The Markandeya Purana (Study)

by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words

This page relates ‘Philosophical aspects reflected in the Markandeyapurana’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.

Philosophical aspects reflected in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa

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The Purāṇas are considered as an important source of philosophical thoughts. The word philosophy means darśana which is derived from the Sanskrit root dṛśya meaning ‘to see’ with the suffix anaṭ.^[1] Basically, Philosophy deals with the knowledge which contains the mystery of life and the world. It is separated from intellectual ability and signifies intuition of the supreme soul.^[2] Philosophy focuses on the idea of spiritualising life, such as-reality of the universe, self, liberation, law of karma etc.^[3] In the Mahābhārata, Lord Viṣṇu told Nārada that knowledge is the only way to attain absolute freedom.^[4] So, philosophy is fundamentally concerned with divine reality, which is enough to the world of things and thoughts.

In this chapter, the philosophical thoughts in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa are discussed. Though the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa is a Purāṇa in character yet it is a work which contains vast philosophical thoughts. These philosophical thoughts can be divided into following three sections. These sections are discussed below in detail.

[1. Śaktism]

[2. Vaiṣṇavism]

[3. Yoga]