory seems alternatively acceptable to the NP.

Pratisarga

As compared with other Puranas like Bh.P., KP., NP. gives a meager description of Pratisarga when Markandeya was shown the Pralaya by Vishnu (NP.I.5.20 ff.). But that is the description of the Naimittika pralaya. Other Puranas like Bh.P., KP.II.45 describe the four types of Pralayas, viz. Nitya (everyday — disappearance of the world in the dark), Naimittika (at the end of the Kalpa), Prdkrta (At the end of god Brahma’s life when every thing is destroyed and Prakrti attains equilibrium of the gunas), Atyantika — merger of the individual soul in the Para Brahman due to attainment of the Supreme spiritual knowledge. The NP. gives the duration of Vishnu’s sleep, viz., two Parardha years in one verse31 while Markandeya floated on the waters of the deluge and states that Vishnu assumed the form of Brahma and re-created the Universe.

The treatment of Pratisarga in the NP. is quite scrappy.

Vamsha (Genealogy)

Genealogies of gods or sages are not recorded in the NP. This characteristic is not applicable to the NP.

4. Manvantaras:

Though Kdla (Time) has been regarded as beginningless and endless and the evolutions and dissolutions of the Universe per Aa/^a-periods have been going on, since time immemorial, an empirical attempt is made by man to measure Time. We find tabular statements of units of time in the Vedanga Jyotisa, in Smrtis (e.g. Manu 1.64), Puranas (like the Bh. P.III. 11.310, KP. 1.5.6-19, Mt. P. 142.4, Vayu 50.169) and Secular works like Kautaliya Arthaidstra II.20.41). Though there is a general con­sensus regarding the names and duration of these units of Time, there are some differences regarding the duration ofKsanaand Yama.32

29. For details Tattvakaumudi of Vficaspati on the Karikas of Isvarak|-shi?a

30. For this, vide S. Bhattacarya's The Philosophy of Shrimad Bhagavata I, pp. 285-307.

31. NP. 1.5.31.

Puranas regard one human year as one day of gods, so one divine year = 360 human years.

As Kane shows, the theory of Yugas and Kalpas began to take shape in the 3rd cent. b.c. and was fully developed in the first centuries of the Christian era. 33

The NP. enumerates Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali as the four Yugas and this set of four Yugas (inclusive of the ‘twilight period’ — Sandhya^Sandhyarrrfa — preceding and follow­ing a Yuga) is 12000 divine years.34 At another place the NP. gives the following durations of each yuga:35 Kna: 1728,000 Treta: 1296,000

Dvapara: 864,000 Kali: 432,000 human years.

It will be seen that though some Puranas (e.g. Vayu 1.57. 22-28, KP.I.5.9-13) give the duration of these Yugas in ‘divine years’, they do not differ much from each other.

NP. has given the further division of time units as follows:36 12000 Divine years =1 Divya-yuga (Divine Yuga)

1000 Divya Yugas =1 day of Brahma (or the period of 14 Manus.

71 divya-yugas =1 Manvantara.

2 Parardhas — Brahma years = one day or night of Vishnu.

32. vide Annotation No. 90 for details.

33. HD. 111.888-890.

34. NP. I. 41.4-5.

35. Ibid., I. 54.61-62.

36. Ibid., I. 5-21-31.

Description of Yugas

The NP. 1.41.6 ff. gives the description of the nature of four Yugas. The close similarity (even Textual) in these descriptions as found in Mbh, Vana, 149.11-38, Vayu32 and 57-58 LP.39, Mt.p. 142-144, KP.I.30 shows that probably some Adi- Purana contained the nucleus of this description. Briefly the following are the characteristics of different Yugas.

Krta was an age of equality. All persons were contented, pious. The Veda was undivided. People followed the duties of their respective stages of life with no ulterior motive. Lord Narayana was white in complexion and Dharma (whom Manu equated with a bull in VIII. 16) was stable on four legs. In the Treta age Dharma became pale and three-footed. Hari became red-complexioned. People engaged themselves in meditation and performance of sacrifices. They were truthful but a bit distressed. In Dvapara, Dharma became two-footed and Hari became yellow in complexion. Veda-sarhhita became- divided. People had taken to Adharma.37 And their span of life became shorter.

Description of the Kali Age

The dismal, harrowing ‘Predictions’ about the social, political, economic ayd religious disintegration and reversal of previous order in the NP. 1.41.21-89 deserve comparison with similar ‘predictions’ about the state of society in the Kali Age in Mbh. Vana. chs. 188, 190, Brahma P. chs. 229-230, LP.I.40, Bh.P.XII.2, VP.VI. chs. 1-2 KP.I.30, Vayu, chs. 58, Mt.P. 143.32-88. These descriptions agree not only in the details of contents but even in the text of many verses. This points to some common source — some Adi-purana — of the closely similar descriptions or ‘predictions’.

About social disintegration, theNP. states, “Kali is a sinful age. All castes will give up their prescribed rites and duties; all will be like Shudras; Brahmanas will desist from Vedic studies and follow psuedo-religion. Brahmanas will ‘sell’ Dharma and the Vedas and will accept gifts from the unworthy. Brahmanas will sell wine, take food from Shudras and go to shudra women.

The Shudra dynasties like Nandas, and Mauryas ruled over the land. Naturally there was the dominance of audras and servility of Brahmanas. As NP. puts it,:

37. dbarmadharmau samau syatam/ NP. I. 41.19

“Shudras will pretend to be Brahmanas, study the Vedas and preach Dharma. They will disguise as Brahmanas and deceive people. Brahmanas will intermarry, serve a6dras and lower castes and even carry the dead bodies of Shudras. Kings will be of Mleccha tribes. They will be greedy and will squeeze money from the people by top-heavy taxation.”

There was the dominance of Buddhism and Jainism. As NP. puts it: “Heretics (Buddhists and Jainas) would denounce the Vedas, condemn Airamas (stages in life) and walk nude or wearing ochre-coloured garments. Their woman are faithless; women maintain themselves by prostitution.

When Krishna (Vishnu) turns black in complexion, nobody will think of God. Women will imitate courtesans, sell their virtue. There will be droughts and famines. Average human span of life will be 16 years and girls will give birth to children at the age of five.

Only the devotees of Vishnu or Shiva will be immune from the effects of Kali Age.”

R. C. Hazra shows that such was the condition in the Indian Society before 200 a.d.88

Manvantaras

We have seen above that one day of god Brahma extends to 1000 Divya-yugas during which 14 Manus rule. Every Man- vantara has a new set of a Manu, Manu’s sons, an Indra, Devas and Seven Sages. 39 NP. gives the following names of Indras and gods.

Manu Indra Gods

1. Svayambhuva Sacipati Yamas.

2. Svarocisa Vipascit Paravatas a Tusitas

……………….

Gaksusa and others.

The Manus, Indras and Devas of different Manvantaras possessed equal refulgence, prosperity and prowess.41

There is a consensus of the Puranas regarding the number and names of Manus, though there are some differences about the names of future Manus. Thus, Mt. P. gives the names of the future Manus as follows:4

Savarna, Raucya, Bhautya, Merusavarni, Rta, Rtudhama and Visvaksena — while the Brahma P.43 gives the folic 'ing list, of future Manus: Savarai, Raibhya, Raucya and Merusavarna.

Kalpa

Like all Puranas, NP. states that the present Manvantara is Vaivasvata in the Sveta-Varaha Kalpa. But it does not give the list of Kalpas nor does it mention matters belonging to Brhat Kalpa. But Mt. P. chs. 53 and the Vayu P. chs. 21, 22 give the list of Kalpas and the Puranas pertaining to them.

41. NP. I. 40.18-19.

42. Mt. P. 9.30-38.

43. Brahma P. 5.5 a 6.

Vamshanuvarnana

The NP. is not interested in giving the genealogies of kings belonging to the Solar and Lunar races. It describes the episodes and information regarding the reigns of the following kings from the Solar race:

Bahu — Sagara — Asamafijasa — AmSuman — Dilipa — Bhaglratha (NP.I. 7 a 8); Sudas and Saudasa alias Kalmasa- pada (NP.I.ch.9) — DaSaratha — Rama (and his three brothers) — NP. 1.73.

Only three kings from the Lunar race are mentioned, viz., Sumati (I.ch.20), Dharmakirti (I.ch.23) and Jayadhvaja (I.ch.39). As compared with Kfshna or Sahasrarjuna, these kings of Lunar race are insignificant if not fictitious.

It will thus be found that the definition Puranam Рапса- lakshanam is not applicable to the NP. In fact, it claims to be a Purana of ten characteristics in its apocryphal part:

Ndradiyam puranam tu lakshanair daSabhir yutam /

— NP.II.82.30.

But the ten characteristics are not spelt out. Nor the ten lakshanas of the Bh.P. are applicable to the NP. In fact, the author of the NP. is interested in the Dharma-Sdstra rather than the traditional characteristics of Puranas.

 







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