सूत उवाच ।
अथर्ववित्सुमन्तुश्च शिष्यमध्यापयत्स्वकाम् ।
संहितां सोऽपि पथ्याय वेददर्शाय चोक्तवान् ॥ १॥
शौक्लायनिर्ब्रह्मबलिर्मोदोषः पिप्पलायनिः ।
वेददर्शस्य शिष्यास्ते पथ्यशिष्यानथो शृणु ।
कुमुदः शुनको ब्रह्मन् जाजलिश्चाप्यथर्ववित् ॥ २॥
बभ्रुः शिष्योऽथाङ्गिरसः सैन्धवायन एव च ।
अधीयेतां संहिते द्वे सावर्णाद्यास्तथापरे ॥ ३॥
नक्षत्रकल्पः शान्तिश्च कश्यपाङ्गिरसादयः ।
एते आथर्वणाचार्याः शृणु पौराणिकान् मुने ॥ ४॥
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Sūta began again : Sumantu versed in Atharva-Veda, taught his collection to his pupil (Kabandha*) who in his turn taught it (in two parts) to (his pupils) Pathya and Vedadarśa. (1)
Śauklāyani, Brahmabali, Modoṣa and Pippalāyani were the pupils of Vedadarśa (who taught them his collection in four parts); now hear the names of Pathya's pupils: Kumuda, Śunaka and Jājali, a master of Atharvaveda, O Brāhmaṇa sage! (were the pupils of Pathya, from whom they received his collection in three parts). Babhru, a pupil of Śunaka (born in the line of Aṅgirā), and Saindhavāyana (another pupil) studied two (separate) collections (at the feet of their master); (while) Sāvarṇya and others were the pupils of Babhru and Saindhavāyana. Even so there were others, e. g., Nakṣatrakalpa and Śānti (the authors of Kalpas or tretises of these very names on ritual acts, giving rules for them), Kaśyapa and Āṅgirasa. These were the teachers of Atharva-Veda; (now) hear of the teachers of the Purāṇas, O Śaunaka ! (2—4) (1-4)
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त्रय्यारुणिः कश्यपश्च सावर्णिरकृतव्रणः ।
वैशम्पायनहारीतौ षड् वै पौराणिका इमे ॥ ५॥
अधीयन्त व्यासशिष्यात्संहितां मत्पितुर्मुखात् ।
एकैकामहमेतेषां शिष्यः सर्वाः समध्यगाम् ॥ ६॥
कश्यपोऽहं च सावर्णी रामशिष्योऽकृतव्रणः ।
अधीमहि व्यासशिष्याच्चत्वारो मूलसंहिताः ॥ ७॥
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Trayyāruṇi, Kaśyapa, Sāvarṇi, Akṛtavraṇa, Vaiśampāyana and Hārita—these, as a matter of fact, are the six teachers of the Purāṇas. (5)
They learnt one collection each from the mouth of my father (Romaharṣaṇa), the pupil of Vedavyāsa; while I, as their pupil, studied all the collections. (6)
Kaśyapa, Sāvarni, Paraśurāma's pupil Akṛtavraṇa and myself (Ugraśravā) learnt four (more) original collections from (my father) Romaharṣaṇa (pupil of Vyāsa). (7) (5-7)
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पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिर्निरूपितम् ।
शृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारतः ॥ ८॥
सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्तिरक्षान्तराणि च ।
वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रयः ॥ ९॥
दशभिर्लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः ।
केचित्पञ्चविधं ब्रह्मन् महदल्पव्यवस्थया ॥ १०॥
अव्याकृतगुणक्षोभान्महतस्त्रिवृतोऽहमः ।
भूतमात्रेन्द्रियार्थानां सम्भवः सर्ग उच्यते ॥ ११॥
पुरुषानुगृहीतानामेतेषां वासनामयः ।
विसर्गोऽयं समाहारो बीजाद्बीजं चराचरम् ॥ १२॥
वृत्तिर्भूतानि भूतानां चराणामचराणि च ।
कृता स्वेन नृणां तत्र कामाच्चोदनयापि वा ॥ १३॥
रक्षाच्युतावतारेहा विश्वस्यानु युगे युगे ।
तिर्यङ्मर्त्यर्षिदेवेषु हन्यन्ते यैस्त्रयीद्विषः ॥ १४॥
मन्वन्तरं मनुर्देवा मनुपुत्राः सुरेश्वराः ।
ऋषयोंऽशावताराश्च हरेः षड्विधमुच्यते ॥ १५॥
राज्ञां ब्रह्मप्रसूतानां वंशस्त्रैकालिकोऽन्वयः ।
वंशानुचरितं तेषां वृत्तं वंशधराश्च ये ॥ १६॥
नैमित्तिकः प्राकृतिको नित्य आत्यन्तिको लयः ।
संस्थेति कविभिः प्रोक्तश्चतुर्धास्य स्वभावतः ॥ १७॥
हेतुर्जीवोऽस्य सर्गादेरविद्याकर्मकारकः ।
यं चानुशयिनं प्राहुरव्याकृतमुतापरे ॥ १८॥
व्यतिरेकान्वयो यस्य जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु ।
मायामयेषु तद्ब्रह्म जीववृत्तिष्वपाश्रयः ॥ १९॥
पदार्थेषु यथा द्रव्यं सन्मात्रं रूपनामसु ।
बीजादिपञ्चतान्तासु ह्यवस्थासु युतायुतम् ॥ २०॥
विरमेत यदा चित्तं हित्वा वृत्तित्रयं स्वयम् ।
योगेन वा तदाऽऽत्मानं वेदेहाया निवर्तते ॥ २१॥
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(Now) hear, O Brāhmaṇa sage! with a clear mind, the characteristics of the Purāṇas as determined by Brāhmaṇa seers according to (the viewpoint of) the Vedas and Śāstras. (8)
Those well-versed in the Purāṇas declare the Purāṇas as distinguished by ten features (discussing the following ten topics), viz., Sarga (creation) of the universe, Visarga, Vṛtti, Rakṣā, the Manvantaras, Vaṁśas (dynasties of kings), Vaṁśānucarita, Saṁsthā, Hetu and Apāśraya.* Some teachers recognize the features of the Purāṇas as fivefold (only), O Śaunaka! side by side with the distinction of great and small (according as they deal with ten topics or five† only). (9-10)
The evolution of Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) through the disturbance in the equilibrium of the three Guṇas constituting the Unmanifest (Primordial Matter), of the threefold Ahaṅkāra (from the Mahat-tattva) and (from the threefold Ahaṅkāra) of the five subtle elements, the (eleven) Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs or action and the mind), and their objects (viz., the five gross elements as well as of the deities presiding over the senses) is called Sarga or creation. (11)
Visarga is (the name of) this collective creation, both mobile and immobile, of the aforesaid (causal principles) fecundated by the Supreme Person (God), and brought about by the latencies of (past) Karma (of the countless Jivas), proceeding from seed to seed (as a countinuum). (12)
Immobile creatures (e.g., annual plants and trees etc.) and (in some cases) the mobile too constitute the Vṛtti (means of subsistence) of mobile creatures. There (again) the sustenance of human beings has been determined 1—by their nature, 2—desire or 3—even by scriptural ordinance. (A description contained in Book Five of Śrīmad Bhāgavata, of the terrestrial globe, as the support of the entire creation, both mobile and immobile, thus falls under the category of 'Vṛtti'.) (13)
The exploits of the Avatāras of Bhagavān Viṣṇu (the immortal Lord), appearing from age to age according to the needs of every age among birds and beasts, human beings, Ṛṣis and gods—by whom the enemies of the Vedas (such as the demons) are put an end to (for the protection of the righteous)—constitute (what is known as) the "Rakṣā" (protection) of the universe. (14)
The period over which (the following six, viz.,) a Manu, the gods, the sons of the Manu, Indra (the ruler of the gods), the (seven) Ṛṣis and the partial manifestation of the Lord preside is what goes by the name of a Manvantara characterized by six elements. (15)
"Vaṃśa" denotes the line, extending over (all) the three divisions of time (viz., the past, present and future), of king of pure descent (as sprung from Brahmā). A connected account of such kings as also of their descendants (upholding the honour and prestige of the line) is (what has been referred to by the name of) Vaṃśānucarita. (16)
The fourfold dissolution of this (visible) universe, manifested by Māyā, viz., 1-occasional, 2-Prākṛitika, 3-constant and 4-radical, has been spoken of by the sage as "Saṃsthā". (17)
The "Hetu" (cause) of creation etc., of this (phenomenal) universe is the Jiva (the individual soul), the doer of actions prompted by ignorance, which some people (who stress its spiritual nature) characterize as having to its credit a stock of unrequited Karma; while others (who emphasize its conditioned existence) declare it as nameless and formless. (18)
'Apāśraya' stands for Brahma (the Absolute), which is present in (all) the (three) states undergone by a Jiva (individual soul), viz., wakefulness, dream and deep slumber, as well as in all substances which are products of Māyā (as their cause), and is also distinct from them, (nay,) which actually runs through all the (nine) states undergone by a living organism, from entry into the womb in the form of a seed to death (as their ground or substratum), and is also distinct from them (as their witness) even like the material of which substances are made or as bare existence underlying names and forms. (19-20)
When the mind becomes still of its own accord (through realization of the illusoriness of Sarga etc., as in the case of Vāmadeva and other sages) or through concentration (practised in one's current life, as in the case of mother Devahūti and others), then one realizes the Self (consequent on the cessation of ignorance due to absence of distraction) and, transcending the three states (of consciousness), withdraws from (worldly) activity. (21)
- These terms have already been mentioned with some variations in II. x. 3—7. The words 'Vṛtti' and 'Rakṣā' should be taken as synonymous with 'Sthāna' and 'Posaṇa' occurring in that text; what has been referred to here under the name of 'Vaṁśānucarita' should be taken to mean 'Iśānukathā' the word 'Saṁsthā' should be understood in the sense of 'Nirodha', and also as covering the idea of 'Mukti'; and the word 'Hetu' should be construed to mean 'Uti' a 'Apāśraya' of course is the same as 'Asraya'.
(8-21)
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एवं लक्षणलक्ष्याणि पुराणानि पुराविदः ।
मुनयोऽष्टादश प्राहुः क्षुल्लकानि महान्ति च ॥ २२॥
ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं लैङ्गं सगारुडम् ।
नारदीयं भागवतमाग्नेयं स्कान्दसंज्ञितम् ॥ २३॥
भविष्यं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं मार्कण्डेयं सवामनम् ।
वाराहं मात्स्यं कौर्मं च ब्रह्माण्डाख्यमिति त्रिषट् ॥ २४॥
ब्रह्मन्निदं समाख्यातं शाखाप्रणयनं मुनेः ।
शिष्यशिष्यप्रशिष्याणां ब्रह्मतेजोविवर्धनम् ॥ २५॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां द्वादशस्कन्धे सप्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ७॥
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Sages well-versed in the antiquities tell us of eighteen Purāṇas, big and small (in volume), distinguished by the aforesaid characteristics. (22)
The eighteen Purāṇas go by the names of Brāhma, Padma, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Liṅga, Garuḍa, Nārada, Bhāgavata, Agni, Skanda, Bhaviṣya, Brahmavaivarta, Mārkaṇḍeya, Vāmana, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma and Brahmāṇḍa. (23-24)
In this way has been duly narrated (by me), O Brāhmaṇa sage, the story as to how the sage Vedavyāsa and his pupils, their own pupils and pupils of their pupils classified the Vedas into (so many) branches—a story which intensifies to a great extent the Brahmanical (spiritual) glory (of those who listen to it). (25)
Thus ends the seventh discourse in Book Twelve of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (22-25)
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