Puranic encyclopaedia

by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222

This page describes the Story of Shaunaka included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).

Story of Śaunaka

General.

A renowned ācārya. He is believed to be the author of the famous works—"Ṛgveda Anukramaṇī", "Āraṇyakam", "Ṛkprātiśākhya", etc.

The famous Āśvalāyanācārya was Śaunaka’s disciple. Ācāryas like Kātyāyana, Patañjali and Vyāsa belonged to his class. Śaunaka’s real name was "Gṛtsamada". It was because he was the son of Śunaka that he got the name "Śaunaka".

Birth.

Śaunahotra, the son of the sage Śunahotra, once performed a yāga. Indra attended that yāga. At that time Śaunahotra rescued Indra from an attack of the Asuras. Indra who was pleased at this, blessed Śaunahotra that he would be born in his next birth in the Bhṛgu family under the name "Śaunaka".

Genealogy

In Vāyu Purāṇa his genealogy is given in two forms.

i) Ruru (Pramadvarā)-Śunaka-Śaunaka-Ugraśravas

ii) Dharmavṛddha—Śunahotra—Gṛtsamada—Śunaka—Śaunaka. (Vāyu Purāṇa, 92, 26).

Important works.

Śaunaka is believed to be the author of numerous works. The most important of them are given below:—

(1) Ṛkprātiśākhya (2) Ṛgvedacchandānukramaṇī (3) Ṛgvedarṣyanukramaṇī (4) Ṛgveda Anuvākānukramaṇī (5) Ṛgvedasūktānukramaṇī (6) Ṛgvedakathānukramaṇī (7) Ṛgvedapādavidhāna (8) Bṛhaddevatā (9) Śaunakasmṛti (10) Caraṇavyūha and (11) Ṛgvidhāna. Matsya Purāṇa, Chapter 252 mentions that Śaunaka had written a work on the science of architecture.

Disciples.

The chief disciple of Śaunaka was Āśvalāyana. Once Āśvalāyana wrote and dedicated to his Guru (master) two treatises entitled "Gṛhyasūtra" and "Śrautasūtra" to please him. After reading it, Śaunaka destroyed his own work on "Śrautaśāstra". Āśvalāyana wrote his treatise after having studied the ten works of Śaunaka on Ṛgveda.

Kātyāyana, the disciple of Āśvalāyana later received the ten books written by Śaunaka and the three books written by Āśvalāyana. Kātyāyana gave his disciple Patañjali, the two works, "Yajurvedakalpasūtra" and "Sāmaveda Upagrantha" which were written by himself. From this we may infer that the series of Śaunaka’s disciples was as follows:—Śaunaka—Āśvalāyana—Kātyāyana—Patañjali—Vyāsa.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: