Essay name: Brahma Purana (critical study)
Author:
Surabhi H. Trivedi
Affiliation: Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda / Department of Sanskrit Pali and Prakrit
This is an English study of the Brahmapurana鈥攐ne of the eighteen major Puranas which 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.
Social and Economic Life
73 (of 75)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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467
is cleansed by leaving them alone and things made of brick or
mud are cleansed by contact with the wind (221.132,133).
Again there were some beliefs that on account of
the presence of a divine jewel, people had no diseases and they
were never afflicted by anavrsti (16.24). If the Linga of
lord Mahadeva was plunged in blood it was considered to be a
bad omen suggesting the coming of some disastrous event
(169.38). The effect of an evil eye was counteracted by
revolving round the face of a person the tail of a cow, vessel
and pots (184.12,23) 75,
There were different types of pastimes in which
people indulged in order to get relaxation from the monotonous
tasks of life. Hunting was a very good pastime (10.22),
(13.89). The art of story
telling prevailed and the
characters of good kings were given as instances (15.40),
(26.16). Some people were experts in Gajayuddha (44.18).
Dyuta was considered to be vyasana (43.32) and men gambled
and procured wealth (170.85). All people from the city to-
gether with women, servants, prostitutes and the king with
76 For details vide: (i) the evil eye, Amulets, Receipes,
Exorcisation, etc. by E. Rehtsek, JBBRAS, X, PP.299. ff.
(ii) The evil eye and allied notions by H.G.M. Murray,
Aynslay: IAXV, PP. 320 ff.
