Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates 鈥業ntroduction to the Purana Literature鈥� of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.1: Introduction to the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 Literature
笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, the Hindu religious scriptures, are invaluable treasures of the world literature. These 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, which narrate the rich heritage of Indian religion and culture, constitute a vast sector of the rich Sanskrit literature.
According to A. D. Pusalkar鈥�
鈥淭hey constitute an important source of the cultural history of India as they throw a flood of light on the various aspects of the life and time...... and are valuable as supplying the materials for the study of such diverse subjects as religion and philosophy, folklore and ethnology, literature and sciences, history and geography, politics and sociology.鈥�[1]
The vast collection of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 may be described as a popular encyclopaedia of ancient and medieval Hinduism where we can see the religious, philosophical, historical, political and social life of people of ancient times. Moreover, the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 are the picturesque narrations of the glorious episodes pertaining to the Hindu mythology.
The 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 literature is next to the Vedas and regarded as the soul of the Vedas.[2] Like the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 are said to be the fifth Veda.[3] 厂尘峁泃颈 also says that 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 are commentaries on Vedas.[4]
According to the 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and the 峁欢惫别诲补[5]鈥�
颈迟颈丑腻蝉补辫耻谤腻峁嚹乥丑测腻峁� 惫别诲补峁� 蝉补尘耻辫补产峁涐箖丑补测别迟/
bibhetyalpa艣rut膩dvedo m膩maya峁� prahari峁ati//.
The study of 滨迟颈丑腻蝉补 and 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 has been rightly stressed as necessary for the correct interpretation of the Vedas.[6]
According to another view,
鈥淭he 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 are the magnifying glass of the Vedas. The principles and rules of Dharma that are briefly dealt with in the Vedas are elaborated upon in them in the form of stories鈥�.[7]
The 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 states that which are not found in the Vedas and the 艣腻蝉迟谤补蝉 all are found in the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉.
All Vedas are sturdily based on the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉:
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
R. C. Hazra, Studies in the Pur膩峁噄c Records on Hindu Rites and Customs, p.1
[3]:
itih膩sapur膩峁嘺峁� ca pa帽camo veda ucyate // 颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测辞辫补苍颈峁诲, 7.1.2.4; cf.
颈迟颈丑腻蝉补辫耻谤腻峁嚹乶颈 辫补帽肠补尘补峁� vedam墨艣vara岣� / 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3.12.40; 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 1.57.74
[5]:
痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.181,Vide S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya, 峁欢惫别诲补bh膩峁abh奴mik膩, p.137; 峁欢惫别诲补,9.99.4
[6]:
颈迟颈丑腻蝉补辫耻谤腻峁嚹乥丑测腻峁� 惫别诲补峁� samupab峁涐箖hayet / 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.181;
itih膩sa pur膩峁嚹乥hy膩峁� 惫别诲补峁� samupab峁沨a峁儁et/ 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 1.1.204