Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
ISBN Part I - 8120803329; Part II - 8120804554

Tamaño: 8.8" X 5.8"
Páginas: 1066
Weight of the Book: 1.560 Kg

Precio: Euro 53.36

Descripción

Preface

This thirty-seventh volume in the series on Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology constitutes the first part (Purvardha) of the Vyu Purana of which the second part (Uttarardha) also is in press and will follow shortly as the thirty-eighth volume. This part contains the English translation of Chapters 1-61 comprising the first two Padas or Sections out of the total four Padas into which the Purana is divided, viz. Prakrya, Upodghata, Anusanga and Upasainhara Padas.

The project of this series was envisaged in 1970 by the late Lala Sundar Lal Jam of Messrs. Motilal Banarsidass. Thirty- seven volumes of the series, including the present one, have so far been published and others are in progress. Complete sets of ten major Purai)as, viz. Agni, Bhagavata, Brahma, Brahmanda, Garug’a, Karma, Linga, .Yidrada, Siva and Varaha have already been made available in English to the lovers of ancient Indian wisdom and it is hoped that this eleventh one, Vãyu Purãna, will also be complete much before the end of the year.

The Vayu or Vayaviya Puraua gets its name from the Wind-god who is said to be its promulgator, and it is a Saiva Purana in the sense that it has been composed for the propagation of devotion to and worship of god Siva. It discusses the well known five topics of the Puranas, viz, creation, dissolution and re-creation, genealogy of gods, sages etc., periods called Manvantaras, and description of royal dynasties. In the present part cosmogony is discussed in great detail and a good deal of geographical material is found. The translation is preceded by a long scholarly Introduction highlighting the salient features of the Purãna.

It is our pleasant duty to put on record our sincere thanks to Dr. R. N. Dandekar and the UNESCO authorities for their kind encouragement and valuable help which render this work more useful than it would otherwise have been. We are extremely grateful to Dr. G. V. Tagare for translating the text and contributing the Introduction. We are also thankful to all those who have been helpful in our project.

Introduction

This close cousin of the Bd. P (brahmanda Purana) is one of the oldest and authoritative Puranas, Nibandhakaras (writers on Dharma Sastra) like Apararka Ballalasena, Devana Bhatta Profusly quote it one Sraddha Dana, Tirtha, Asrama etc, Designating their sorce as Vayaviaya. They use this term to imply this Purana and not the Vayviya Samhita in Siva Purana. It is called Vayu or Vayaviya as Vayu narrated it to elucidate Dharmas and the glory of Rudra and it pertains to Sveta Kalpa. The Va. P (Vayu Purana) states that it consists of 12000 verses and is divided into four padas.

The traditional division is into four parts (padas) of unequal length as can be seen below:
I. Purvardha
1 . Prakriya Pada (Chs. 1-6)
2. Upodghata Pada (Chs 7-64)

II. Uttarardha (chs. 1-3 Upodghata pada) and
3. Anusanga Pada (Chs. 4-37)
4. Upansamhara pada (Chs. 38-42 and includes Gaya Mahatmya 43-50)

A (Anandasrama edt. Of the Va.P) follows the older tradition and does not divide the text into Puravrdha and Uttarardha and gives the following break up into four padas:
1. Prakriay (chs. 1-6)
2. Upadghata (chs. 7-64)
3. Amsanga (chs. 65-99)
4. Upasamhara (Chs. 100-112)

In this break up the problem of spilling over three chapters of Upodghata Pada (Chs. 62,63,64 in A) into Uttaradha (as Chs. 1-3) does not arise.

Even our text states that the original Samhita was divided into four Padas (1.61.5). Later on it specifically confirms it and states that Vayu god is its narrator.

The wind god himself has narrated this popular Purana consisting of four Padas viz Prakriya the first section where the story is taken up (the other or sections being) Anusanga Upodhata and Upasamhara.

The division of the purana into purvardha and Uttarardha is of a later date.

The original Va. P ended with Ch. 41 of Uttarardha (ch. 103 in A). The sages who listened to Suta’s narration of the Va. P expressed their satisfaction at the narration of the Va.P. They gratefully honored the suta. The end of the narration of the purana and the conclusion of the sacrificial session at Namisaranya synchronized. The sacrificers had their valedictory bath and they went to heaven.

The last redactor of this Purana exhorts his listeners to worship deities perform sacrifices and go to heaven at the end of the life.

The same chapter traces the genealogy of teachers who transmitted the text of the Va.P from god Brahma to Suta and Samsapayana (II.41.58-66). After stating the fruit of listening to this Purana and laying down prohibition of the transmission of the Purana of undeserving persons the author concludes the Purana with salutations to the lord Mahesvara.

As shown in the notes to II.42 that chapter is a later accretion it comes after Phala-Sruti accepts Adhyasavada (vv.30-31) of Sankara quotes from the spandakarika of Vasugupta and advocates Kashmiri Trika Saivism brings in Radha Krsna cult (vv.44-45) and Vyasas dejection after completing (so called) eighteen Puranas which is an echo of Bh.P I.4.26-31 and subsequent chapters one wonders why the agni P. Visnu P and Linga P. which are uniformly found in the standard lists of Puranas are deleted here and one Adi Purana is added to the list.

About the number of verses no criticism in necessary as these Purana writers depend on hearsay or traditional information in this matter and did not count the verses. It may how ever be argued that these numbers of verses actually existed then in the MSS of Puranas available to those Purana redactors. Gaya Mahatmay (II, Chs. 43-50) is obviously an interpolation. The motive of this interpolation may be synthesizing Saivism and Vaisnavism. The Va.P mainly advocates Saivism and to counter balance it. Gaya Mahatmya which emphasizes Vaisnaism appears to have been added here. This mahatmya has a nominal tenuous connection with the Vayu P. only the first verse of the Mahatmya is attributed to Vayu. The real interlovutors are Narada and sanatkumara.

Moreover a considerable number of verses are common to this Gaya Mahatmya and those in the Mbh, Vana Chs 84-95 Np. Uttarabhaga Cha 44-47 Gp Chs 82-86 AP, 114-116 Kp II 35 it shows that there must have been an independent work called the Gaya Mahatmya form which these Purans borrowed these verse.

CONTENTS

PART ONE
	Preface	vii
	Abbreviations	xiii
	Introduction	xv
	Chapters
1.	Summary of Contents	1
2.	A Sacrificial Session of Twelve Years	22
3.	Origin of Creation	26
4.	Origin of Creation (continued)	29
5.	Origin of Creation (continued)	37
6.	Origin of Creation (continued)	42
7.	Transition between two Yugas (Ages)	51
8.	Four Stages of Life	58
9.	Creation of Devas and Others	76
10.	Manvantaras	86
11.	Pasupata Yoga	93
12.	Evil Portents and Calamities in Yoga	98
13.	Supreme Power of Yoga	102
14.	Pasupata Yoga	104
15.	Pasupata Yoga (continued)	108
16.	Purity and Conduct of Life	110
17.	Attainment of the Ultimate State of Life	112
18.	Procedure of Expiation for Recluses (Sannyasins)	113
19.	Evil Omens Foreboding Death	116
20.	The Characteristics of Attainment of Omkara	119
21.	Review of Kalpas	123
22.	Number of Kalpas	130
23.	Incarnations of Mahesvara	133
24.	Hym to Siva	150
25.	Birth and Death of Madhu and Kaitabha	164
26.	Origin of Sounds	171
27.	Names and Bodies of the Great Lord	176
28.	Families of Sages	182
29.	Progeny of Agni	185
30.	The Curse of Daksa	191
31.	The Race of Devas	218
32.	Characteristics of Yugas	224
33.	Progeny of Svayambhuva Manu	230
34.	Geography of Jambudvipa	236
35.	Jambudvipa (continued)	245
36.	(Geographical) Arrangement of the World	249
37.	Arrangement of the World (Valleys and Lakes)	252
38.	Valleys between Mountains	255
39.	Abodes of Devas	261
40.	Boundary and the Limits of Mount Devakuta	265
41.	Description of Kailasa	267
42.	The Divine Rivers	274
43.	Description of Bhadrasva	280
44.	Description of Ketumala	283
45.	Description of Bharatavarsa	285
46.	Description of Kimpurusa Varsa	301
47.	Descent of the Ganga	304
48.	Countries of the Jambudvipa	311
49.	Description of Plaksa Dvipa and other Dvipas	314
50.	The Nether-worlds: Manifestation of the Luminaries	329
51.	Movements of the Luminary Bodies	347
52.	Movement of Dhruva	355
53.	Arrangement of Luminaries	362
54.	Hymn to Nilakantha	373
55.	Hymn to the Linga of Siva	383
56.	Description of Pitrs	388
57.	The Cycle of Yugas: Their Characteristics	396
58.	Description of the Four Yugas	408
59.	Yugas and Classes of People: Lineage of Sages	419
60.	Description of Holy Places: The Death of Sakalya	429
61.	Lineage of Prajapati	436
PART TWO
	Preface	vii
	Abbreviations	xiii
	Chapters
1.	Manavntaras: The Milking of the Earth	457
2.	The Dynasty of Prthu	474
3.	Vaivasvata Manvantara: The Marica Creation	479
4.	The Race of Prajapati: Rebirth of Seven Sages	483
5.	The Race of Dharma	497
6.	Curse to Jaya Gods: Nrsimha Incarnation: Race of Hiranyakasipu: Birth of Marut-gods	510
7.	The Race of Kasyapa: Danu's Progeny	522
8.	Dynastics Descended from Kasyapa	525
9.	The Race of Sages	553
10.	The Procedure of Sraddha	561
11.	The Birth of Skanda: Rules Prescribed for Sraddha	569
12.	The Procedure of Sraddha (Continued)	580
13.	The Procedure of Sraddha Performance (Continued)	584
14.	The Procedure Regarding Performance of Sraddha: The Five Mahayajnas	591
15.	Sacred Places for Sraddha	596
16.	The Sraddha Ritual: Purificatory Rites	610
17.	The Test for Eligibility of a Brahmana (for Sraddha Invitation)	618
18.	Benefit Derived from Charitable Gifts	627
19.	Benefit of Sraddha Performance on Various Tithis	633
20.	Benefit of Sraddha Performance under Different Constellations	636
21.	Miscellaneous Topics: Qualifications of a Brahmana for Sraddha-gifts: Merits of Performance of Sraddha at the Sacred Places	638
22.	The Race of Varuna: Birth of Asvin-gods	649
23.	Creative Activity of Manus: The Story of Sudyumna	656
24.	A Dissertation on Music: The Definition of Murcchana	659
25.	The Science of Music: The Embellishments	666
26.	The Iksvaku Dynasty	672
27.	The Nimi Dynasty	691
28.	The Nativity of Soma and Saumya (Budha)	694
29.	The Lunar Race: The Amavasu Dynasty	698
30.	The Origin of Dhanvantari; Varanasi Cursed; Raji's Exploits	708
31.	The Story of Yayati	717
32.	The Birth of Kartavirya	727
33.	The Dynasty of Jyamagha and Vrsni	732
34.	The Race of Vrsni	737
35.	Wars between Suras and Asuras: Bhrgu cures Visnu: The Eulogy of Sambhu by Sukra758
36.	Glorification of Visnu's Greatness	778
37.	Royal Dynasties	789
38.	The Manvantaras and Dissolution of the Universe	827
39.	Worlds from Maharloka to Siva's City	846
40.	Dissolution of the Universe	877
41.	Recreation of the Cosmic Egg	891
42.	Dissipation of Vysa's Doubts	899
43.	The Greatness of Gaya	910
44.	The Glory of Gaya: The Story of Gayasura	916
45.	Gayamahatmya (Contd.): The Story of Sila	924
46.	Gayamahatmya (Contd.): Sila-tirtha and Other Sacred Spots	929
47.	Gayamahatmya (Contd.): The Glory of Adigadadhara	942
48.	Procedure of the Pilgrimage to Gaya	947
49.	Procedure of the Pilgrimage at Gaya (Continued)	954
50.	The Glory of Gaya	965
	INDEX	973