Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Pitri included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of Pit峁�
笔颈迟峁泂 are a set of demigods. From Manupraj膩pati, son of 叠谤补丑尘腻, were born the 厂补辫迟补谤峁蝉 like 惭补谤墨肠颈 and they in turn created the 笔颈迟峁泂. Besides 惭补谤墨肠颈 and his set many others like 痴颈谤腻峁� 笔耻谤耻峁 and 叠谤补丑尘腻 have created 笔颈迟峁泂. Some 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 state that 笔颈迟峁泂 are of daily creation. 叠谤补丑尘腻 in the beginning created three sets of 笔颈迟峁泂 with form and four with brightness making thus seven sets. The three sets of bodied pit峁泂 are 础驳苍颈峁腻迟迟补蝉, 叠补谤丑颈峁诲补蝉 and 厂辞尘补辫腻蝉 and the four bright ones are Yama, Anala, Soma and Aryaman (10th Skandha, Dev墨 Bh膩gavata).
"manor haira峁噛agarbhasya ye mar墨cy膩daya岣� 蝉耻迟腻岣� / te峁Ｄ乵峁涐梗墨峁嚹佱箖 sarve峁Ｄ乵 putr膩岣� 辫颈迟峁沢补峁嚹佱弗 sm峁泃膩岣�" // (艣濒辞办补 194, chapter 8, manusm峁泃i). 笔颈迟峁泂 (manes) are classified into two types: The 础驳苍颈峁腻迟迟补蝉 and 叠补谤丑颈峁诲补蝉. Of these the 础驳苍颈峁腻迟迟补蝉 do not perform Y膩gas and the 叠补谤丑颈峁诲补蝉 are those who perform y膩gas. Besides these two major divisions they are classified into many other groups as follows:
Somasadasya (s).
痴颈谤腻峁� 笔耻谤耻峁 is the creator of these 笔颈迟峁泂. Somasadasyas are the 笔颈迟峁泂 of S膩dhyadevas.
Agni峁膩tta (s).
They are the pit峁泂 of devas.
叠补谤丑颈峁诲补蝉.
These 笔颈迟峁泂 are the creation of the sage Atri. They are the manes of daityas, 诲腻苍补惫补蝉, 测补办峁蝉, gandharvas, uragas (serpents), 谤腻办峁蝉补蝉 (demons), 蝉耻惫补谤峁嘺蝉 and kinnaras.
Somap膩 (s).
They are the sons of the sage 叠丑峁沢耻 and are the manes of brahmins.
Havirbhuk (s).
The sage 础峁単颈谤补蝉 is the father of these 笔颈迟峁泂 who are the manes of 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉.
膧jyap膩 (s).
These are the sons of the sage Pulastya and are the manes of 痴补颈艣测补蝉.
Suk膩lika (s).
Sons of the sage 痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补, these 笔颈迟峁泂 are the manes of the 艢奴诲谤补蝉.
To the seven sages like 惭补谤墨肠颈 were born the pit峁泂 and to the pit峁泂 were born the dev膩suras (devas and asuras) and to the dev膩suras were born everything else in this universe, animate and inanimate. (Chapter 3, Manusm峁泃i).
Performing a 艢谤腻诲诲丑补 (offering obsequial oblations to the departed) is just like a 测补箩帽补. The oblations should be offered in either silver or silver cum copper pots. 痴颈艣惫补诲别惫补蝉 are the guardians of the pit峁泂. Therefore the oblations should be offered after worshipping the 痴颈艣惫补诲别惫补蝉 first and then the pit峁泂 and then 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. (See under 艢谤腻诲诲丑补).