Religion and Mythology (Introduction)

Religion is the specific system of belief and worship of super power. In the Hindu religion, worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It means the practice of showing respect for gods or a God, by uttering or chanting prayers, singing with others etc.^[1] The Hindus worship different gods and goddesses with devotion, seeking progeny, wealth, good health, long life etc. The path or elements of worship may be different. In the Vedic period people offered their adoration to gods by reciting the mantras of respective deities. Various sacrifices were performed to propitiate the gods and materials specially ghee, cake (purodāśa), soma etc. were offered as oblation to the gods. Though Veda contains reference to gods as having physical appearances, the gods were worshipped without any idol. But in the Purāṇic period the mode of worship is found to be changed. Lesser importance was given to the sacrifices. Otherwise, more importance was given to the modes of worship like pūjā, arcanā, arhaṇa etc.

There are five modes of manifestation of the deities, viz.

1. arcā,
2. vibhava,
3. vyūhu [vyūha?],
4. sūkṣma,
5. antaryāmi.^[2]

The worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal way. As quoted in the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics the theology taught in the Purāṇas is heterogeneous and most deities that enjoyed a certain amount of popular acceptance can be found praised in the Purāṇas.^[3] The deities are divided into two classes viz. gods and goddesses because of their two aspects as male and female. A myth is a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone. Mythology means the body of myths or a collection of myths. It includes legends, fables and invented stories which give an account of the gods and heroes, describing their origin and surroundings, their deeds and activities.

Like other Purāṇas, this Purāṇa also contains materials on religion and mythology which can be divided into four parts. Such as-

1. Śakti Worship and Mythology therein
2. Sun Worship and Mythology therein
3. Worship of Other Gods and the Mythology therein
4. Śrāddha A brief discussion regarding these four points are given below.

 

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A. S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, p. 1496

[2]:

upāsakānūroḍnena bhajate mūrtipañcakam /
tadarcāvibhavavyūhusukṣmāntaryāmī saṃjñitam // T.S. Rukmani, A Critical Study of the Bhagawatapurāṇa, p. 250

[3]:

Hastings, J (ed.), Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol., X, p.451