Common Beliefs

Beliefs are those, according to which customs and duties are followed. Some of the common beliefs, still prevailing in the society, are mentioned in this purāṇa. It has been stated that those people who follow bad customs do not live long.^[1] On the other hand, who follow good customs and habits they live a long life.^[2] Like the Matsyapurāṇa^[3] , the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also states that serpents live in the air.^[4] Some medicines are also prescribed against snake bites.^[5] Like the Atharvavedic herbal medicine for the cure of various types of diseases, we find here the evidence of caring leprosy (kuṣṭha) and consumption (kṣaya) of the two friends of Manorama, who were cursed by the sage Brahmamitra, by Svarocis.^[6] This Purāṇa also mentions the power of various medicinal herbs and skill in the magic art^[7] and the knowledge of understanding the speech of all animals.^[8] It also expresses the belief in the inborn power of one’s assuming another man’s shape. We find here a Gandharva named Kali took the shape of a Brahmaṇa to win the love of an apsaras named Varūthinī.^[9] Some other beliefs are described in this Purāṇa which are related to day to day life. It is believed that if the floor is creaned with cow dung every morning, no calamities take place in that house.^[10] This Purāṇa describes the power of some magical ceremonies. For example, a brahmāṇa performs Mitravindā Iṣṭi for reviving the love between the king and the queen. Even, it is stated there that the magical rites will help to reproduce offsprings of a couple who do not love each other.^[11] It is believed that performing the Sārasvatī Iṣṭi one can remove stupidity and discharge debt of gratitude.^[12] It has been quoted in this Purāṇa that Goddess Lakṣmī lives in various parts of human body, and bestow different results. Accordingly she bestows a residence, clothes and manifold wealth, offspring and fulfils the wishes of a man while she resides in his foot, on his thigh, in his secret part and in his heart respectively. When she resides in the mouth, she bestows beautiful speech, real command and also poetic fire and when she is mounted on the head, forsakes the man and then resorts to another abode.^[13]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa shows the belief in the power of astrology and faith of a fortune teller of that time.^[14] The birth of a child at the termination of revatī nakṣatra, is considered to be inauspicious for a family. It is found to be true when, after giving birth to a son at the termination of the constellation Revatī, sage Ṛtavāc’s wife, suffered extreme pain of leprosy and other diseases and the sage Ṛtavāc was affected with a lingering disease.^[15] This Purāṇa also shows the belief in astronomy. It is found while a sage, enquired by king Uttama about his beloved’s ill behaviour towards him, explained to him some astronomical positions of the celestial bodies during their marriage.^[16]

It is believed that there are some creed of transmigration which is found in this purāṇa. For example, to obtain joy and happiness, foods were given as gifts.^[17] Also to satisfy someone who is going to be dead, tasty food is offered.^[18] If a man offers food and clothes as a gift, he can easily pass the road to the abode of Yama.^[19] This Purāṇa also holds the belief of the power of mantras by which the śrāddas are protected from the rākṣasas.^[20] The rivers are also considered to be holy and powerful in abolishing sins.^[21] Birth and death are the two big events in the life of a person which create impurity or aśauca. In these two events, not only the person but also all the relatives have to follow some rules as duty. Because it is believed that both birth and death affect the relatives by impurity in many ways. This impurity, caused by birth and death, is mentioned in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, as sūtaka.^[22] In the Smṛtiśā stras the word sūtaka is said to be of three type viz. birth sūtaka^[23] , both birth and death sūtaka^[24], death sūtaka^[25] This purāṇa determines the periods of the death impurities to be ten days, twelve days, fifteen days and one month for Brāhmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras respectively.^[26] Again for the impurity of birth, Brahmins should follow the rules for one day, Kṣatriyas for three days, Vaiśyas for six days and Śūdras for twelve days.^[27] It is mentioned that at the time of death impurity, the relatives should burn his body outside the home and offer him water on the first, third, seventh and days of the moon. On the fourth day of his death his relatives should collect the bones and ashes. After that the relatives should gather together and touch with him.^[28] After the collection of bones and ashes, the relatives i.e. sahodakas perform all the ceremonies. At that moment if the sapiṇḍas are touched by sahodakas, then both are considered as āsauca.^[29]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also explains the extent of some impurities in case of when a person dies directly falling from a tree, by the sword, by water, by hanging, by fire, by poison, by a fall, in any other unnatural way, by religious fasting to death etc. Again in the case of the death of a child in a foreign country, as a religious mendicant, purification will be effected at once. In these circumstances the impurity persists for three days only. Before the expiry of the period of impurity for one’s dead, at that time if the sapiṇḍa dies then the later impurity must be performed during the days or period of the first impurity. The same rule of impurity is also applied on the birth of a child, in case of the sapiṇḍas, and the sahodakas. On the birth of a son, the father must bathe with his clothes on.^[30]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa mentions some things such as—alms, a workman’s hand, wares of sale, face of a woman, an infant, those are admirable for their sound, work done by old man and the sickly, kitchens when the business in them is ended, women who are suckling children, pure running water and odourless bubbles to be pure.^[31] This Purāṇa prescribes the purity of water and flesh also. The water collected from the earth’s natural source, water which satisfies the cattle, is pure.^[32] The flesh that has been slain by caṇḍālas, kravyādas and other carnivores are said to be pure.^[33] The over flow of fluids^[34] and fruits knocked down by the birds are pure.^[35] Dust, fire, horse, cow, the shade, the rays of the sun and moon, the wind, the earth, water drops, mosquitoes and other insects are considered to be pure though they come into contact with impure things.^[36] It is also stated that the face of the goat and horse are pure.^[37] The ground becomes clean by lapse of time, the rubbing of bodies, passage of cattle and by smearing, digging and sprinkling water and the house is purified by sweeping and by worship.^[38] Also a thing soiled by ordure is pureed with earth and water and by removing the smell and removing the colour and smell both.^[39] Things which are made of mud or brick are purified by contact with the wind.^[40] Something that is infected with hair lice or sniffed at by a cow or which one is infected with flies is purified by sprinkling earth water and ashes.^[41] If one touches a menstruous woman, a horse, a jackal, other animals or a woman who recently gave birth to a child, low caste people, he should bathe for his purification.^[42] In case of someone eating bad food unknowingly or unwillingly, fasting for three nights is required. If someone takes a small piece of over-maturity damaged rice food then he should rinse out his mouth with water and earth and should sprinkle the remaining food with water.^[43]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa has laids more importance on water for purifying the things like shells, stones, gold, silver, ropes and garments, vegetables, roots, fruits, wicker work vessels, leather, germs, diamonds, coral, pearls and men’s bodies and things that are injured, iron things, oily vessels.^[44] Also it is stated that winnowing baskets, grain, antelope skins, pestle, mortar, thick cloths, a store, grass, wood, medicinal herbs^[45] are cleansed with sprinkling water. All the woollen things and hair are cleansed with oily sediment of white mustard and cotton things are purified by water and ashes.^[46] Timber, ivory, bone and horn are cleaned by scraping; earthen pots are cleaned by re burning.^[47] Bark made things are purified by water and earth.^[48] Things made of udumbara wood are cleansed with vinegar, tin and lead are cleansed with salt and brass things are cleansed with ashes and water.^[49] All things are purified with the help of other things.

A man, who desires to live long, is directed to avoid the shadow of a lamp-vessel and that of bihhitaka and kuraṇṭa trees. It is prohibited to gaze at the orb of the sun at the time of its rising and setting.^[50] and to lie down at the time of sunrise and at the time of sunset.^[51] The use of a broken seat, bed and cup should be avoided. A man should trim his beard facing east ward or northward. Reading, eating, travelling and sexual intercourse at twilight are prohibited. Again, a man should avoid scratching his head with both hands and washing his heads frequently without any cause. He is also prohibited to apply oil on his body after the head bath, to rub his body with oil. A man should never stand with his foot or his leg extended nor should he throw out both his feet and he should not press one foot on the other.^[52]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 31.5

[2]:

Ibid., 31.14

[3]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 19.8

[4]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 22.1

[5]:

Ibid., 128.39

[6]:

Ibid., 60.64

[7]:

Ibid., 58.8

[8]:

Ibid., 61.3

[9]:

mānuṣe sānurāgeyaṃ tatra tadrūpadhāriṇī /
raṃsyate mayyasandigdhaṃ kiṃ kālena karomi tat //
ātmaprabhāveṇa tatastasya rūpaṃ dvijanmanaḥ /
kṛtvā cacāra jatrāste nisaṇṇā sā varuthinī // Ibid., 59.21-22

[10]:

Ibid., 32,46

[11]:

tvayi saṃpritaye tasyā vareṣṭirupakāriṇī /
kriyate mitrakāmairyā mitravindāṃ karomi tām //
aprītayoḥ pritikarī sā hi sañjananī param //
bhāryāpatyormanuṣyendra tāṃ tavestiṃ karomyaham // Ibid., 69.8-9

[12]:

Ibid., 69.25-26

[13]:

Ibid., 16.171-175

[14]:

Ibid., 119.3

[15]:

Ibid., 72.4-5,18

[16]:

Ibid., 68.27-28

[17]:

Ibid., 10.51

[18]:

Ibid., 10.52

[19]:

Ibid., 10.69

[20]:

Ibid., 28.52

[21]:

Ibid., 21.93, 118.1

[22]:

Ibid., 32.48

[23]:

Manusmṛti, 5.58

[24]:

Gohhilasmṛti, 3.60,63

[25]:

Dakṣasmṛti, 6.1; Gohhilasmṛti, 3.48

[26]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.40-41; Manusmṛti, 5.83, Matsyapurāṇa, 18.2-3; Brahmapurāṇa, 220.63

[27]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.49-50

[28]:

Ibid., 32.42-43

[29]:

sparśa eva sapiṇḍānāṃ mṛtāhani tathobhayaḥ // Ibid., 32.44 b

[30]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.44-49; Brahmapurāṇa, 221.145,147,149.157

[31]:

Ibid., 32.12-14

[32]:

Ibid., 32.19

[33]:

Ibid., 32.20

[34]:

Ibid., 32.18

[35]:

Ibid., 32.22

[36]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.20,21; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.186, 191-193; Manusmṛti,
5.127-133

[37]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.22; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.194

[38]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 32.16-17; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.187

[39]:

Ibid., 32.18

[40]:

Ibid., 32.25

[41]:

Ibid., 32.16

[42]:

Ibid., 32.28

[43]:

Ibid., 32.27

[44]:

Ibid., 32.4-7, 11

[45]:

Ibid., 32.7-9

[46]:

Ibid., 32.10

[47]:

Ibid., 32.11

[48]:

Ibid., 32.8

[49]:

Ibid., 32.17-18

[50]:

Ibid., 31.21

[51]:

Ibid., 31.60

[52]:

Ibid., 31.32,36,37,44,46, 74,76

[53]:

Ibid., 48.1,2