Cultural History In the Purāṇas

Cultural history attaches the way of dealing with anthropology and history to point out popular cultural traditions and cultural expositions of historical experience. Cultural history records and illustrates the past incidents involving people through the social, cultural, and political atmosphere. Our Indian cultural history is very broad. Many information about Indian cultural history are collected through various literary evidence. So, as a literary evidence the all Purāṇas also have some contributions on the Indian cultural history.

A. Brahma Purāṇa:

In the Brahma Purāṇa , there are basically discussions about religion. Religion is the ultimate pleasure; this element has been rendered in the beautiful language at the end of this Purāṇa (Brahma–255/35). Even as the describing about the pilgrimage and their greatness, this Purāṇa describes about the geographical subject. But there is very few information cultural history in the Purāṇa . Brahma Purāṇa describes about Surya Pujā in details in the 6 chapters. There is no other special social matter except the Surya Pujā . But apart from this, Kṛṣṇa Pujā has been mentioned in details in this Purāṇa (Ch.-31-36). Religion and iniquity (Ch.-89, 94) have also been mentioned. There are also about Śrāddha-Kalpa (Ch.-90), Varṇāśrama practice (Ch.-92, 93) and household virtues and duties (Ch.-91) in this Purāṇa .

B. Padma Purāṇa:

Though there are no such social descriptions in the 6 volumes and 50000 verses of the Padma-Purāṇa , there are some references of some knowledge or ‘Vidyā ’ of the ancient kings. From that information we know what kind of knowledge was introduced in society in that time. As in the ‘Sṛṣṭi Khanda’ of the Padma Purāṇa , it is said about the ‘Swechchha rupdharini Vidyā ’ for the praise of Raja Dharmamurti (21/3). It is said about the ‘Sarbabhutaruta Vidyā ’ in the context of King Brahmadatta in the other part of the ‘Sṛṣṭi Khanda ’ (10/85). There are descriptions about the 3 knowledge–‘Jalandhari Vidyā ’ (37/13), ‘Vidyāgopala mantra ’ (41/132), ‘Para Bala Vidyā ’ (43/40) in the ‘Pātāla Khanda ’ of the Purāṇa . On the other side it is mentioned about the ‘Puruṣa Pramohini Vidyā ’ in the ‘Bhūmi Khanda ’ of the Padma Purāṇa (34/38). There are descriptions about ‘Ekādaśī vow’ in the chapter 6/53/4-6 of the Purāṇa . Apart from this the Svarga Khanda of the Purāṇa describes about many household virtues and duties (Ch.-26), rules about eat (Ch.-28), Charity (Ch.-29), Varṇāśrama practice (Ch.-30, 31), glory of month of Kārtika (Ch.-36), Jayantī vow (Ch.-37), Rādhāṣṭami vow (Ch.-40) an Lakṣmī vow (Ch.-42) etc.

C. Vāyu Purāṇa:

Vāyu Purāṇa is a very ancient Purāṇa . In the beginning it has been given along with the expansion about the creation in many chapters. Accordingly, the Caturāśram department has been displayed in the chapter 8. The representation of ‘Pāśupat ’ associated with worship of Paśupati is an important feature of this Purāṇa . The description of Paśupati Yoga is not found in the other Purāṇas . But in this Purāṇa , his whole process is given with great expansion (Ch. 11-15). Śrāddha Kalpa is also described in several chapters like 71, 73, 77,78,80, 81 etc. There are also about Caturāśrama practice (Ch-8), Śaucacāra practice (Ch-16), Kalpa (Ch-21, 22), glory of Gayā (Ch-110) etc.

D. Agni Purāṇa:

From the chapter 21 of this Purāṇa it has been said about the worship of various deities. Since 21 chapter almost every section has discussed about cultural issue. 21 chapter discussed about the rules of worship of the lord Viṣṇu. There are, in the next chapter huge descriptions regarding worship related rules, about mode of making the respectful offering to the god and made of performing consecration. There is also many information about the construction of a temple, installation of deities in temples in the chapter 42 and 43. Mode of worshipping Śālagrāma has described in the chapter 47. Then the mode of installation of various kind of deities images like Vāsudeva, Lakṣmī, and other gods and Goddesses and the Sudarśana have described in the chapter 60, 62 and 63 gradually. After that chapter 71, 73, 74, 76 and 77 make a description about the mode of worshipping Ganeśa, Sun, Śiva, Caṇḍa and Kapila gradually. Not only the installation of the deities but also the description of rites of consecration of doors of a temple, mode of consecration of a temple, flag and mode of repair of old or broken images or Liṅgas , are in the chapter 100, 101, 102 and 103 respectively. The next few chapters such as 110, 111, 112, 113 and 114 represent the greatness of Gangā, Prayāga, Vārānasī, Narmadā and Gayā respectively. In the next few chapters, some of the important cultural rituals of our daily life have been recorded. There is information about the performing the ancestral rites in the chapter 117, the guidelines for selling grains in the chapter 129, descriptions about the herbs used in charms in the chapter 140–142, rules of marriage in the chapter 154, rules of Śrāddha in the chapter 163 etc. After that the chapter 175 to chapter 200 have been described about the rules of different types of vows. The chapter 218 to 258 give a huge narration about the kings and their duties. But some chapters in section between 225 to 258 discuss about some non-political issues such as chapter 229 signifies of dreams, 230 and 231 signifies about the inauspicious auguries etc. In the section 279 to 289 contains information about the potent remedies and treatment for all the diseases and the Ayurvedic herbs.

E. Viṣṇu Purāṇa:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa also presents some cultural issue but there is no description of any cultural subject in the first two parts of the Purāṇa . Some chapters of the third part of this Purāṇa contain some cultural information. The chapter 10 of the third part has been described about the rules of born, naming and marriage. The chapter 11 and 12 contain the information about household righteousness. And lastly there are some information about the performing the ancestral rites in the chapter 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the third part of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa .

F. Garuda Purāṇa:

There are discussed some cultural norms in Garuda Purāṇa also. Acārkāṇḍa of this purāṇa contains various types of rules of worshiping God and Goddesses. Chapter 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are those important chapters. Like the Agni Purāṇa , some chapters, like 29, 30 and 31 in this Purāṇa mention the principles of ecology, construction of a temple and installation of the deities. Next three chapters 33, 34 and 35 contain the topic about evening worship, expiation and charity. There are detailed description of astrology and marine science in the chapter 41 to 62 of this section. The chapter 63, 64, 65 and 66 represent the greatness of the Gangā and Gayā . There are few descriptions about mode of performing a Śrāddha and propitiatory rite for the planets in the chapter 80, 81 and 82 of this Acārakāṇḍa . There is also some political information in the chapter 92 and 93.

Over and above some vows are described in some chapters such as Śivarātribrata (Ch. 105), Ekādaśī (Ch. 106), Bhīmaekādaśīvrata (Ch. 108), Aśokāṣṭami , Mahanabamī (Ch. 114) etc. After that a huge descriptive note on medical scripture have been described in the chapters 124 to 168. The chapter 170, 171 and 172 contain about the Sarvakāmapradā Vidyā, Viṣṇudharmākhya Vidyā and Biṣaharī Gārudī Vidyā respectively. The next Kāṇḍa, the Dharmakāṇḍa also describe about many rituals like Śrāddha , Kalpa , Piṇḍadān , charity in its many chapters. But there is not any cultural information in the third Kāṇḍa , the Brahma Kāṇḍa . Apart from this the cultural data which we get from this Purāṇa are as follows–Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī puja (Ācārakānda Ch.-7, 8), worship of Maheśvara (Ch.-24 of Ācārakānda ), glory of Gangā tīrtha (Ch.-63 of Ācārakānda ), glory of Gayā as pilgrimage (Ācārakānda Ch–64-67), Varṇāśrama practice (Ācārakānda Ch.–74, 75, 83, 84), duty of household (Ācārakānda Ch.-76), Charity (Ācārakānda Ch.-79), Śrāddha-kalpa (Ch.-80 of Ācārakānda ) etc. There is also the description in detail about politics in the Ācārakānda (Ch. 90-96). The subjects which rich the Garuda Purāṇa are the data of medicine and treatment of all kind of human and animal’s illness. We get the data from the Ācārakānda (Ch. 124–178) of the Garuda Purāṇa in huge quantity.

G. Kūrma Purāṇa:

Kūrma Purāṇa is a very important Purāṇa also. At the beginning of this Purāṇa the legends of God-Goddesses and the Dynastic tales of kings are narrated. But later on the chapter 30, 31, 32 and 33 have been described about the greatness of Vārānasī . Then there are few descriptions about the greatness of Prayāg in the chapter 34, 35, 36 and 37. After that the chapters 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of Uttarbibhāga of this Purāṇa represent the information about the domestic rules and household righteousness (Ch.-15), rules of righteousness (Ch.-16) and the regular and casual domestic rules like evening worship (Ch.-18). The next three chapter 20, 21, 22 describe about the norms of Śrāddha . A vast description on expiation rules are described in some chapters such as 30, 31, 32 and 33. Then some other greatness of pilgrimage like Prayāg , Puṣkara etc. have been outlined in the chapter 34 to 42. Lastly a very few descriptions of performing worship of Lord Śiva are there in the chapter 44 of the Uttarabibhāga of this Purāṇa .

H. Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa:

There are very few information about culture in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa . Chapter 29 has been described about the domestic norms. There are some instructions of performing Śrāddha in the chapter 30 to 34. After that the chapter 68 contains about the Padminī Vidyā . There is no more cultural information in this Purāṇa . However, there are some information about duty of king (Ch.-27) and Varṇāśrama practice (Ch-28) in this Purāṇa .

I. Liṅga Purāṇa:

There are a huge description of Liṅga and Liṅga Pujā in this Purāṇa . This Purāṇa divided into two parts Purvavāga and Uttarvāga and there is plenty information about Liṅga and Liṅga Pujā in the both part of this Purāṇa . We get this information from the chapter–25, 27, 73, 74, 81 of the Pūrvavāga and chapter 26, 47, 46, 47 of the Uttarvāga . There are also many information about Śiva Puja (Ch-79, 83, 92 of Pūrvavāga and Ch.-21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 49 of Uttaravāga ), Umāmaheśvara vow (Ch-84 of Pūrvavāga ), ethics and treatment of defecation, substance purification, ill-treatment and feminine discourse (Ch-89 of Pūrvavāga ), glory of Vārānasī (Ch-92 of Pūrvavāga ), many types of Charity (Ch-29–44 of Uttaravāga ), reputation of statues of gods-method (Ch-48 of Uttaravāga ) in this Purāṇa .

J. Bhaviṣya Purāṇa:

This Purāṇa divided into three parts–Brāhma Parva, Madhya Parva and Pratisarga Parva . We get some cultural information like good or bad signs of women (Ch.-5 of Brāhma Parva ), many information about many types of Kalpa (Ch.-6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 of Brāhma Parva ), rules of marriage (Ch.-21 of Brāhma Parva ), household duty of women and duties of wife (Ch.-22, 23 of Brāhma Parva ), rules of construction and tree planting (Ch.-4 of Madhya Parva ), rules of construction of pond (Ch.-5, 12 of Madhya Parva ), and Satyanārayana vow (Ch.–10, 11,12 of Pratisarga Parva ) from this Purāṇa .

K. Varāha Purāṇa:

The cultural data which are in this Purāṇa are as follows–rules of Śrāddha (Ch.-14), many kind of vows (Ch. 39-65), many kind of charities (Ch. 99-112) rules of penance (Ch.–130-136), duties of women at the time of her menstruation (Ch.-142), glory of many pilgrimages (Ch.-143-180), rules of establishment and construction of many kind of idols (Ch.-181-186), and results of good deeds (Ch.–206) etc.

L. Kūrma Purāṇa:

Kūrma Purāṇa is divided into two parts–Pūrvavāga and Uparivāga . There are about Varṇāśrama practice (Pūrvavāga Ch.-2, 3), glory of Kāśī (Ch.-30 of Pūrvāvāga ), glory of Prayāga (Pūrvavāga Ch.–35), glory of Yamuna (Purvavāga Ch.–38), household duties (Ch.–14, 15 of Uparivāga ), Ācārādhyaya (Uparivāga Ch.–16), good or bad eating habits (Uparivāga Ch.–17), daily deeds (Ch.–18 of Uparivāga ), rules of eating (Uparivāga Ch.–19), Śrāddhakalpa (Uparivāga Ch.–20, 21, 22), Charity (Uparivāga Ch.–26), duties in Vāṇprastha (Uparivāga ch.-27), penance (Ch.–30 of Uparivāga ), glory of different pilgrimages (Uparivāga Ch.-34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42) etc. in this Purāṇa .

There is no such information in other Purāṇas . But some topics have been briefly described in some other Purāṇas . Bhāgavata Purāṇa has described some vidyā or knowledge like ‘Puruṣa Pramohinī Vidyā ’ in the chapter 34/38 of Bhūmikhanda , ‘Debāhutī Vidyā ’ in the chapter 9/24/32, ‘Yuvakarana Vidyā ’ in the chapter 9/22/11, ‘Antardhāna Vidyā ’ in the chapter 4/15/15, and ‘Vaiṣṇavī Vidyā ’ in the chapter 6/8. Not only this but also there are described some other vidyās in the other Purāṇas such as ‘Vajravāhnika Vidyā ’ in the chapter 51 of Liṅga Purāṇa , ‘Trailokya Vijaya Vidyā ’ in the chapter 30/1-32 of Ganeśa khanda of Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa . There is astrological discussion in the Śrīmadbhāgavata Purāṇa (Chapter 16-25 of 5th Skandha ). This verse of astrological discussion has been followed in the Skandha 8 (Ch. 5–Ch. 20) of Devībhāgavata. Naradīya Purāṇa also has been talking about astrology in its Nakṣṭra Kalpa (1/53–55). Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa has been described about ecology in the chapter 2/29–31 and some political issue like ‘Puṣkaranīti ’ in the chapter 2/65–72 and Ch. 145–165.