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'''Brihaddharma Purana''' (8-16 century AD) belongs to the category of a ''Upapur''''an''''a''. The major ''Pur''''an''''a''s are 18 in number and the ''Pur''''an''''a''s without authors other than the major ''Pur''''an''''a''s are called ''Upapur''''an''''a''s. ''B''''r''''ihaddharma Pur''''an''''a'' is also called ''Dharmma''-''Sa''''v''''gjnit''''a''/''Dharmman''''a''''maka'' and is known to have translated into practice the tradition of religious catholicity. As such, it is a non-sectarian ''Upapur''''an''''a''.

The word ''Pur''''an''''a'' means old narrative (''pur''''an''''am ''''a''''khy''''a''''nam''), that is to say, narrative relating probably to mythological and legendary lore. The ''Pur''''an''''a''s as a species of literature constitute an important source for the historians of early Indian society and culture, though their information should be used carefully for historical purpose.

The reference to the ''Mlechchha'' and ''Yavana'' tyrannies in Bengal and to the standards of measurements, particularly ''Seraka'' (found as ''Se''''t''''akam'') have led scholars to date the composition of the ''B''''r''''haddharma'' ''Pur''''an''''a'' at about 13th century AD.

The'' B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a'' is divided into three parts (''kha''''nd''''as'')''': '''''P''''u''''rvva Kha''''nd''''a,'' ''Madhyama Kha''''nd''''a'' and ''Uttara Kha''''nd''''a''. The ''P''''u''''rvva'' and the ''Madhyama Kha''''nd''''a''s each consists of 30 chapters (''adhy''''a''''yas''), while the ''Uttara Kha''''nd''''a'' contains 21.

The ''P''''u''''rvva Kha''''nd''''a'' is characterised by such subjects as the praise of ''dharma'' and the necessity of its practice. Dharma consists of the qualities of ''day''''a'''', satya'', ''xa''''nti'' and'' ahi''''m''''s''''a''; obedience and services to parents and ''gurus'' (preceptors); the praise of the ''d''''i''''k''''sa''''guru'' with reverence to his ''mantras''; religious rites at ''t''''i''''rtha''s (holy places); the narration of the story of the ''R''''a''''m''''a''''ya''''n''''a'' (c 2nd century BC - 2nd century AD); the method of ''Dev''''i''-worship; the description of a number of religious rites and festivals such as ''Lak''''s''''m''''i'' ''p''''u''''j''''a'' and ''R''''a''''say''''a''''tr''''a''; the creation of words (''V''''a''''cha''); philosophical works; the description of the seven parts (''saptakha''''nd''''a'') of ''R''''a''''m''''a''''ya''''n''''a'' etc.

The ''Madhyama Kha''''nd''''a'' emphasises the origins of ''Brahm''''a''; the creation of the gods and ''Sat''''i''`s ''svayambara''; ''Dak''''s''''a''';s ''Yaj''''v''''a'' and the incidents related to it; the origins of the ''p''''it''''ha''s, propitiation of ''Sat''''i'' by ''Brahm''''a'', ''Vi''''sn''''u ''and ''X''''iva''; the origins of ''Ga''''b''''g''''a'', the union of ''X''''iva'' with ''Ga''''b''''g''''a''; the songs of ''X''''iva''; ''B''''a''''li''';s episodes; ''Bh''''a''''giratha''';s performances relating to the bringing of ''Ga''''b''''g''''a'' to earth; ''Ga''''b''''g''''a''';s ''m''''a''''h''''a''''tmya'' etc.

The ''Uttara Kha''''nd''''a'' is devoted to various religious teachings such as the praises of the duties of the Brahmanas, ''K''''s''''atriya''s, ''Vai''''x''''ya''s and ''Xu''''dra''s as well as of the ''ax''''rama''s; the duties of women; the determination of castes; the arrangement of ''var''''n''''a''''x''''a''''b''''kara'' (mixed castes); glorification of gifts; birth of Lord ''K''''rsn''''a ''and his adventures; description of ''K''''a''''la'' (auspicious time); praise of ''B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a'' etc.

There are a number of references which indicate that the ''B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a'' were composed in Bengal. The evidences come from the thirty-six mixed castes, ''Vaidya''s, ''Ganaka''s; the use of such surnames as ''Deva''-''Sarman'', ''R''''a''''ya'' and ''Varman'' for ''K''''s''''atriya''s, ''Dhana'' for ''Vaidaya''s etc; the use of the word ''m''''a'' in the sense of mother and the word ''Bhagni'' in the sense of sister; the use of a few Sanskrit words and verbal roots such as ''vas'' in the sense of sitting (''vas'' > ''usito''); the use of the word ''sv''''i''''k''''a''''ra'' in the sense of promise; the descripton of the worship of the goddess ''K''''a''''l''''i''; the method of ''R''''a''''sa'' festival; the performance of ''X''''ivotsva'' (''Cha''''d''''akap''''u''''j''''a'') in the month of ''Chaitra'' in all parts of Bengal; reference to the ''p''''it''''ha'' of ''Ma''''b''''golko''''st''''ha'' (mabgolkot in the Burdwan district) etc.

Information about the position of gods and goddesses are also available from the ''B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a''. Lord ''Vi''''sn''''u'' says to goddess ''Lak''''s''''m''''i'' that ''X''''iva'' is dearest to him and identical with him. The relevant verses of chapter 22 of the ''P''''u''''rvva Kha''''nd''''a'''' ''inform us about the method of the worship of ''Dev''''i'' -''Dev''''i'' ''bodhana'', ''Dev''''i ''worship in the ''Bilva'' tree upto ''X''''ukla ''''S''''a''''st''''h''''i'', the bringing of ''Dev''''i'' to the house constructed for her worship on the ''Saptam''''i'''' tithi'', the performance of ''homa'', keeping awake at night on ''Mah''''ast''''am''''i'''' tithi'', ''s''''a''''ndhi p''''u''''j''''a'' at ''a''''st''''am''''i''''-navam''''i'''' s''''a''''ndhi'',, singing of amorous songs relating to male-female generative organs on the ''Vijaya'' ''da''''x''''am''''i'''' tithi''. It is stated in the ''B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a'' that the goddess should be worshipped at dusk (''prado''''s''''a''); worshippers have been advised to fast at daytime and drink coconut water after worshipping ''Lak''''s''''m''''i''. During the ''K''''a''''l''''i''/ ''Shy''''a''''m''''a'' ''p''''u''''j''''a'', lamps should be lighted and the goddess should be worshipped at dead of night. ''K''''a''''l''''i'' has been described in verses 12-17 of the ''P''''u''''rvva Kha''''nd''''a''. ''K''''rs''''na'' is still worshipped through the observance of the ''R''''a''''sa'' festival. ''Mah''''a''''rudra''';s origin from ''Brahm''''a''';s rage has been included in verse 43 of the ''Madhya Kha''''nd''''a''. In connection with the origins of ''Brahm''''a'''', Vi''''sn''''u ''and ''X''''iva'', ''Sat''''i'' explains to ''X''''iva'' her true self as ''m''''u''''la- prak''''r''''ti'' from which her ten forms (''da''''x''''amah''''a''''vidy''''a'') originated, viz ''K''''a''''l''''i'''', T''''a''''r''''a'''', ''''S''''o''''d''''a''''xi'''', Bh''''u''''vane''''x''''var''''i'''', Bhairav''''i'''', Chhinnamast''''a'''', Sundar''''i'''', Vagal''''a''''mukh''''i'''', Dhumavat''''i'''', ''and'' M''''a''''ta''''b''''g''''i''.

Therefore, it appears that the gods and goddesses gained social acceptance in Bengal by the 13th century AD. Ordinary people have been advised to duly worship the five deities (''Ga''''n''''e''''x''''a, S''''u''''rya, Vi''''sn''''u, Ambik''''a'' and ''X''''iva)'', ten ''Dikp''''a''''las ''(''Indra, Agni, Yama, Nir''''r''''ta, Varu''''n''''a, V''''a''''yu, Kuvera, ''''Isan''''a, Brahm''''a'''' ''and ''Ananta) ''and the nine planets (''S''''u''''rya, Soma'' etc) so that their works can become successful.

The ''B''''r''''haddharma Pur''''an''''a'' is important because it describes the contemporaneous state of religion and society in the ''K''''a''''l''''i'' age in Bengal. During the ''K''''a''''l''''i'' age, it has been said, people will be at daggers drawn (''paraspara ''... ''vadhepsava''''h''), the vedic religion will be replaced by the ''P''''as''''a''''nd''''a-dharma'', the ''P''''as''''a''''nd''''a''s'' ''and ''Yavana''s will destroy the ''var''''nax''''rama''-''dharma'', there will be fierce disagreement between the ''P''''u''''r''''an''''as ''and other systems of philosophy, the gods will leave this earth, and the ''Yavana''s and ''Mlechchha''s will become powerful. In a word, a period of social crisis is implied in this much debated chapter of the ''Pur''''an''''a''.

At the end a few words about the ''Mlechchha''s, ''Yavana''s and ''P''''as''''a''''nd''''a''s. The ''Pur''''an''''a'' endeavoured to create in Bengal a Brahmanical society based on the ''Pur''''an''''ic'' religious beliefs and practices. Society recognised local gods and goddesses and cults, the superiority of Brahmanas well versed in the Vedas, and the necessity of the ''Var''''nax''''ramadharma''. Actually, the ''Pur''''an''''a'' tried to create a regional Brahmanical culture in Bengal. Those who did not conform to the usual Brahmanical religious ideals were considered outsiders and were probably designated as ''Mlechchha''s and ''Yavana''s. The Buddhists were described as ''P''''as''''a''''nd''''i'' because they considered the Vedas as improper (''Bauddh''''ah'''' p''''as''''a''''nd''''ina''''h'''' prokta y''''a''''to v''''a''''i Vedanindak''''ah''). Also, they deviated from the path prescribed by the Vedas (''Vedam''''a''''rgabahi''''s''''k''''r''''ta''), because they gave up ''Var''''n''''adharma''''. ''The Buddhists were considered harmful and the visible symbols of inauspiciousness and held responsible for problems and disorders in society. In fact, such a spirit of intolerance arose out of the observation that it was impossible to establish the Brahmanical religion until and unless the religio-social influence of Buddhism could be eliminated. [Krishnendu Ray]

'''Bibliography''' RC Hazra, ''Studies in the Upapuranas'', II, Calcutta, 1979; P Tarkaratna (ed), ''Brihaddarmma Purana'', (in Bangla), Calcutta, 1989. [Ray, Krishnendu Reader of Ancient Indian History and Culture, Calcutta University]

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Brihaddharma Purana - Revision history

Mukbil at 03:52, 4 September 2021

0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1: Content Updated.