Classical Hindu Mythology: a Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas

388 Pages·2012·64.683 MB·English

by  Dimmitt, Cornelia;Van Buitenen, J. A

Classical
Hindu
Mythology
A Reader in the Sanskrit PuralJas
Copyrighted Material
Copyrighted Material
Classical
A
Reader in
Hindu
the Sanskrit
Mythology
Puranas
.
Edited and Translated by
Cornelia Dimmitt and
J.
A. B. van Buitenen
Temple University Press
Philadelphia
Copyrighted Material
Temple University Press, Philadelphia 19122
© 1978 by Temple University. All rights reserved
Published in 1978
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Puranas. English. Selections.
Classical Hindu mythology.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Dimmitt, Cornelia, 1938- II. Buitenen,
Johannes Adrianus Bernardus van. III. Title.
BL1135.P6213 294.5'925 77-92643
ISBN 0-87722-117-0
ISBN 0-877'.2-122-7 pbk.
Copyrighted Material
to H. H. Vibhuti Narain Singh Kashiraj
for his princely contribution to
Pural).a scholarship
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Contents
Preface
Xlll
The PuraIJas: An Introduction 3
1 Origins Introduction 15
The Origin of Brahrna from the Lotus in Vi~l)u' s
Navel 30
Pralqti and Puru~a 31
The Cosmic Egg 32
The Origin of the World from Brahrna 32
The Four Heads of Brahrna 34
Puru~a, the Cosmic Person 35
The Origin and Nature of Time 36
The Four Ages 38
The Kali Age 41
The Dissolution of the World in Vi~l)u 41
The Dissolution into Pralqti and Puru~a 43
The Shape of Space 45
The Seven Heavens 46
The Seven Netherworlds 48
TheHel1s 49
The Regions of Earth 52
The Origin of the Seers and the Manus 55
The Manvantaras 57
Introduction 59
The Four Forms of Vi~l)u 66
The Twelve Avataras of Vi~l)u 67
The Twenty-Two Avataras of Vi~l)u 68
The Avataras of Vi~l)u and the Story of
Anasiiya 69
Matsya, the Fish 71
vii
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viii Contents
Kurma, the Tortoise 74
Vaniha, the Boar 75
NarasiIrilia, the Man-Lion 76
Aditi and the Birth of Vamana, the Dwarf 79
Vamana, the Dwarf, and Bali 80
Parasurama, Rima with the Axe 82
Rama in the Ramayal).a 85
~~I).a in the Mahabharata 88
Vaikul).tha, Vi~l).u's Celestial City 90
Sudarsana, Vi~l).u's Discus 91
Bali and Sudarsana, the Discus 93
The Churning of the Ocean 94
Vi~l).u and Sri 98
Introduction 100
Childhood
The Conception of ~~I).a 106
The Birth of ~~I).a 109
Putana, the Child-Killer 111
The Naughty Children Rama and ~~I).a; the
Move to V:r;ndavana 112
Kiiliya, the Snake 114
Mount Govardhana 116
Conversation with the Cowherds 117
Youth
~~I).a and Riidhii 118
The Theft of the Clothes 122
The Riisalilii Dance 124
Riidhii and the Dance 127
The Departure of ~~I).a 130
Kal'!lsa
The Plotting of Kaqlsa 131
The Invitation to Riima and ~~I).a 132
The Hunchbacked Girl 133
The Death of Kaqlsa 134
Adulthood
The Building of Dviirakii 138
The Longing of the Cowherd Women for
~~I).a 139
The Abduction of Rukrnini 140
Pradyurnna and the Fish· 141
The End of the Yiidavas 142
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Contents ix
4 Siva Introduction 147
The Origin of Rudra, the Howler 155
The Birth of Parvati 157
The Test of Parvati's Tapas 161
The Betrothal of Siva and Parvati 164
The Wedding of Siva and Parvati 167
Dak!?a's Insult 171
The Destruction of Dak!?a's Sacrifice 174
GaD-esa 179
Karttikeya 185
Sukra 188
The Burning of Tripura 189
Sunartaka the Dancer 198
The Tandava Dance of Siva 200
The Da~~e of Siva in the Sky 202
The Sages of the Pine Forest 203
Brahma, Vi!?D-u, and the Linga of Siva 205
The Skull-Bearer 206
Kamadeva, the God of Love 209
The Illusions of Siva 212
The Weapons of Siva 213
The Origin of Women 215
Hari-Hara 216
5 The Goddess Introduction 219
The Blazing Tower of Splendor 227
Siva and Sakti; the Great Goddess 229
The Demons Madhu and Kaitabha 232
The Origin of the Goddess from the Gods 233
The Death of Mahi!?a, the Buffalo Demon 237
The Birth of Kali and the Final Battle 238
Bhadrakali and the Thieves 240
Sarasvati and King Navaratha 241
6 Seers, Kings Introduction 243
and Seers
Supematurals MarkaD-geya and the Cosmic Ocean 253
Narada 256
Kandu 258
Sukr"a and Kaca 262
Agastya and Vasi!?tha 265
Vasi!?tha and Visvamitra 266
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