Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana
by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words
This page relates ‘Iconography in the Matsya Purana’ of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.
Iconography in the Matsya Purāṇa
The Matsya Purāṇa not only discusses the greatness of the deities and the rules of their worship, but also the rules of how to make idols of all the deities. In the Matsya Purāṇa , the deities of Vaiṣṇavism, Śaivaism, Śāktism etc. are mentioned and the rules for making their idols are also mentioned.
A. Vaiṣṇava image:
Viṣṇu–Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, Vāmana (MP–258), Rāma (MP-259), Trivikrama, Matsya, Kūrma, Nṛsinha, Mahāvarāha (MP-260).
B. Śaiva image:
Rudra, Śiva, Nandiśvara, Nṛtyarata Śiva, Tripuradāhi Śiva, Jñanayogeśvara Śiva, Bhairava (MP-259), Ardhanārīśvara, Umāmaheśvara, Sivanārāyaṇa, Kārttikeya, Ganeśa (MP-260), Vṛṣbhārudha Śiva (MP-261), Liṅga (MP-263).
C. Śākta image:
Kātyāyaṇī, Mahiṣāsuranāśinī (MP-260), Mātṛkā–Brāhmaṇī, Maheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrānī, Yogeśvarī, Cāmunda, Śrī, Kālikā (MP-261).
It also mentions the construction of idols of gods like Brahmā (MP-260), Sūrya (MP-261), Kubera (MP-261), Agni (MP-261) etc. Not only that, the construction of the alter (MP-262), the rules for the establishment of idols (MP-266) and construction of Yajñavedī (MP-264) etc. have also been discussed.
In addition to all these discussions in the Matsya Purāṇa , a few special chapter deal with some of the subjects that are not part of the cultural history but, in general, have a profound effect on daily life. Such as–
I.Chapter–217: Discusses about the rules of construction of fort and all the things which have been collected in the fort.
II. Chapter–218: Discusses about the medicine which have been collected for the king’s fort.
III. Chapter–241: There is a discussion of what are the good and bad result of organ vibration.
IV. Chapter–242: What happens when you have a dream, i.e., the good and bad results of the dream have been discussed.
V. Chapter–243: During the journey (of king), some things are described as good and bad to see, these are described in this chapter.
VI. Chapter 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 268 and 269: In these chapters, there are described about the Vāstucakra, Vāstuśāstra, Vāstu rules, construction of house and palace according to the Vāstu and about Vāstuśānti.