Essay name: Purana Bulletin
Author:
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
The "Purana Bulletin" is an academic journal published in India. The journal focuses on the study of Puranas, which are a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and philosophical teachings. They represent Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit and cover a wide range of subjects.
Purana, Volume 10, Part 2 (1968)
61 (of 146)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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July, 1968] HINDU SOCIETY IN PADMA-PUR膧峁咥 79 165 76 Mahadeva occurs for the first time in that Samhita. The Atharva
Veda has a further development on the conception of Rudra
and it has been suggested that the curious Vr膩tya hymn of
the Atharva Veda points to the cult of Rudra by the Vratyas.".
Although neither in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (where 艢iva
has been described as the creator and destroyer of the world)
nor in the Grhya-Sutras, the existence of Saiva sect is found, it
would not be wise to contradict Sir R.G. Bhandarkar who opines
that from the days of Patanjali, the existence of it may be
taken for granted.80 In the Mahabharata, the Saivas and the Saivite
sects have been mentioned more than once鲁鹿.
81 With the Vayu-P.
which has been regarded as one of the oldest Pur膩峁嘺s these terms
have become popular.83
Taking the above facts into consideration, we find that the
Padma-p. does not only include the names of Saiva and Saivites as
a full-fledged sect but shows stamps of later Saiva philosophy also.
Here we find that Saivism, as has been expounded by Sati, clearly
admits the law of karman and rebirth, the law of virtue and vice,
the deads of our present life determining the next birth, and the
transmigration of soul. Good actions lead to heaven. Intelligence
and health are the results of our previous deeds. Fortune favours
75. R. G. Bhandarkar in his Vaisnavism, Saivism and Minor Religious
Systems, (p. 103) Shows how that Samhita displays the character
of Rudra in a much more developed form. For the name Mahadeva
see V膩jasaneyi Samhit膩, 39. 8.
76. Patil, op. cit., p. 177.
77. Charpentier, Vienna Oriental Journal, 23. 151 ff; 25. 355 ff. Cf.
also C. V. N. Ayyar, Origin and Early History of Saivism in South
India, p. 17 ff.
78. R. G. Bhandarkar, op. cit., p. 110.
79. V.M. Apte, in his 'Social and Religious Life in the Grhyas奴tras', only
refers to several names of Siva as found in the Grhya Sutras (pp. 234-
235), but does not refer to the aiva-sects any where.
80. R.G. Bhandarkar, op. cit., p. 115 ff.
81. Hopkins, Epic Mythalogy, p. 220.
82. R. G. Bhandarkar, Early History of the Deccan, p, 51.
F. E. Pargiter, Purana Text of the Dynasties of the Kali Age, p. 14.
V.R.R. Dikshitar Some Aspects of the Vayu-Purana, p. 47.
83. Patil, op. cit., p. 55 ff., 117 ff.
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