Puranas
Puranas Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita Ramayana
500 BC-1200 AD
The word purana literally means “old” or “ancient” and refers to a genre of literature known as "tales of ancient times". It is not clear when they were written, but historians believe the early compositions date as early as 500 BC and the final writings were composed as late as 1200 AD. The Puranas are classified as Maha- (great) Puranas and Upa- (lower) Puranas. The general subjects are considered to be five in number (panchalaksana or "five distinguishing marks"):
1. The creation of the universe (sarga)
2. Secondary creations (pratisarga)
3. Genealogy of Gods and sages (vamsa)
4. The creation of human beings (manvantara)
5. Dynastic histories (vamsanucaritam)
The Puranas are stories written to popularize the essence of the Vedas. They are considered smritis, that which is remembered. The Puranas were directed toward ordinary people to help them understand the higher truths in life. They are filled with stories of saints and kings, historical events, myths and legends. They describe the creation of the universe and the struggle between good and evil. Ideas are presented in an easy and interesting way, with devotion to God as the underlying emphasis. In India even today, favorite stories from the Puranas are repeated from generation to generation.
The Puranas focus mainly on bhakti (devotion to God) and dharma (doing one’s personal and social duty). One method of classifying the Puranas is dividing them into three groups, based upon whether their stories focus on Shakti, Shiva or Vishnu. Hence, the Puranas gave rise to the two distinct traditions of Vaishnavism, the worship of Vishnu, and Shaivism, the worship of Shiva. According to current statistics, Vaishnavites compose 70% and Shaivites compose 26% of Hindus(1).
These three gods make up the Trimurti (one having three forms) also called the Hindu Trinity. Shakti is an aspect of the goddess Devi and represents the active, dynamic, feminine force or creative energy that underlies the universe. Vishnu is the preserver and is also known by his avatars (manifestation of the Divine on earth), Krishna and Rama. He represents purusha (universal consciousness). Shiva is the destroyer of evil and represents masculine and reproductive energy. He is the opposing force to Shakti since destruction prepares for creative regeneration. Yogis use the power of Shiva to destroy obstacles, illusions and doubt. This leads to clarity and the ability to see the Truth. Each of the three gods have six Puranas dedicated to them.
Another method of classifying the Puranas is division based upon the gunas, the three qualities found in nature – tamas (inertia, ignorance), rajas (energy, passion) and sattva (harmony, peace). Historians state that six Puranas were written for those who are tamasic in nature, six were written for those rajasic in nature and six were written for those sattvic in nature.
The Puranas include information about yoga, particularly in the form of devotion to one of the three gods. Therefore most of the teachings are ritualistic in nature. For example in the Padma Purana, it is said that Vishnu should be worshipped through prayers and sacrificial rites. In the Brahma Purana, yoga practitioners are advised to respect their teacher, study the scriptures and follow a diet. They are told the proper time and place for practice and warned of the faults on the yogic path. They should transcend greed and dualism before practicing yoga and are advised to avoid practice when distracted, tired, and hungry or when it is too cold or windy. The best times to practice are said to be morning, noon or the last three hours of the night. The recommended posture is sitting in lotus posture, gazing at the tip of the nose with half closed eyes. The eyes are then closed for meditation and it is recommended to meditate on the sacred syllable Om. The Brahma Purana defines yoga as “the union of the mind and the senses [with the Self].” The Vayu Purana states that breath control has the capacity to obliterate all sins and bodily imperfections. Pranayama leads to peace, tranquility, luminosity, grace and clarity. In the Vishnu Purana, the practice of meditation is taught in stages from the gross to the subtle, starting with the worship of god with form and ending with the realization that Atman is one with Brahman. The eight-fold path of yoga is described in three chapters of the Garuda Purana, although it is interpreted a little differently than Patanjali’s tradition.
Quotes
“The knower of Yoga should nowhere be a guest, and he should not participate in ancestor worship, sacrifices, pilgrimages to deities and festivals. He also should not mix with the crowd for purposes of demonstration.”
-Markandeya Purana
Study Guide Questions and Personal Reflections
- How did the essence of the Vedas become popularized?
- What three gods make up the Trimurti and what do each of these gods represent?
Vocabulary
- yuga
- jnana
- bhakti
- karma
- viveka
- vairagya
- moksha
- dharma
- Hinduism
Footnotes