The author is well known scholar of Puranas, especially the Vishnu Purana, and he has written extensively about the Hindu mythology. This book is an overall summary of what transcended from the Vedic myths to the metaphysics of Upanishads, and the mythology of the two epics into Puranas.
As the Vedas became ancient, the Vedic myths and rituals became obscured. Then the metaphysical thoughts about the origin of the universe, the nature of life and its connections with the Creator began. Such a philosophical enquiry lead to the discovery of Aranyakas and Upanishads, and the concept of the Supreme Being was found. In the final development, legends were invented largely from the epics, specifically Mahabharata and the faith based duties grew. The responsibility for the personal God became an important part of Hindu life. The Puranas grew rich in mythology, and mysticism evolved into the great authorities of modern Hinduism. Deity worshipping became common, and Vishnu and Siva became the major deities for worship, although Vishnu is largely worshipped in his youthful form of Krishna.
There are 18 maha-Puranas and they were compiled under the influence of the then existing doctrines with strong sectarian affiliations. Popular forms of Hinduism originated just around the times of Adi Shankara, a Saiva reformer, in the 8th century; and during the times of Vaishnava teachers like Ramanuja in the 12 century, Madhva in the 13 century and Vallabha in the 16 century. Puranas followed their innovation and paralleled their doctrines. Brahma Purana is the first Purana in the list of 18 Puranas, and sometimes referred to as Adi Purana; Padma Purana is the second. Linga Purana is another ancient text and the author suggests that it probably belong to the eighth or ninth century C.E.
Puranas are divided into the three classes according to their qualities. The Vishnu, Narada, Bhagavata, Garuda, Padma, and Varaha Puranas are Vaishnava Puranas which are classified as Sattvic texts that contain goodness and purity. The Saiva Puranas like; the Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Siva, Skanda, and Agni Puranas are tamas Puranas, where the qualities of gloom prevail. The Puranas of Rajas qualities are found in the following Brahma Puranas; Brahmanda, Brahma Vaivrata, Markanedya, Bhavishya, Vaman and Brahma Puranas. They represent the passionate qualities characteristic Rajas guna. The Rajas Puranas lean towards the sakta division that worships Sakti or the female principle like Durga or Kali founded on a principal episode of Markandeya Purana. The Brahma Vaivrata also worships Radha and other female deities. The significance of the three gunas has been elucidated and explained wonderfully in the Bhagavadgita.
The Puranas contain many legends from the two epics, especially Mahabharata. The number of hymns in each of the 18 Puranas could vary from 11,000 hymns, as in Linga Purana, to as much as 81,000, as in Skanda Purana. Over the years, certain sections of Puranas have accepted so much extraneous materials that favor the worship one particular deity over another largely due to sectarian affiliations and existing ideologies. In spite of these, all of them preserve many ancient legends and traditions.
The concept of elemental creation found in Vishnu Purana and others is from Sankhya philosophy. The agency that operates upon passive matter to reflect itself as material nature is attributed to the illusory nature of Maya descending from the concept of Vedanta philosophy. This amalgamation of the two metaphysical thoughts is used successfully in Puranas to illustrate the pantheism of Puranas. Such an illustration is also found in Bhagavadgita, where Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies have been used to describe the Supreme Being. According to Vishnu Purana, the independent existence of Pradhana or crude matter and with a separate existence of purusha or pure spirit is one and the same as Supreme Being, as taught by Sankhya. It is not only a spirit but also matter, time and all visible forms, kala and time. This is not a departure from the early metaphysical dogma of pre-Puranic Hinduism but simply the distinctiveness of the deity or a god whose work is contained in the mesh of creation and existence of which he is a part. The spacetime and matter that resulted in this universe will eventually collapse, disintegrate and dissolve with the Supreme Being. This apparent imperfection of why god would create and then destroy his creation was explained by the personification of attributes in action. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva were created and they were charged severally for a given season with the creation, preservation and temporary annihilation of material forms. The author H.H. Wilson says that the metaphysical thought of Vishnu Purana is of high antiquity.
Puranas have focused on varied things, some are rich in cosmologies, some in history, and most focus on philosophical aspects of life. The culture and metaphysics have grown like siblings in Hinduism. It is a constructive conservatism which creates but also keeps up continuity with the past.
As the Vedas became ancient, the Vedic myths and rituals became obscured. Then the metaphysical thoughts about the origin of the universe, the nature of life and its connections with the Creator began. Such a philosophical enquiry lead to the discovery of Aranyakas and Upanishads, and the concept of the Supreme Being was found. In the final development, legends were invented largely from the epics, specifically Mahabharata and the faith based duties grew. The responsibility for the personal God became an important part of Hindu life. The Puranas grew rich in mythology, and mysticism evolved into the great authorities of modern Hinduism. Deity worshipping became common, and Vishnu and Siva became the major deities for worship, although Vishnu is largely worshipped in his youthful form of Krishna.
There are 18 maha-Puranas and they were compiled under the influence of the then existing doctrines with strong sectarian affiliations. Popular forms of Hinduism originated just around the times of Adi Shankara, a Saiva reformer, in the 8th century; and during the times of Vaishnava teachers like Ramanuja in the 12 century, Madhva in the 13 century and Vallabha in the 16 century. Puranas followed their innovation and paralleled their doctrines. Brahma Purana is the first Purana in the list of 18 Puranas, and sometimes referred to as Adi Purana; Padma Purana is the second. Linga Purana is another ancient text and the author suggests that it probably belong to the eighth or ninth century C.E.
Puranas are divided into the three classes according to their qualities. The Vishnu, Narada, Bhagavata, Garuda, Padma, and Varaha Puranas are Vaishnava Puranas which are classified as Sattvic texts that contain goodness and purity. The Saiva Puranas like; the Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Siva, Skanda, and Agni Puranas are tamas Puranas, where the qualities of gloom prevail. The Puranas of Rajas qualities are found in the following Brahma Puranas; Brahmanda, Brahma Vaivrata, Markanedya, Bhavishya, Vaman and Brahma Puranas. They represent the passionate qualities characteristic Rajas guna. The Rajas Puranas lean towards the sakta division that worships Sakti or the female principle like Durga or Kali founded on a principal episode of Markandeya Purana. The Brahma Vaivrata also worships Radha and other female deities. The significance of the three gunas has been elucidated and explained wonderfully in the Bhagavadgita.
The Puranas contain many legends from the two epics, especially Mahabharata. The number of hymns in each of the 18 Puranas could vary from 11,000 hymns, as in Linga Purana, to as much as 81,000, as in Skanda Purana. Over the years, certain sections of Puranas have accepted so much extraneous materials that favor the worship one particular deity over another largely due to sectarian affiliations and existing ideologies. In spite of these, all of them preserve many ancient legends and traditions.
The concept of elemental creation found in Vishnu Purana and others is from Sankhya philosophy. The agency that operates upon passive matter to reflect itself as material nature is attributed to the illusory nature of Maya descending from the concept of Vedanta philosophy. This amalgamation of the two metaphysical thoughts is used successfully in Puranas to illustrate the pantheism of Puranas. Such an illustration is also found in Bhagavadgita, where Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies have been used to describe the Supreme Being. According to Vishnu Purana, the independent existence of Pradhana or crude matter and with a separate existence of purusha or pure spirit is one and the same as Supreme Being, as taught by Sankhya. It is not only a spirit but also matter, time and all visible forms, kala and time. This is not a departure from the early metaphysical dogma of pre-Puranic Hinduism but simply the distinctiveness of the deity or a god whose work is contained in the mesh of creation and existence of which he is a part. The spacetime and matter that resulted in this universe will eventually collapse, disintegrate and dissolve with the Supreme Being. This apparent imperfection of why god would create and then destroy his creation was explained by the personification of attributes in action. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva were created and they were charged severally for a given season with the creation, preservation and temporary annihilation of material forms. The author H.H. Wilson says that the metaphysical thought of Vishnu Purana is of high antiquity.
Puranas have focused on varied things, some are rich in cosmologies, some in history, and most focus on philosophical aspects of life. The culture and metaphysics have grown like siblings in Hinduism. It is a constructive conservatism which creates but also keeps up continuity with the past.
Reference: Metaphysics of Puranas by H.H. Wilson
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