2. The Nāradīya as a Mahāpurāṇa

Mediaeval Writers on Dharma-Śāstra quote from two similar-sounding and equally authoritative Purāṇas viz. Nārada or Nāradīya and Bṛhannāradīya. Out of them the Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa is a Mahāpurāṇa and Bṛhannāradīya is an Upa-purāṇa and as the adj. Bṛhat shows, it is later than the Nārada Purāṇa The Bṛhannāradīya is a small work of about 3600 verses and 38 chapters.^[1] It is a sectarian (Vaiṣṇava) work and though Nārada is the speaker, the criteria of Pañca-lakṣaṇa is not applicable to it. The Nārada Purāṇa is a mahāpurāṇa traditionally supposed to contain 25000 verses (though the printed text of Veṅk, edt. has 18550 verses—13144 in Nāradīya Purāṇa Part I and 5406 in Part II). Maybe due to the synthesis of Aryo-Dravidian cultures as suggested by S. K. Chatterji,^[2] the number eighteen became favourite with ancient Indians. The Vāyu Purāṇa mentions a part stage of ten Purāṇas but gives no details. But soon the number of Purāṇas came to be stated as eighteen though actually nineteen Purāṇas are enumerated.^[3] Even the Upa-purāṇas, (minor Purāṇas) the actual number of which exceeds one hundred^[4] are also stated to be eighteen.

The Nārada Purāṇa gives the following list of Purāṇas^[5] (Mahā-Purāṇas):

1. Brahma;
2. Padma;
3. Viṣṇu;
4. Vāyu;
5. Bhāgavata;
6. Nārada;
7. Mārkaṇḍeya;
8. Agni;
9. Bhaviṣya;
10. Brahma-Vaivarta;
11. Liṅga;
12. Varāha;
13. Skanda;
14. Vāmana;
15. Kūrma;
16. Matsya;
17. Garuḍa;
18. Brahmāṇḍa;

This list with slight variations is repeated in many other Purāṇas such as the Viṣṇu III. 6.21-23, Liṅga 1.39.61-63, Matsya 53.11 ff, Padma IV.100.51-54, Bhaviṣya 1.1.61-64, Mārkaṇḍeya 134.7-11, Bhāgavata XII 13.4-8 and the Devī Bhāgavata 1.32.

The variations are about the inclusion of the Śiva P. for the Vāyu P. and the rank of the Nārada Purāṇa in the list of Purāṇas. The Nārada Purāṇa gives itself the 6th place which is confirmed by other Purāṇas like Viṣṇu Purāṇa III 6.21-23, Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa.P. 134 7-11, while it is ranked as the 7th in the list of Purāṇas in Kūrma Purāṇa I.3-15 and Liṅga Purāṇa1.39.61-64. Though the Nārada Purāṇa is included as a (Mahā)–Purāṇa in the Purāṇa-lists of most other Purāṇas, the list in the Bhaviṣya P. III (Pratisarga) iii.28.10-14 does not mention the Nāradīya Purāṇa and the Brahma-Vaivarta (Br. V). Alberuni gives two lists of Purāṇas, the one being the same as in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, but the second list omits the Nāradīya Purāṇa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa and Padma Purāṇa^[6] The list of Purāṇas with Kavīndrācārya (1600-1650 a.d.) omits the Nāradīya Purāṇa and substitutes the Nandi Purāṇa instead.^[7]

The Nārada Purāṇa consists of two parts—Pūrvārdha and Uttarārdha. The Pūrvārdha seems to be the original Nārada Purāṇa as, like old Purāṇas, it is divided into four Pādas and concludes with a Phalaśruti (merit accruing from listening to the Nārada Purāṇa). The Phalaśruti indicates that the Nārada Purāṇa ends there. The Matsya Purāṇa 53.23 Agni Purāṇa 272.8, and Skanda VII. i-2-43 say that the Nārada Purāṇa was declared by Nārada with reference to events in the Bṛhat-Kalpa in 25000 verses.^[8] In the present Nārada Purāṇa, Nārada is the listener while his four brothers, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumāra and Sanātana arc the speakers and there is no reference to Bṛhat-Kalpa. The Brn. though an Upa-Purāṇa has Nārada as the speaker but makes no mention of Bṛhat-Kalpa and the whole of Brn. is textually the same as Nārada Purāṇa chs. 1-41. The statements of other Purāṇas about the interlocutors, Kalpa of reference and the textual identity between Nārada Purāṇa part I and Brn. indicate that there must have been an older (and different) Nārada Purāṇa which was the source of the extant Nārada Purāṇa and Brn.

Now let us see how far the Pañcalakṣaṇa definition is applicable to the extant Nārada Purāṇa

1. Sarga (creation of the universe)

The Nārada Purāṇa is a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa; as such it attributes the ultimate credit of creation, destruction, etc., of the Universe to Mahā-Viṣṇu.

The Nārada Purāṇa, however, records the following theories of creation:

a. The Popular Purāṇic Trinity Theory.
b. The Śākta-Sāṅkhya Theory.
c. The Mānasa or Bhṛgu theory quoted from Mahābhārata Śānti. ch. 182.

a. The Trinity Theory:

Maḥāviṣṇu divided himself into three forms according to guṇas; Brahmā characterised by Ṛajo-guṇa was created from the right side of Mahā-Viṣṇu for the creation of the Universe; from the middle (chest) appeared Rudra, characterised by Tamo-guṇa, for the destruction of the Universe. While Viṣṇu (a lower grade deity than Mahā-Viṣṇu) characterised by Sattva-guṇa was originated from his left side for the maintenance and protection of the Universe.^[9]

b. The Śākta-Sāṅkhya Theory:

The other theory gives all credit to the Parā śakti (the Supreme Power) of Mahāviṣṇu. It is of the nature of existence and non-existence (bhāvābhāvarūpā). It is variously called Vidyā, Avidyā, Umā, Lakṣmī, Bhāratī, Girijā, Ambikā, Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Caṇḍī, Maheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vārāhī, Aindrī, Śāmbhavī, Brāhmī, Māyā.

The Nārada Purāṇa emphasizes the fundamental unity of the divine power under different nomenclature. This power manifests itself into three forms—Prakṛti, Puruṣa and Kāla (Time) when Prakṛti is agitated the principle called Mahat is produced. The process is as follows: Prakṛti -> Mahat -> Ahaṃkāra (Cosmic ego) -> Five Tanmātras (subtle elements) and (subtle) sense-organs -> (Maha) bhūtas (Five gross elements, viz., Ākāśa (the sky or ether), Vāyu (air, wind) Agni (Fire), Jala (Water) and Bhūmi (the earth)—each element arising out of the previous one. After the creation of the earth, god Brahmā created beings characterised by Tamoguṇa (e.g. insects, birds, beasts and other non-human beings), by Saitvaguṇa (Devas—gods in heaven) and by Rajo-guṇa (viz. human beings). He created progenitors like Dakṣa and others who populated the world.^[10]

c. The Mānasa or Bhṛgu Theory:^[11]

The eternal ageless God called Mānasa at first created Mahat from which was evolved Ākāśa (ether), the support of all Bhūtas. The evolution here differs from the traditional one. From Ākāśa is evolved water, from water arose fire and wind and the earth is the product of fire and wind. The unmaṃfest Mānasa (Viṣṇu) created the lotus from which was born Brahmā, the embodiment of Vedas, also known as Ahaṃkāra. The earth is the lotus for the Brahmā form of Mānasa and Mount Meru is its pericarp. Mānasa created mentally all the subjects.

The first theory is a popular Purāṇic way of attributing the functions of creation, protection and destruction to the Trinity whose mutual identity and one-ness with the Brahman is always emphasized.

The second theory which appears with some modifications in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.2.4, 5 etc.), Bhāgavata Purāṇa (III Skandha) and with some difference in Kūrma Purāṇa.I.4 employs the doctrine of transformation (Pariṇāmavāda) typical of the Sāṅkhya^[12] system of thought to explain the evolutionary process. The philosophic aspect of this theory cannot be discussed here.^[13]

The third theory is a quotation from Mahābhārata Śānti. 182.11-38. How far the credit of this is to be given to the Nārada Purāṇa is doubtful. But as Nārada Purāṇa claims it as its part, this theory seems alternatively acceptable to the Nārada Purāṇa

2. Pratisarga

As compared with other Purāṇas like Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Kūrma Purāṇa, Nārada Purāṇa gives a meager description of Pratisarga when Mārkaṇḍeya was shown the Pralaya by Viṣṇu (Nārada Purāṇa 1.5.20 ff.). But that is the description of the Naimittika pralaya. Other Purāṇas like Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Kūrma Purāṇa.II.45 describe the four types of Pralayas, viz. Nitya (everyday—disappearance of the world in the dark), Naimittika (at the end of the Kalpa), Prākṛta (At the end of god Brahmā’s life when every thing is destroyed and Prakṛti attains equilibrium of the guṇas), Ātyantika—merger of the individual soul in the Para Brahman due to attainment of the Supreme spiritual knowledge. The Nārada Purāṇa gives the duration of Viṣṇu’s sleep, viz., two Parārdha years in one verse^[14] while Mārkaṇḍeya floated on the waters of the deluge and states that Viṣṇu assumed the form of Brahmā and re-created the Universe.

The treatment of Pratisarga in the Nārada Purāṇa is quite scrappy.

3. Vaṃśa (Genealogy)

Genealogies of gods or sages are not recorded in the Nārada Purāṇa This characteristic is not applicable to the Nārada Purāṇa

4. Manvantaras (a):

Though Kala (Time) has been regarded as beginningless and endless and the evolutions and dissolutions of the Universe per kalpa-periods have been going on, since time immemorial, an empirical attempt is made by man to measure Time. We find tabular statements of units of time in the Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa, in Smṛtis (e.g. Manu 1.64), Purāṇas (like the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.III. U.310, Kūrma Purāṇa I.5.6-19, Matsya Purāṇa 142.4, Vāyu 50.169) and Secular works like Kauṭalīya Arthaśāstra 11.20.41). Though there is a general consensus regarding the names and duration of these units of Time, there are some differences regarding the duration of Kṣaṇa and Yāma.^[15]

Purāṇas regard one human year as one day of gods, so one divine year = 360 human years.

As Kane shows, the theory of Yugas and Kalpas began to take shape in the 3rd cent. b.c. and was fully developed in the first centuries of the Christian era.^[16]

The Nārada Purāṇa enumerates Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali as the four Yugas and this set of four Yugas (inclusive of the ‘twilight period’—Sandhyā + Sandhyāṃśa— preceding and following a Yuga) is 12000 divine years.^[17]

At another place the Nārada Purāṇa gives the following durations of each yuga:^[18]

1. Kṛta: 1728,000 human years.
2. Dvāpara: 864,000 human years.
3. Tretā: 1296,000 human years.
4. Kali: 432,000 human years.

It will be seen that though some Purāṇas (e.g. Vāyu I.57.22-28, Kūrma Purāṇa.I.5.9-13) give the duration of these Yugas in ‘divine years’, they do not differ much from each other.

Nārada Purāṇa has given the further division of time units as follows:^[19]

12000 Divine years =1 Divya-yuga (Divine Yuga)
1000 Divya Yugas =1 day of Brahmā (or the period of 14 Manus.
71 divya-yugas =1 Manvantara.
2 Parārdhas—Brahmā years = one day or night of Viṣṇu.

Description of Yugas

The Nārada Purāṇa 1.41.6 ff. gives the description of the nature of four Yugas. The close similarity (even Textual) in these descriptions as found in Mahābhārata Vana. 149.11-38, Vāyu 32 and 57-58 Liṅga Purāṇa 39, Mt.p. 142-144, Kūrma Purāṇa.I.30 shows that probably some Ādi-Purāṇa contained the nucleus of this description. Briefly the following are the characteristics of different Yugas.

Kṛta was an age of equality. All persons were contented, pious. The Veda was undivided. People followed the duties of their respective stages of life with no ulterior motive. Lord Nārāyaṇa was white in complexion and Dharma (whom Manu equated with a bull in VIII. 16) was stable on four legs. In the Tretā age Dharma became pale and three-footed. Hari became red-complexioned. People engaged themselves in meditation and performance of sacrifices. They were truthful but a bit distressed. In Dvāpara, Dharma became two-footed and Hari became yellow in complexion. Veda-saṃhitā became-divided. People had taken to Adharma.^[20] And their span of life became shorter.

Description of the Kali Age

The dismal, harrowing ‘Predictions’ about the social, political, economic and religious disintegration and reversal of previous order in the Nārada Purāṇa 1.41.21-89 deserve comparison with similar ‘predictions’ about tḥe state of society in the Kali Age in Mahābhārata Vana. chs. 188, 190, Brahma P. chs. 229-230, Liṅga Purāṇa.I.40, Bhāgavata Purāṇa XII.2, Viṣṇu Purāṇa VI. chs. 1-2 Kūrma Purāṇa.I.30, Vāyu, chs. 58, Matsya Purāṇa 143.32-88. These descriptions agree not only in the details of contents but even in the text of many verses. This points to some common source—some Ādi-purāṇa— of the closely similar descriptions or ‘predictions’.

About social disintegration, the Nārada Purāṇa states,

“Kali is a sinful age. All castes will give up their prescribed rites and duties; all will be like Śūdras; Brāhmaṇas will desist from Vedic studies and follow psuedo-religion. Brāhmaṇas will ‘sell’ Dharma and the Vedas and will accept gifts from the unworthy. Brāhmaṇas will sell wine, take food from Śūdras and go to Śūdra women.

The Śūdra dynasties like Nandas, and Mauryas ruled over the land. Naturally there was the dominance of Śūdras and servility of Brāhmaṇas.

As Nārada Purāṇa puts it:

“Śūdras will pretend to be Brāhmaṇas, study the Vedas and preach Dharma. They will disguise as Brāhmaṇas and deceive people. Brāhmaṇas will intermarry, serve Śūdras and lower castes and even carry the dead bodies of Śūdras. Kings will be of Mleccha tribes. They will be greedy and will squeeze money from the people by top-heavy taxation.”

There was the dominance of Buddhism and Jainism. As Nārada Purāṇa puts it:

“Heretics (Buddhists and Jainas) would denounce the Vedas, condemn Āśramas (stages in life) and walk nude or wearing ochre-coloured garments. Their woman are faithless; women maintain themselves by prostitution.

When Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu) turns black in complexion, nobody will think of God. Women will imitate courtesans, sell their virtue. There will be droughts and famines. Average human span of life will be 16 years and girls will give birth to children at the age of five.

Only the devotees of Viṣṇu or Śiva will be immune from the effects of Kali Age.”

R. C. Hazra shows that such was the condition in the Indian Society before 200 A.d.^[21]

4. Manvantaras (b):

We have seen above that one day of god Brahmā extends to 1000 Divya-yugas during which 14 Manus rule. Every Manvantara has a new set of a Manu, Manu’s sons, an Indra, Devas and Seven Sages.^[22] Nārada Purāṇa gives the following names of Indras and gods.^[23]

Manu	Indra	Gods
1. Svāyambhuva	Śacīpati	Yāmas.
2. Svārociṣa	Vipaścit	Pārāvatas & Tuṣitas
3. Uttama	Suśānti	Sudhāmans, Satyas, Śivas and Pratardanas.
4. Tāmasa	Śiva	Sūtas, Pārāharas, Sutyas and Sudhīs.
5. Raivata	Vibhu	Amitābhas and others.
6. Cākṣuṣa	Manojava	Aryas and others.
7. Vaivasvata	Puranḍara	Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras and others.
8. Sūryasāvarṇi	Bali	Aprameyas, Sutapās and others.
9. Dakṣa Sāvarṇi	Adbhuta	Pāra and others.
10. Brahmasāvarṇi (Brahmasāvarṇika)	Śānti	Suvāsanas.
11. Dharmasāvarṇi (Dharmasāvarṇika)	Vṛṣa	Vihaṅgamas and others.
12. Ruḍrasāvarṇi	Ṛbhu	Harinābhas.
13. Rocamāna	Divaspati	Sutrāmās, etc.
14. Bhautya	Śuci	Cākṣuṣa and others.

The Manus, Indras and Devas of different Manvantaras possessed equal refulgence, prosperity and prowess.^[24]

There is a consensus of the Purāṇas regarding the number and names of Manus, though there are some differences about the names of future Manus. Thus, Matsya Purāṇa gives the names of the future Manus as follows:^[25]

Sāvarṇa, Raucya, Bhautya, Merusāvarṇi, Ṛta, Ṛtudhāma and Viśvaksena—while the Brahma P.^[26] gives the following list, of future Manus: Sāvarṇi, Raibhya, Raucya and Merusāvarṇi.

Kalpa

Like all Purāṇas, Nārada Purāṇa states that the present Manvantara is Vaivasvata in the Śveta-Vārāha Kalpa. But it does not give the list of Kalpas nor does it mention matters belonging to Bṛhat Kalpa. But Matsya Purāṇa chs. 53 and the Vāyu P. chs. 21, 22 give the list of Kalpas and the Purāṇas pertaining to them.

5. Vaṃśānuvarṇana

The Nārada Purāṇa is not interested in giving the genealogies of kings belonging to the Solar and Lunar races. It describes the episodes and information regarding the reigns of the following kings from the Solar race:

Bāhu—Sagara—Asamañjasa—Aṃśumān—Dilīpa—Bhagīratha (Nārada Purāṇa.I. 7 & 8); Sudās and Saudāsa alias Kalmāṣapāḍa (Nārada Purāṇa.I. ch. 9)—Daśaratha—Rāma (and his three brothers)—Nārada Purāṇa 1.73.

Only three kings from the Lunar race are mentioned, viz., Sumati (I.ch.20), Dharmakīrti (I.ch.23) and Jayadhvaja (I.ch.39). As compared with Kṛṣṇa or Sahasrārjuna, these kings of Lunar race are insignificant if not fictitious.

It will thus be found that the definition Purāṇam Pañcalakṣaṇam is not applicable to the Nārada Purāṇa.

In fact, it claims to be a Purāṇa of ten characteristics in its apocryphal part:

Nāradīyam purāṇaṃ tu lakṣaṇair daśabhir yutam |
     —Nārada Purāṇa.II.82.30.

But the ten characteristics are not spelt out. Nor the ten lakṣaṇas of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa are applicable to the Nārada Purāṇa In fact, the author of the Nārada Purāṇa is interested in the Dharma-Śāstra rather than the traditional characteristics of Purāṇas.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Edited by Hrishikesha Shastri, 2nd Edition Chowkhamba, Varanasi, 1975.

[2]:

S. K. Chatterji—Select Writings, p. 123.

[3]:

Kūrma Purāṇa 1.1.13-15.—

[4]:

R. C. Hazra—Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriented Research Institute XXI. 38-2 and Upapurāṇas I., p. 24, note 24.

[5]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa I. 92.26-28.

[6]:

E. C. Sachau—Albertini’s India, Vol. I, p. 131 ff.

[7]:

G.O.S. 1921 PJ VII.2., pp. 339-340

[8]:

yatrāha nārado dharmān bṛhat-kalpāśritān iha /
pañca-viṃśa (°śat-) sahasrāṇi nāradīyaṃ tad ucyate //

[9]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa I.3.3-4.

[10]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa 1.3.6.36. The verse after 36 enumerates the worlds (bhuvanakośa).

[11]:

Ibid., 1.42. 7-40. This is borrowed from Mahābhārata-Santi 182-11-33.

[12]:

For details Tattvakaumudī of Vācaspati on the Kārikās of Īśvarakṛṣṇa.

[13]:

For this, vide S. Bhattacarya’s The Philosophy of Śrīmad Bhāgavata I, pp. 285-307.

[14]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa 1.5.31.

[15]:

vide Annotation No. 90 for details.

[16]:

History of Dharma Śāstra III.888-890.

[17]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa I. 41.4-5.

[18]:

Ibid., I.54.61-62

[19]:

Ibid., I.5.21-31

[20]:

dbarmādharmau samau syātām/ Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa I. 41.19

[21]:

PRHC, Part II, ch. 1, pp. 193-215

[22]:

vide Viṣṇu Purāṇa III. chs. 1 & 2, Bhāgavata Purāṇa VIII, chs. 1,5,13. Kūrma Purāṇa I. 51.4-5, 53.29-31; Vāyu, ch. 62.
Also cf.
manus saptarṣayo devā bhūpālāś ca manaḥ sutāḥ /
manvantare bhavantyete śakrāś caivādhikāriṇaḥ //—Viṣṇu Purāṇa III.2.48
To these officers Bhāgavata Purāṇa adds Hari’s part incarnations. (Bhāgavata Purāṇa XII.7.15)

[23]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa 1.40-20-23 gives the list of 14 Manus and vv. 24-35, their sets of Indras and Devas.

[24]:

Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa I. 40.18-19.

[25]:

Mu P. 9.30-38.

[26]:

Brahma P. 5.5 & 6.