365betÓéÀÖ

Brahma Purana (critical study)

by Surabhi H. Trivedi | 1960 | 254,628 words

This is an English study of the Brahmapurana—one of the eighteen major Puranas. This text occupies an important place in the Pauranic literature. This study researches the rich an encyclopaedic material for social, religious, philosophical, mythological, political, geographical and literary study found in the Brahma-Purana. It also includes a lingu...

28. Sins and their retribution

Warning! Page nr. 110 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

Sin is an act which is regarded as a Wilful rebellion against or disobedience of some law supposed to be laid down by God or Revealation, it is opposition to the Will of God manifested in an automatic work or at least failure to abide by the regulations contained therein.169 The smrtis had evolved the doctrine that if a sinner did not undergo Prayasatta, he had to suffer torments in hell, thereafter he became born as some insect or lower animal or a tree on account of some remnants of his sins and that he has born as a human being afflicted with certain 170 diseases or defects. The word karmavipaka was known to Yajnavalkya (3.131) and the Brahma Purana 171 172 refers to it frequently. Awarding to the Yogasutra , Karmalipaka, i.e. repening of evil actions takes three forms, viz. Jati, Aynh. and bhoga. The Brahma Purana â–� illustrates both Jati and Ayuh (217.40). As against the most common interpretation of the doctrine of transmigration, viz. a system of reward for the good acts and retribution for the evil acts of an individual, the Brahma Purana suggests, at some places, the idea of evolutionary rebirth. 169 Kane, P.V. HDS Vol. Vol. IV, 170 Satatapal I. 1-4 1. 171 224. 41, 225 43 & 49, also of Matrya 115.14 172 Sati Mule tadvipako Jatyayurbhogah . Yogasutra II . 13

Warning! Page nr. 111 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

776 1 } The basis of the division of sins into 'The Grave' and 'The Lesser' seems to have been followed by most of the Puranic as well as Siding Smrti writers. Killing a Brahmin, drinking wine, Stealing Gold, committing adultery and keeping company of any of the above four are considered as 'Grave' sins. All others, moral, Teligious and social are regarded as 'Lesser' sins and the Puranas as also the Smrtis describe how for committing these a i a person is punished. Generally the punishment takes two forms; viz. sufferings in hell and vegetative, animal and low 173 human births on earth. � As against the sin of killing a brahmin violence of any sent towards any other being came to be regarded as a lesser sin.Brahma Purana 174 states killing an unarmed person results in a man's birth as a donkey, then as a deer, a fish, a wild dog, an elephant and as a human being. ⠀⠀ Stealing Gold was considered as a grave sin, stealing any other article was considered as a lesser one and the Brahma Purana describes in details the stealing of different articles and 175 the resulting low births. Thus it says, one who steals 173 Mrs.Pandit B.C. The origin and Development of the Doctrine of Transmigration, in the Sanskrit literature of the Hindus; a thesis submitted for the Ph.D. degree in Sankrit to the University of Bombay, 1957. 174. 217. 100-104; also of Garuda P. Purva Khanda, A-225 V 123, also of Mbh. 13.111. 112-116 (Bom.ed.) 175. 217. 87-99; (f. Garuda P. Purva Khanda. A. 104, 1-9; of 225).

Warning! Page nr. 112 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

777 } cards, becomes a (baka) crane, unconsecrated fish becomes a frog (or a monkey) *Plava' honey; a biting insect, flower, remt or padding an ant, 'Nispava' a rat; milk-preparation a biting insect; milk-preparation, a tittira bird, pudding formed from a flour a kambholuka; water a crow; bronze a Harita bird; a silver vessel a pigeon; a golden vessel an insect, a silken garment an osprey; a silk worm (while in the cocoon-osakara) a dancer; a silken garment, a parrot, a Dukila a swan; a cotton gement a heron; the thief of Patta, Avika and Ksauma (silken and woolen garments) is born as a hare; of aromatic powder (churna) as a bird with e + l variegated colours (a peacock); or red garments as Jilam Jivakah ( a bird); of cosmetics as a mask rat (chachunder) of milk (or water) as a Balaka and oild as a bird named vadava gula (Tallapayi). Further it is said that the thief of a musical instrument is born as lomosa, of food mixed with Pinyaka as a terrible mouse with tawny hair of ghee as crow and madga or an aoquatic bird, of meat of fish as a crossw of salt as a cirikaka and one who takes up the thing that are given to him just for protection is born in the yoni of matsya and then he is born as a human being. Elsewhere (217- 64-65) it is said that a theif of corn like yava, sesaine, the 1f masa, kulitna, sarsapa and canz kataya, mudga, godhima and atast, is born as a rat, sukara, dog.

Warning! Page nr. 113 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

778 51 � Adultery with the wife of a teacher was considered as a grave sin whereas adultery with the wife of another person was placed in the list of lesser sins. The Br P. 176 states that it leads to a series of low births such as those of a wolf, a dog, a Jackal, a Vultura, a Vyala, a Kamika and a crane. Adulterous relations with the wife of a brother 177 according to Brahma Purana resulted in a man's birth as a male cuckoo. The Br P. (217-68-71) mentions the births of a board, a crane, an ant, an insect (Kita) a motn. (karmi) IEEE WH and a human being as a punishment for those who indulge into adultery with the wife of a friend, a teacher d or a king. The Brahma Purana infricts severe punishment to a sutra 1 21 who indulges into adultery with a brahmin woman (217- 77-80) mentions the births of an insect, sukara, dog, a human being stra a rat, for such a suara. According to the Bt. P. the mental sin of coveting rou the wife of a teacher, is referred to as bringing about a man's birth as a dog and an insect. (217. 45-47). *176 (217- 105-109) also of Garuda P. Purva Khanda 177 Brahma Purana 217. 66 of. also Garuda P.Purva Khanda, Alcarakhanda A. 225. V.18 Sk.P.Maheswara Khanda A.51. V.30 Yaj. 3.5 212, Many 12.60 178 217. 67 also if Garuda P. Purva Khanda acara kanda A 225. 19 (a). }

Warning! Page nr. 114 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

> 779 dis To obey the elders was considered to be a sin. A Thus the Brahma Purana as an ass and a kumbhira and with whom parents are angry is born as an ass and a cat; if one shouts at his parents he is born as a parrot; if he beats them, he is born as a purrak tortoise, a thorn (Satyaka) and a cruel animal. one who insults an elder borther is born as a heron and a Jivaka 180. 179. says 'one who hates his parents is born 3 Violation of religious rites also fed to low births. Thus Brahma Purana states that one who does not offer food to Gods and manes is born as a crow, a cock and a cruel animal (217. 74-75). Not only committing sins, but contact with sinners was also threatened with punishment in the form of low births, If a learned brahmin accepts some- } huo thing from a sinner he has topass through a chain of low births. The Brahma Purana mentions the births of a donkey, an ox, a Brahmaraks, and finally as a man (217, 37-39) if he officiates the sacrifice of a sinner, hehas to pass through the births of insect, an ass, a board, a cock, a fox, a dog, and then a man again (217. 40-44). 1 179 217 49-54. also of Gar. P. Purva Khanda Acara A. 225 15, 16. Padma P. Kh. a A 63, V. 4b- 13 180 217 76. also of Ex Garuda P. Purva, Acara Khanda 225-21.

Warning! Page nr. 115 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

780 Jealousy results in a man's birth as an animal 181 with horns. � one who commits a breach of trust is born as a fish, a deer, a goat, a worm and then man again (217- 59-61). One who beats his pupil without any teason is born as a cruel animal (217. 98). Not being true to one's words with reference to giving one's daughter in marriage led to birth as an insect. (217. 71-72). of 1 The main object, wirting on the evolutionary rebirth, theory of Kamavipaka, the ideas of Heaven and hell seems to be to create a x loathsome feeling toward the transmigation-ory existence and proposed the doctrine of grace or Devotion which liberate the unhappy souls, in the fro 4 +4 A universe, tossed to and as a result of their good and evil actions. It is with this motive that dismal pictures of sufferings in hells or by entanglement in an endless round of rebirths, as a result of evil actions, are drawn often and often. 182 3 The great smrti writers like manu and others habe shown various expiations in the form of penances for the all M sins comitted by men. Out of any of them the rememberance of the Lord Narayan is the best one in the opinion of the : Brahma Purana (220. 397 38-39). 181. 217. 59; alsoof Naradiya F. Parva Kh. 15-61 182 Mrs. Pandit Bindu op. cit, F. 168. 1

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: