The Puranic Literatures

Verse 1 (bhagavata.12.7.1)

सूत उवाच अथर्ववित्सुमन्तुश्च शिष्यमध्यापयत् स्वकाम् । संहितां सोऽपि पथ्याय वेददर्शाय चोक्तवान् ॥ १ ॥

sūta uvāca atharva-vit sumantuś ca śiṣyam adhyāpayat svakām saṁhitāṁ so ’pi pathyāya vedadarśāya coktavān

Suta said: Sumantu, the knower of the Atharva Veda, taught his own compilation to his disciple, who in turn passed it on to Pathya and Vedadarsha.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.12.7.2)

शौक्लायनिर्ब्रह्मबलिर्मोदोषः पिप्पलायनिः । वेददर्शस्य शिष्यास्ते पथ्यशिष्यानथो शृणु । कुमुदः शुनको ब्रह्मन् जाजलिश्चाप्यथर्ववित् ॥ २ ॥

śauklāyanir brahmabalir modoṣaḥ pippalāyaniḥ vedadarśasya śiṣyās te pathya-śiṣyān atho śṛṇu kumudaḥ śunako brahman jājaliś cāpy atharva-vit

Shauklayani, Brahmabali, Modosha and Pippalayani were the disciples of Vedadarsha. Now hear from me the disciples of Pathya, O brahmana — Kumuda, Shunaka and Jajali, who were themselves learned in the Atharva Veda.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.12.7.3)

बभ्रुः शिष्योऽथाङ्गिरसः सैन्धवायन एव च । अधीयेतां संहिते द्वे सावर्णाद्यास्तथापरे ॥ ३ ॥

babhruḥ śiṣyo ’thāṅgirasaḥ saindhavāyana eva ca adhīyetāṁ saṁhite dve sāvarṇādyās tathāpare

Babhru and Saindhavayana in turn studied the two divisions of Angirasa's compilation; and Savarna along with other disciples likewise studied those same collections.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.12.7.4)

नक्षत्रकल्पः शान्तिश्च कश्यपाङ्गिरसादयः । एते आथर्वणाचार्याः शृणु पौराणिकान् मुने ॥ ४ ॥

nakṣatrakalpaḥ śāntiś ca kaśyapāṅgirasādayaḥ ete ātharvaṇācāryāḥ śṛṇu paurāṇikān mune

Nakshatrakalpa, Shanti, Kashyapa, Angirasa and others were teachers in the line of the Atharva Veda. Now hear, O sage, of the masters of the Puranas.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.12.7.5)

त्रय्यारुणिः कश्यपश्च सावर्णिरकृतव्रणः । वैशम्पायनहारीतौ षड् वै पौराणिका इमे ॥ ५ ॥

trayyāruṇiḥ kaśyapaś ca sāvarṇir akṛtavraṇaḥ vaiśampāyana-hārītau ṣaḍ vai paurāṇikā ime

Trayyaruni, Kashyapa, Savarni, Akritavrana, Vaishampayana and Harita — these six are the masters of the Puranas.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.12.7.6)

अधीयन्त व्यासशिष्यात् संहितां मत्पितुर्मुखात् । एकैकामहमेतेषां शिष्यः सर्वाः समध्यगाम् ॥ ६ ॥

adhīyanta vyāsa-śiṣyāt saṁhitāṁ mat-pitur mukhāt ekaikām aham eteṣāṁ śiṣyaḥ sarvāḥ samadhyagām

Each of these six studied one Purana-samhita from the mouth of my father, who was himself a disciple of Vyasa. Becoming a disciple of all of them, I mastered every one of their compilations.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.12.7.7)

कश्यपोऽहं च सावर्णी रामशिष्योऽकृतव्रणः । अधीमहि व्यासशिष्याच्चत्वारो मूलसंहिताः ॥ ७ ॥

kaśyapo ’haṁ ca sāvarṇī rāma-śiṣyo ’kṛtavraṇaḥ adhīmahi vyāsa-śiṣyāc catvāro mūla-saṁhitāḥ

Kashyapa, myself, Savarni, and Akritavrana, a disciple of Rama — we four studied the four root samhitas from the disciple of Vyasa.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.12.7.8)

पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिर्निरूपितम् । शृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारतः ॥ ८ ॥

purāṇa-lakṣaṇaṁ brahman brahmarṣibhir nirūpitam śṛṇuṣva buddhim āśritya veda-śāstrānusārataḥ

O brahmana, now hear with an attentive mind the defining characteristics of a Purana, as determined by the great brahmarshis in accordance with the Vedic scriptures.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.12.7.9)

सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्तिरक्षान्तराणि च । वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रयः ॥ ९ ॥

sargo ’syātha visargaś ca vṛtti-rakṣāntarāṇi ca vaṁśo vaṁśānucaritaṁ saṁsthā hetur apāśrayaḥ

Primary creation, secondary creation, sustenance, protection, the Manvantaras, dynasty, the history of dynasties, dissolution, the cause, and the ultimate shelter —

Verse 10 (bhagavata.12.7.10)

दशभिर्लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः । केचित् पञ्चविधं ब्रह्मन् महदल्पव्यवस्थया ॥ १० ॥

daśabhir lakṣaṇair yuktaṁ purāṇaṁ tad-vido viduḥ kecit pañca-vidhaṁ brahman mahad-alpa-vyavasthayā

— those who know the subject recognize a Purana by these ten characteristics. Some scholars, however, O brahmana, hold that depending on whether a Purana is major or minor, only five of these need be present.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.12.7.11)

अव्याकृतगुणक्षोभान्महतत्रिस्त्रवृतोऽहमः । भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियार्थानां सम्भवः सर्ग उच्यते ॥ ११ ॥

avyākṛta-guṇa-kṣobhān mahatas tri-vṛto ’hamaḥ bhūta-sūkṣmendriyārthānāṁ sambhavaḥ sarga ucyate

From the disturbance of the qualities within unmanifest nature arises the mahat-tattva, and from it the threefold ego. From this in turn come the subtle elements, the senses, and their objects — this process of manifestation is called sarga, primary creation.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.12.7.12)

पुरुषानुगृहीतानामेतेषां वासनामयः । विसर्गोऽयं समाहारो बीजाद् बीजं चराचरम् ॥ १२ ॥

puruṣānugṛhītānām eteṣāṁ vāsanā-mayaḥ visargo ’yaṁ samāhāro bījād bījaṁ carācaram

When these elements are quickened by the grace of the Supreme Person, their combination — woven from the impressions of past desire — becomes visarga, the secondary creation, in which moving and unmoving beings arise, seed producing seed.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.12.7.13)

वृत्तिर्भूतानि भूतानां चराणामचराणि च । कृता स्वेन नृणां तत्र कामाच्चोदनयापि वा ॥ १३ ॥

vṛttir bhūtāni bhūtānāṁ carāṇām acarāṇi ca kṛtā svena nṛṇāṁ tatra kāmāc codanayāpi vā

Sustenance is the process by which moving beings live upon the unmoving; for human beings in particular it takes the form of a livelihood suited to one's own nature, taken up either from personal desire or in obedience to scriptural injunction.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.12.7.14)

रक्षाच्युतावतारेहा विश्वस्यानु युगे युगे । तिर्यङ्मर्त्यर्षिदेवेषु हन्यन्ते यैस्त्रयीद्विषः ॥ १४ ॥

rakṣācyutāvatārehā viśvasyānu yuge yuge tiryaṅ-martyarṣi-deveṣu hanyante yais trayī-dviṣaḥ

Protection refers to the deeds of the infallible Lord's incarnations, who appear age after age among animals, men, sages and gods, and through whom the enemies of Vedic dharma are destroyed.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.12.7.15)

मन्वन्तरं मनुर्देवा मनुपुत्राः सुरेश्वराः । ऋषयोऽशांवताराश्च हरेः षड्विधमुच्यते ॥ १५ ॥

manvantaraṁ manur devā manu-putrāḥ sureśvarāḥ ṛṣayo ’ṁśāvatārāś ca hareḥ ṣaḍ-vidham ucyate

A Manvantara is described as sixfold: the ruling Manu, the presiding gods, the sons of Manu, Indra the lord of the gods, the great sages, and the partial incarnations of Lord Hari.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.12.7.16)

राज्ञां ब्रह्मप्रसूतानां वंश त्रैकालिकोऽन्वयः । वंशानुचरितं तेषां वृत्तं वंशधराश्च ये ॥ १६ ॥

rājñāṁ brahma-prasūtānāṁ vaṁśas trai-kāliko ’nvayaḥ vaṁśānucaritaṁ teṣāṁ vṛttaṁ vaṁśa-dharās ca ye

Dynasty is the continuous lineage of kings descending from Brahma across past, present and future; and the history of dynasties is the record of the conduct of those kings and of the ones who upheld their line.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.12.7.17)

नैमित्तिकः प्राकृतिको नित्य आत्यन्तिको लयः । संस्थेति कविभिः प्रोक्तश्चतुर्धास्य स्वभावतः ॥ १७ ॥

naimittikaḥ prākṛtiko nitya ātyantiko layaḥ saṁstheti kavibhiḥ proktaś caturdhāsya svabhāvataḥ

Dissolution is spoken of by the wise as fourfold by its own nature: occasional, elemental, continuous, and final.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.12.7.18)

हेतुर्जीवोऽस्य सर्गादेरविद्याकर्मकारकः । यं चानुशायिनं प्राहुरव्याकृतमुतापरे ॥ १८ ॥

hetur jīvo ’sya sargāder avidyā-karma-kārakaḥ yaṁ cānuśāyinaṁ prāhur avyākṛtam utāpare

The cause of this creation and all that follows is the individual soul, who acts under the sway of ignorance; some call him the one who lies dormant between creations, while others call him the unmanifest.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.12.7.19)

व्यतिरेकान्वयो यस्य जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु । मायामयेषु तद् ब्रह्म जीववृत्तिष्वपाश्रयः ॥ १९ ॥

vyatirekānvayo yasya jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptiṣu māyā-mayeṣu tad brahma jīva-vṛttiṣv apāśrayaḥ

That Brahman who pervades — and yet remains distinct from — the states of waking, dream and dreamless sleep, all woven of maya, is the ultimate refuge underlying the very functioning of the individual soul.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.12.7.20)

पदार्थेषु यथा द्रव्यं सन्मात्रं रूपनामसु । बीजादिपञ्चतान्तासु ह्यवस्थासु युतायुतम् ॥ २० ॥

padārtheṣu yathā dravyaṁ san-mātraṁ rūpa-nāmasu bījādi-pañcatāntāsu hy avasthāsu yutāyutam

Just as the underlying substance persists as pure existence beneath the changing names and forms of an object, so too does that same reality remain present, joined and yet apart, through every stage of a body's existence, from conception to its final dissolution into the five elements.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.12.7.21)

विरमेत यदा चित्तं हित्वा वृत्तित्रयं स्वयम् । योगेन वा तदात्मानं वेदेहाया निवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥

virameta yadā cittaṁ hitvā vṛtti-trayaṁ svayam yogena vā tadātmānaṁ vedehāyā nivartate

When the mind, either of its own accord or through the practice of yoga, ceases to function in the three states of waking, dream and sleep, one comes to know the Self and withdraws from all worldly striving.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.12.7.22)

एवंलक्षणलक्ष्याणि पुराणानि पुराविदः । मुनयोऽष्टादश प्राहुः क्षुल्लकानि महान्ति च ॥ २२ ॥

evaṁ lakṣaṇa-lakṣyāṇi purāṇāni purā-vidaḥ munayo ’ṣṭādaśa prāhuḥ kṣullakāni mahānti ca

The sages learned in ancient lore declare that the Puranas, marked by these characteristics, number eighteen major ones, along with eighteen lesser ones.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.12.7.23)

ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं लैङ्गं सगारुडं । नारदीयं भागवतमाग्नेयं स्कान्दसंज्ञितम् ॥ २३ ॥

brāhmaṁ pādmaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ ca śaivaṁ laiṅgaṁ sa-gāruḍaṁ nāradīyaṁ bhāgavatam āgneyaṁ skānda-saṁjñitam

The Brahma, Padma, Vaishnava, Shaiva, Linga and Garuda Puranas; the Naradiya, Bhagavata, Agneya, and the one called Skanda —

Verse 24 (bhagavata.12.7.24)

भविष्यं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं मार्कण्डेयं सवामनम् । वाराहं मात्स्यं कौर्मं च ब्रह्माण्डाख्यमिति त्रिषट् ॥ २४ ॥

bhaviṣyaṁ brahma-vaivartaṁ mārkaṇḍeyaṁ sa-vāmanam vārāhaṁ mātsyaṁ kaurmaṁ ca brahmāṇḍākhyam iti tri-ṣaṭ

— the Bhavishya, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya and Vamana; the Varaha, Matsya, and Kaurma, together with the one called Brahmanda — these together are the eighteen.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.12.7.25)

ब्रह्मन्निदं समाख्यातं शाखाप्रणयनं मुनेः । शिष्यशिष्यप्रशिष्याणां ब्रह्मतेजोविवर्धनम् ॥ २५ ॥

brahmann idaṁ samākhyātaṁ śākhā-praṇayanaṁ muneḥ śiṣya-śiṣya-praśiṣyāṇāṁ brahma-tejo-vivardhanam

O brahmana, I have thus fully related the branching forth of the sage Vyasa's teaching through his disciples and his disciples' disciples — a narration that increases one's spiritual radiance.