ancient indian tradition and mythology series

433 Pages·2011·2.21 MB·English

ANCIENT INDIAN TRADITION AND

MYTHOLOGY SERIES

[PURĀNAS IN TRANSLATION]

VOLUMES

ŚIVA1-4 LIŃGA5-6 BHĀGAVATA 7-11

GARUDA12-14 NĀRADA15-19 KŪRMA 20-

21 BRAHMĀNDA 22-26 AGNI27-30

VARĀHA31-32 BRAHMA 33-36 VĀYU 37-38

PADMA 39-48 SKANDA, PARTS I-IX, 49-57

VOLUMES UNDER PREPARATION

SKANDA, PARTS X-XXV

BHAVISYA BRAHMA

VAIVARTA

DEVĪBHĀGAVATA

KĀLIKĀ MĀRKANDEYA

MATSYA VĀMANA VISNU

VISNUDHARMOTTARA

THE

NARADA-PURANA

Translated and annotated by

GANESH VASUDEO TAGARE

PART II

MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE

LIMITED • DELHI

First Edition: Delhi, 1981

Reprint: Delhi, 1996

© MOTTLAL BANARSIDASS PUBUSHERS PRIVATE LIMITED All Rights

Reserved

ISBN: 81-208-0348-5

Also available at:

MOTILAL BANARSIDASS 41 U. A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi

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Mark's Road, Bangalore 560 001 8 Camac Street, Calcutta 700017 Ashok

Rajpalh, Patna 800 004 Chowk, Varanasi 221 001

UNESCO COLLECTION OF REPRESENTATIVE WORKS—Indian Series This

book has been accepted in the Indian Translation Series of the UNESCO

Collection of Representative Works, Jointly sponsored by the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the

Government of India.

PRINTED IN INDIA

BY JA1NENDRA PRAKASH JAIN AT SHRI JAINENDRA PRESS, A-45 NARAINA,
PHASE I, NEW DELHI 110028 AND PUBLISHED BY NARENDRA PRAKASH JAIN
FOR MOTTLAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED, BUNGALOW

ROAD, DELHI 110007

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

The purest gems lie hidden in the bottom of the ocean or in the

depth of rocks. One has to dive into the ocean or delve into the rocks to
find them out. Similarly, truth lies concealed in the language which with
the passage of time has become obsolete. Man has to learn that language
before he discovers that truth.

But he has neither the means nor the leisure to embark on that

course. We have, therefore, planned to help him acquire knowledge by an
easier course. We have started the series of Ancient Indian Tradition and
Mythology in English Translation. Our goal is to universalize knowledge
through the most popular international medium of expression. The
publication of the Purānas in English translation is a step towards that
goal.

PREFACE

The present volume contains the Nārada Parana, Part II (Chapters

42-62 completing the second Pāda in English translation) . This is the
Sixteenth Volume in the series of fifty-volumes which we have planned on
Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology.

The project of the series was envisaged and financed in 1970 by late

Lala Sundar Lai Jain of Messrs Motilal Banarsidass. Hitherto sixteen
volumes of the series, including the present one (that is, four volumes of
the Siva Parana, two volumes of the Liñga Parana, five volumes of the
Bhāgavata Parana, three volumes of the Garuala Parana and the two volumes of
the Nārada Parana) have been published and released for sale.

The present volume, like all other volumes, is encyclopaedic in

character. It deals with miscellaneous topics such as Cosmogony,
Religion, Philosophy, Veda and its ancillaries— Etymology of Vedic
words (Nirukta), Grammar (Vyākarana), Mathematics and Astronomy
{Ganita and Naksatra-vidya), Horoscopy and Natural Astrology ( Jyotisa)
and prosody (Chandas). In Cosmogony it describes the process of
creation of the Universe. In Religion and Ethics it places emphasis on the
performance of duties of one's own profession (Varna-dharma) in relation to
one's stage of life (Āśrama). In Etymology it gives the derivation of Vedic
words. In Grammar, it presents a general idea of the Subject. In Prosody
it prescribes rules for the metre by the method of Prastāra. In Jyotisa it
explains the essentials in details. In occult science, it prescribes ritual for
attaining particular ends. In spirituality it provides a discourse on
meditation, gives an exposition of dharmas leading to liberation, narrates
the story of Bharata and contains the dialogue between Śuka and Janaka
as well as Śuka and Sanat Kumāra on detachment, renunciation and
kindred ways of life which bring emancipation to the seeker in this very
existence.

( 7 )

In the Sectarian grouping of the Purānas, the Nārada Parana is

classified as a Vaisnava Purāna on the basis of the fact that among the
deities glorified in the Purāna, Visnu holds the Supreme position, though
laudatory references to other deities—Śiva, Śakti, etc. are also made. In
the obvious partiality for Vaisnavism, the Nārada Purāna gives special
treatment to Rādhā and Krsna, even prescribes a hymn of 1000 names in
their eulcgy and proclaims special importance to Ekādaśī Vrata in honour
of Visnu. It is the first to mention Rāma, Krsna, Nrsimha and other
incarnations in connection with Tantric practices.

The variety of topics is very interesting but it is marred as some

time it is couched in expression that needs elucidation— a task which
cannot be accomplished by a mere translation. Hence, a provision has
been made for the notes, which are attached to each chapter, separately,
and not put at the foot of a page as has been the practice in the
translation of other Purānas. We hope the reader will not feel embarrassed
by this shift.

The translation is based on the Sanskrit text of the Nārada Purāna as

published by Messrs Ksemarāja Śrīkrsnadāsa, Veńkateśvara Press,
Bombay. This text constructed on the collation of mss and supported by
the evidence of citations found in the Smrti granthas, is fairly accurate.

We have included abbreviations in this part too and they will be

repeated in successive parts as well, with such additions as are inserted in
the notes in those parts. The Glossary and the General Index to the
complete Purāna will be appended to the last part. For Introduction to
this Purāna, the reader is referred to Part I of this book.

Acknowledgment of obligation:

It is our pleasant duty to put on record our sincere thanks to Dr. R.

N. Dandekar and the authorities of the UNESCO for their kind
encouragement and valuable help which render this work extremely
useful. We are extremely grateful to Dr. G. V. Tagare who in the storm
and stress of his pressing occupations has snatched time for the accom-
plishment of this national task. The lucid translation and

( « )

the explanatory notes attached thereto are, in fact, his monumental
contributions in the field of Indology. We are also grateful to Dr. K. V.
Sharma and Professor M. R. Bhatt for translating chapters 54-56 on
Mathematics and Astronomy, Horoscopy and Astrology and providing
notes on them. We must also thank Shri T. V. Parameshwara Iyer for his
valuable assistance in the preparation of translation. Finally we express
our gratitude to all those who have offered suggestions for improving the
same.

— Editor

ABBREVIATIONS

Common and Self-evident abbreviations such as ch(s)— chapter

(s), p—page, pp—pages, v—verse, vv—verses, Ftn— footnote, Hist. Ind.
Philo—History of Indian Philosophy are not included in this list.

ABORI

AGP

AIHT

AP

AV Bd. P. Bh. P.

lim. P. Bnr.

Bs. P. Bv. P. CC
DB
De or GDAMI

Dh. S.

ERE GP.

GS

Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research

Institute, Poona. S. M. Ali's The Geography of Purānas,

PPH,

New Delhi, 1973. Ancient Indian Historical

Tradition F. E.

Pargiter, Motilal Banarsidass (MLBD),
Delhi.

Agni Purāna, Guru Mandal Edition (GM),

Calcutta, 1957. Atharva Veda, Svadhyaya Mandal

Aundh. Bhāgavata Purāna, MLBD, Delhi 1973.
Bhāgavala Purāna, Bhagavat Vidyapeeth,

Ahmedabad. Brahma Purāna, GM, 1954. Brhan-

nāradiya—Pt. Hrishikesh Shastri,

Chowkhamba, 1975. Bhavisya Purāna, Vishnu

Shastri Bapat, Wai. Brahma Vaivarta Purāna, GM,
1955-57. Caturvarga Cintāmani by Hemādri. Devi
Bhāgavata, GM, 1960-61. The Geographical Dictionary of
Ancient and

Mediaeval India—N. L. De, Orienta
Reprint Delhi, 1971. Dharma Sūtra (preceded by

the author's

name such as Gautama). Encyclopaedia of Religion

and Ethics—Hastings. Garuda Purāna, Ed. R. S.
Bhattacharya,

Chowkhamba, Varanasi, 1964. Grhya Sūtra

(Preceded by the name of the

author such as Apastamba).

( 11 )

HD
History of Dharma Śāstra by P. V. Kane,

G.O.S.

IA
The Indian Antiquary.

IHQ,
The Indian Historical Quarterly.

KP
Kūrma Purāna, Venkateshwar Press Edt.

Bombay. also Kashirāj Trust Edt.,

Varanasi 1971.

LP.
Lińga Purāna, MLBD, Delhi, 1981.

Mbh.
Mahābhārata, Gita Press Gorakhpur, V. S.

2014.

MK.
Mārkandeya Purāna.

MN.
Mahābhārata Nāmānukramani, Gita Press,

Gorakhpur, V.S. 2016,

Mt. P.
Matsya Purāna, GM, 1954.

MW
Monier Williams—Sk.-English Dictionary,

MLBD, Delhi, 1976.

NP
Nāradiya or Nārada Purāna, Venkateshwar

Press, Bombay.

PCK
Bhāratavarsiya Prācina Caritra Kośa—

Siddheshwar Shastri, Poona, 1968.

Pd. P.
Padma Purāna, GM. 1957-1959.

PE
Purānic Encyclopaedia V. Mani, English,

MLBD, Delhi, 1975.

PJ
Purāna (Journal of the Kashirāj Trust)

Varanasi.

PR or PRHRC Purānic Records on Hindu Rites and Customs—

R. C. Hazra, Calcutta, 1948.

RV
RG Veda, Svādhyāya Mandala, Aundh.

Sat. Br.
Śatapatha Brāhmana.

SEP.
Studies in Epics and Purānas by A.D. Pusalkar
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, (BVB), Bombay.

SG or SGAMI Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Mediaeval India—D. C.

Sircar MLBD, Delhi, 1971.

SKD
Śabda-Kalpa-Druma—Raja R. K. Dev.,

Chowkhamba, Varanasi.

Sk. P.
Skanda Purāna, GM. 1960-65.

( 12 )

SM
Sādhana Mālū—B. Bhattacharya, GOS,

Baroda, 1928.

SMC
Smrti Candrikā—Devanna Bhatta.

Smr
Smrti (preceded by the author's name or

simply the author's name e.g. Manu Smrti

or Manu. All GM editions in the Smrti-

Sandarbha.1952-57.

Sv. P.
Śiva Purāna, Pandit Pustakālaya Kashi,

V.S. 2020.

Va. P.
Vāyu Purāna, GM, 1959.

Vm. P.
Vāmana Purāna, Kashiraj Trust, Varanasi.

VP.
Visnu Purāna, Gītā Press, Gorakhpur, V.S.

2026.

VR
Vālmīki Rāmāyana, Gītā Press, V.S. 2020.

VRK
Valmiki Rāmāyana Kośa—Ramkumar Rai,

(Chowkhamba Varanasi.)

Yaj
Tājñavalkya (Smrti), etc.

YSP
The Toga System of Patañjali—J. H. Wood.

CONTENTS

A.
PREFACE
vii

B.
ABBREVIATIONS
xi

C.
TRANSLATIONS AND NOTES

Chapters Part II
Page

42.
Cosmogony : The Origin of the Universe
499

43.
Traditional Duties of Bi āhmanas
514

44.
A Discourse on Meditation
534

45.
Exposition of Dharmas leading to Liberation
547

46.
Narration of Spiritual matters
563

47.
Exposition of the way to realize the Soul
576 •lit. Story of

Bharata
585

49.
Exposition of the Virtuous Path to Liberation
594

50.
Arrangement of notes and syllables
605

51.
Treatise on Rituals
636

52.
Exposition of Grammar
657

53.
Exposition of Nirukta
674

54.
Mathematics and Astronomy
691

55.
Delineation of Horoscopy
723

56.
Natural Astrology
778

57.
Description of Prosody
868

58.
Śuka's Temptation
873

59.
Dialogue between Śuka and Janaka
880

60.
Dialogue between Śuka and Sanatkumāra
887

61.
Greatness of Nivrtti Dharma
898

62.
Exposition of Moksa-dharma
907

SECOND PĀDA

CHAPTER FORTYTWO

Cosmogony : The Origin of the Universe1 (A Dialogue between Bhrgu

and Bhāradvāja)

Nārada submitted :

1.
O Brāhmana, kindly narrate to me whence this univ e r s e

comprised of the mobiles and immobiles was created and to whom it
goes at the time of dissolution. O Sanandana !
2.
By whom was this world created along with the c " c ; i us, the

sky, the mountains, the clouds, the earth, the fire and the wind ?

:i. How were the Bhūtas (Elements or living beings) :
i
l
l
1 I

l o w were the different castes divided? What is the arrangement for their
purity? How do they get impurities? W ' l i . i i are their rules regarding
Dharma and Adharma?

4.
Of what nature is the soul of the living individuals?

Where do those who die go? May your honour recount every-
thing from this world to the other.

Sanandana replied :2

5.
O Nārada, listen. I shall tell you this ancient mythological

anecdote, the scripture narrated by the sage Bhrgu i n Bh&radvāja who
enquired of him about this.

6.
On seeing the brilliant great sage Bhrgu, of enormous

prowess, seated on the top of mount Kailāsa, Sage Bhāradvāja enqi ired
of him.

1 1 /iāradvāja said :

7.
O bestower of honour, how does the individual soul

continuously transmigrate into the different forms of life
(existence) ? How is its liberation from the cycle of worldly
existence effected?