Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana
by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words
This page relates 鈥楢ncient Depictions of the Puranas鈥� of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Ancient Depictions of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉
There are two views about the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 seen in ancient times. In one sense it was used as a discipline in the history of ancient circles. In another sense, it is available for a specific literature or book. To finds its antiquity, it is necessary to observe Vedic 濒颈迟别谤补迟耻谤别鈥�叠谤补丑尘腻峁嘺蝉, 厂补峁僪颈迟腻蝉 and 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 .
The use of the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� in the 峁欢惫别诲补 is available in many mantras (RV-3/54/9, 3/58/6, 10/130/6). But at these sites the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� is only indicative of antiquity. Elsewhere (RV-9/99/4) the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� is used as an adjective of the word 鈥�骋腻迟丑腻 鈥�.
In the Atharvaveda we find the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� used with the words 滨迟颈丑腻蝉补-骋腻迟丑腻 and 狈腻谤腻艣补峁僺墨 , where it is available only as a specific discipline鈥�
鈥�sa 产峁沨补迟墨 di艣amanuvyacalat ||
迟补尘颈迟颈丑腻蝉补艣肠补 辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� ca g膩th膩艣ca
n膩r膩艣a峁僺墨艣c膩nuvyacalan || 鈥�[1]
According to the 峁欢惫别诲补 and Atharvaveda , some of the chandas and 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 had appeared in same time (础痴鈥�11/7/4).
膧谤补峁噛补办补
膧谤补峁噛补办补s and 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 are the last part of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. Even in this part of 艢谤耻迟颈 , the status of 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 and history proves to be adequate鈥搃n the form of history 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 is available to us in the developed form i.e. from its earlier position in the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉.
鈥�产谤补丑尘补测补箩帽补辫谤补办补谤补峁噀鈥�
yad br膩hma峁嚹乶膩tih膩s膩n 辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 kalp膩n g膩th膩 n膩r膩艣a峁僺墨rmed膩hutayo dev膩n膩mabhavana |
t膩bhi岣� k峁dha峁� p膩峁噈膩namap膩dhnan | apahata p膩pm膩no 诲别惫腻岣� 蝉惫补谤驳补峁� lokam膩y膩n | 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺岣� 蝉腻测耻箩测补尘峁涐梗补测辞 'gacchan || 鈥�[2]
鲍辫补苍颈峁诲
There are also many references about 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� in the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 . We get many examples for using the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� from the B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 . The word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� is important as fifth Veda鈥撯赌�itih膩sa 辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� pa帽camo 惫别诲腻苍腻峁� 惫别诲补岣�鈥� in the Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 .
The other examples are as follows鈥�
鈥�sa yay膩drendhan膩gnejneravy膩hit膩t p峁泃hagdhum膩 vini艣caranti , eva峁� v膩 are 'sya mahato bh奴tasya ni岣ヅ泇asitametad yadagveho yajurvedo 蝉腻尘补惫别诲补 'tharv膩峁単irasa itih膩sapur膩峁嘺m | 鈥�[3]
鈥�峁沢惫别诲补峁� bhagavo 'dhyemi 测补箩耻谤惫别诲补峁� 蝉腻尘补惫别诲补m膩tharva峁嘺峁僣aturthamitih膩sa峁� 辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� pa帽camam , 惫别诲腻苍腻峁� 惫别诲补峁� , 辫颈迟谤测补峁� 谤腻艣颈峁� ....鈥�[4]
厂奴迟谤补 Grantha
厂奴迟谤补-grantha also described the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� in various places.
鈥�测补诲峁沜辞 '诲丑墨迟别 辫补测补蝉补岣� 办耻濒测腻 asya 辫颈迟峁沶 蝉惫补诲丑腻 upak峁ranti yadyaju峁 gh峁泃asya 办耻濒测腻 yats膩m膩ni 尘补诲丑惫补岣� 办耻濒测腻 yadabharv膩峁単irasa岣� s膩masya 办耻濒测腻岣� yadvr膩hma峁嚹乶i kalp膩n g膩th膩 n膩r膩艣a峁僺墨ritih膩sapur膩峁嚹乶墨tyam峁泃asya峁� 办耻濒测腻 || 鈥�[5]
鈥�tasya praj膩p膩lakasya n峁沺ate艣ca vyavah膩ro vedo dharma艣膩stram a峁単膩ni , upaved膩岣� pur膩峁嘺m 鈥�[6]
厂尘峁泃颈 Grantha
There are also many examples of uses of the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥� in the 厂尘峁泃颈 . Such as鈥�
鈥�m墨m膩峁僺ate ca yo ved膩na 峁峁卋hira峁単ai岣� savistarai岣� |
itih膩sa辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 sa bhaved 惫别诲补辫腻谤补驳补岣� 鈥�[7]
鈥�迟补迟谤腻峁ａ弓补艣墨迟颈 -s膩hasr膩 munayo g峁沨amedhina岣� |
punar膩vartino v墨jabh奴t膩 dharma-pravartak膩岣� || 鈥�[8]
鈥�蝉惫腻诲丑测腻测补 艣r膩vayet pitrye dharma艣膩str膩峁噄 caiva hi |
膩khy膩t膩n墨tih膩s膩峁兣沜a 辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 khil膩ni ca || 鈥�[9]
搁腻尘补测腻峁嘺
The 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 also mentioned the description of the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥欌赌�
鈥�ityuktv膩nta岣� puradv膩ram膩jag膩ma pur膩峁嘺vit | 鈥�[10]
鈥�ityuktv膩 tu 谤补丑补岣� s奴to r膩j膩namidamabrav墨t |
艣ruyat膩峁� yat pur膩v峁泃a峁� pur膩峁噀峁 may膩 艣rutam || 鈥�[11]
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补
There are not only the general references of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 but also 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 characteristics mentioned in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 .
鈥�辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� m膩navo 诲丑补谤尘补岣� s膩峁単oveda艣cikitsitam |
膩j帽膩siddh膩ni catv膩ri , na hantavy膩ni hetubhi岣� || 鈥�[12]
This verse is a sufficient reflection of the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 view of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉. Fragmentation of the facts of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 with the help of logic-abuses鈥搃s not proper.
This is the approach of 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 .
鈥�补峁ａ弓腻诲补艣补 辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 办峁泃惫腻 satyavat墨suta岣� |
pa艣c膩d bh膩ratam膩khy膩na峁� cakretadupab峁涐箖hitam || 鈥�[13]
There is a clear opinion of 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 that Vedas should be reclaimed through history and 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 .
That is why the Vedas scholars always scare the lesser known readers of the 艢腻蝉迟谤补 so that they do not cheat them.
This is the general introduction of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 makes explicit mention of 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 as a specific 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 in which the description of ancient kings is specifically specified.
础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补
碍补耻峁璱濒测补 has given valuable instructions to 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 and history at many places of his economical thought, 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补 , which is not less important from historical point of view. 10
碍补耻峁璱濒测补鈥檚 statement describing the form of Veda is that the 厂腻尘补, 峁歡 and 驰补箩耻岣� are called Trayee.
This trilogy or Trayee is considered to be under the Atharvaveda and the 滨迟颈丑腻蝉补 Veda 鈥�
鈥�s膩margyajurved膩strayastray墨 atharvavedetih膩savedau ca 惫别诲补岣� | 鈥�[15]
痴测腻办补谤补峁嘺
In the 痴测腻办补谤补峁嘺 there are mention about the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥�
鈥�v膩kov膩kyamitih膩sa岣� 辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� vaidyakamityet膩vaccha峁asya 辫谤补测辞驳补惫颈峁测补岣� 鈥�[16]
Philosophy
鈥�sa eva mantrabr膩hma峁嘺sya dra峁ａ弓膩ra岣� pravakt膩ra艣ca te khalu itih膩sapur膩峁嘺sya dharma艣膩strasya ca 鈥�[17]
闯测辞迟颈峁
鈥�digde艣ak膩l膩vara峁嚹乨ibhed膩nna gh膩岣峢akor膩huriti buvanti
yanm膩nina岣� kevalagolavidy膩 tatsa峁僪it膩vedapur膩峁嘺v膩dyam || 鈥�[18]
狈墨迟颈艣腻蝉迟谤补
鈥�诲丑补谤尘补迟补迟迟惫补峁� hi gahanatama岣� satyevita峁� 苍补谤补岣� |
艣rutism峁泃ipur膩峁嚹乶膩峁� karma kury膩d vicak峁峁嘺岣� || 鈥�[19]
笔耻谤腻峁嘺
笔耻谤腻峁嘺 itself mention and describe about the word 鈥�笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥�. There are many examples in the several 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉.
Such as鈥揂ccording to the V膩yu-笔耻谤腻峁嘺 about the origin of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥�
鈥�sarvvaj帽膩t sarvvavede峁 pujit膩dd墨ptatejasa岣� |
辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� sampravak峁膩mi yadukta峁� m膩tari艣v膩 || 鈥�[20]
On the other side Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 has mentioned that the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 is as the earliest creation of Veda鈥�
鈥�辫耻谤腻峁嘺峁� sarva艣膩str膩峁嚹佱箖 辫谤补迟丑补尘补峁� brahma峁嚹� sm峁泃am
nitya 艣补产诲补尘补测补峁� 辫耻峁噛补峁� 艣补迟补办辞峁璱辫谤补惫颈蝉迟补谤补尘
anantara峁� ca vakatrebhyo ved膩stasya vinis峁泃膩岣� || 鈥�[21]
The M膩rka峁囜笉eya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 also has considered the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 as the earlier of Veda 鈥�
鈥�耻迟辫补苍苍补尘腻迟谤补蝉测补 辫补谤腻 产谤补丑尘补峁噊 'vyaktajanmana岣� |
pur膩峁嘺metad ved膩艣ca mukhebhyo 'nuvini岣� s峁泃膩岣� || 鈥�[22]
There are noted about the origin of 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 in the Skanda 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥�
鈥�辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 da艣膩峁ａ弓au ca 蝉腻尘辫谤补迟补峁� tadihocyate || 鈥�[23]
As per the Padma 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 鈥�
鈥�辫谤补惫峁泃迟颈岣� sarva艣膩str膩峁嚹佱箖 pur膩峁嘺sy膩bhavattad膩
kalin膩 graha峁嘺峁� d峁涐梗峁璿膩 pur膩峁嘺sya tad膩 vibh奴岣� || 鈥�[24]
Footnotes and references:
[3]:
B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲a鈥�2/4/11.
[4]:
Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲a鈥�7/1/2.
[5]:
[6]:
Gautama 顿丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补鈥�1/1/21.
[7]:
痴测腻蝉补蝉尘峁泃颈鈥�4/45.
[8]:
驰补箩帽补惫补濒办补蝉尘谤迟颈鈥�3/124鈥�126..
[12]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Anu艣膩sana parva
[15]:
础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补鈥�1/3
[16]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻峁补鈥�1/1/1
[17]:
狈测腻测补诲补谤艣补苍补产丑腻峁补鈥�4/1/32
[18]:
厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补艣颈谤辞尘补峁嚹赌�56
[20]:
V膩yu 笔耻谤腻峁嘺鈥�1/54
[22]:
M膩rkandeya笔耻谤腻峁嘺鈥�20