The Matsya Purana (critical study)

by Kushal Kalita | 2018 | 74,766 words | ISBN-13: 9788171103058

This page relates ‘Yoga philosophy in the Matsyapurana’ of the English study on the Matsya-purana: a Sanskrit text preserving ancient Indian traditions and legends written in over 14,000 metrical verses. In this study, the background and content of the Matsyapurana is outlined against the cultural history of ancient India in terms of religion, politics, geography and architectural aspects. It shows how the encyclopedic character causes the text to deal with almost all the aspects of human civilization.

Part 5 - Yoga philosophy in the Matsyapurāṇa

All the Purāṇas deal extensively with different aspects of Yoga philosophy. Yoga doctrines which are found in the Purāṇas are mainly borrowed from the doctrines of Yoga uphold by Patañjali.[1] The Viṣṇupurāṇa,[2] the Skandapurāṇa,[3] the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa,[4] the Liṅgapurāṇa,[5] the Kurmapurāṇa,[6] Garuḍapurāṇa,[7] the Agnipurāṇa,[8] [9] the Brahmapurāṇa,[10] the Bhāgavatapurāṇa,[11] the Vāyupurāṇa[12] and the Nāradapurāṇa[13] in their several chapters deal with the yoga school of philosophy. Apart from these the Varāhapurāṇa, Vāmanapurāṇa, Brahmāndapurāṇa also mentions some important aspects of Yoga in some verses.

In the Matsyapurāṇa, chapters like 9th, 12th,13th,15th,21st,43rd,45th, 70th, 109th, 135th, 154th, 164th, 171st, 180th, 183rd, 185th, 282nd deal with different aspects of Yoga. In this Purāṇa, Śuka and Nārāyaṇa are described as Yogacāryas.[14] Viṣṇu is also said to be the lord of the knowers of Yoga (yogavidām patiḥ).[15] Kapila and Nārāyaṇa are said to be the knowers of the body, i.e., kṣetratatparau and the special knower of the Soul and Absolute (parāvara-viśeṣajña).[16] According to it, sage Vaśiṣṭha is the knower of Yoga.[17] Seven sages of the Auttamīya Manvantara are said to be the promoters of Yoga.[18]

The word yoga is generally used in the Matsyapurāṇa in the sense of joining, tying, connection etc.[19] It also means yogic practices and also a state of equanimity of mind wherein the duality of pleasure and pain does not affect.[20]

According to the Matsyapurāṇa the Yoga is twofold, viz.,

  1. Sāṃkhyāyoga and
  2. Yogayoga.[21]

The Matsyapurāṇa also classifies Yoga [into the following ones]:

  1. saguṇa and
  2. nirguṇa.

The former is knowable while the latter is beyond the reach of the mind, i.e., super reflective.

In the Matsyapurāṇa, there are numerous references of Yoga. In the 135th chapter, it is mentioned that the sages practice Yoga for self restraint.[22] The liberated souls are said to practice Yoga in Avimukta.[23] This tīrtha is declared to be superior to all by knower of the Yoga.[24] One attains to Yoga by practicing them in thousands of births.[25] Manu is said to have attained the highest Yoga.[26] Due to this all the ātmaguṇas were combined in him and he had developed self-control of mind in pleasure and pain. This Purāṇa also mentions about some persons who are said to be proficient in Yoga, e.g., king Brahmadatta and his two ministers,[27] Arjuna,[28] Nārada etc.

By the Yoga or yogadṛṣṭi one can get ultimate pleasure.[29] It is also said that those who regards Lord Śiva as omnipresent, they are yogīs. A yogī who worships Lord Śiva and percieves Him as the soul in all the beings and never separates Him from themselves, does never perish.[30] It is also mentioned that those who attained Yoga, invoked Brahmā as Ātman, the Universal Soul.[31]

The foremost means to attain the highest reality are the:

  1. karmayoga (paths of action),
  2. jñānayoga (path of knowledge) and
  3. bhaktiyoga (path of devotion).[32]

The Matsyapurāṇa maintains that the karmayoga is superior to a thousand jñānayogas because the later is a production of the former.[33] The karmayoga leads to the birth of knowledge and hence it is said to be the paramapada.[34] Jñānayoga in its turn leads to emancipation. Brahmā arises from the karma-jñāna combination.[35] Yoga attains to eternal truth.

The Kriyāyoga is constituted of the dharma and propounded by eight ātmaguṇas viz.

  1. compassion towards all being,
  2. forgiveness,
  3. protection,
  4. absence of jealously,
  5. internal and external purity,
  6. maintenance of an attitude of pleasantness towards actions (duties coming up without being striven for),
  7. absence of stinginess in spending the wealth acquired for the needy and
  8. absence of covetousness at all times towards wealth and wives of others.[36]

The kriyāyoga which is constituted of these eight ātmaguṇas acts as means for the attainment of the jñānayoga. It means that without karmayoga knowledge is not possible, hence one should discharge the duties by effort enjoined by the Śruti and Smṛti.[37] In the 52nd chapter, the duties and the effects of their discharge are explained.[38] It is said that who are devoted to kriyāyoga and who love the Vedānta, the Smṛti, and the Śāstras attain everything.[39]

Actions may be done with the desire or hope of some fruit or without it at all. It is said in the Matsyapurāṇa that disinterested action on the part of a man leads to the attainment of the Parabrahma or communion with God.[40]

In the 184th chapter of the Matsyapurāṇa, the aspirants following the path of knowledge are discussed. It is said in this chapter that a person who resides in Avimukta attains emancipation. They are never reborn. The dwellers of this place get the same as those who are eager to get beatitude by means of divine knowledge.[41] A person who takes a bath at Jvaleśvara on the lunar eclipse-day is freed from all actions and he is enriched with the jñāna and vijñāna and also enjoys pleasure in the Rudraloka till the time of the universal disaster.[42] The 144th chapter of the Matsyapurāṇa mentioned about the path leading to the rise of knowledge.[43] It is also said that by the knowledge of the highest reality one attains immortality.[44]

According to the Matsyapurāṇa bhakti is threefold as declared by Śiva. It is:

  1. bhakti,
  2. jñāna and
  3. yoga.

Whosoever follows the path of begging can attach himself to the deity with devotion, he will be merged in him.[45] Persons devoted to argumentations in scriptures and dialectics in matter connected with statements pertaining to the problems of knowledge cannot realise the highest entity. That means argumentation and ratiocination are of no avail in the matters of realization of God. But the yogīs possessing the knowledge of the highest reality know it. After purifying them by pratyāhāra etc. the twice born having known the self by knowledge should not meditate otherwise, i.e. to say in this context, Śiva should not be considered as distinct from the highest reality. This shows that the yogic practices together with the knowledge of the self by means of knowledge pave the way for the attainment of the highest reality. Such aspirants would acquire the highest satisfaction. Thus the Matsyapurāṇa appears to emphasis that the happy blending of knowledge, devotion and yoga is a right means to achieve the highest reality.

The power of devotion is wonderful. It is the belief of a devotee that his declaration to the god of his being his worshipper would result into nullification of the consequences of his actions.[46] The worshipper craves only to have unflinching devotion to his favorite god.[47] When Śiva was pleased with Harikeśa, he asked for an undisturbed devotion to Him.[48] The recitation, hearing or performance of a religious vow with faith and devotion would lead to the attainment of all sorts of pleasure, lordly powers, divine graces and freedom from disease, pain etc.[49] In religious vows etc. the element of bhakti plays an important role.[50] The God has great pity and love for his devotee, even he may be called upon to destroy him by the force of circumstances, his heart melts with pity and at times he bewails and bemoans. This is exemplified by the wailings of Śiva after he discharged the fatal arrow at Maya’s Tripura.[51] Brahmā is praised as the giver or shelter to his worshippers.[52] Viṣṇu is described as bhaktivatsala[53] as well as bhakta-vatsala.[54] He can be pleased by devotion.[55] Prahlāda had an absorbing devotion for Kṛṣṇa.[56] In this path the worshippers dedicate all their actions to him and become one with the god. This is the easiest path of acquiring emancipation.[57] By meditation on Śiva Jaigīsavya, one of the devout worshippers of Śiva and pre-eminent amongst the yogīs attained the highest kaivalya (absolute bliss).[58] This shows that the absolute bliss was attained by devotion and meditation combined.[59]

In this way, it is seen that the Matsyapurāṇa mentions about Yoga as a means of attaining liberation. However, it must be mentioned here that though this Purāṇa occasionally refers to the limbs of eightfold Yogic practice, it has not discussed about them in detail. The Matsyapurāṇa also gives stress on Bhaktiyoga, rather than on Yogic practices as is evident from its statement. Bhakti is considered to be superior to yama, niyama, dhārana, yoga, sacrifices, gifts and Vedic studies.[60]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

G. K. Pai, Yoga Docrines in Mahapuranas, p 14

[2]:

Viṣṇupurāṇa, 2.13.42-44; 5.10.15; 6.6.1-3; 6.7.25,31-41,43-45,47-74,76-77,79-81, 83-92

[3]:

Skandapurāṇa, Kumārikakhaṇḍa, ch. 55, Kāśīkhaṇḍa, ch.41

[4]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 36.1-65; 37.1-42.; 38.1-26; 39.1-17; 40.1-58

[5]:

Liṅgapurāṇa, I.8,9,88; II.55

[6]:

Kurmapurāṇa, Pūrvārdha, 12,13; Uttarārdha, 1,7,11,12,45

[7]:

Garuḍapurāṇa, Pūrvakhaṇḍa, 14,49, 218,227.1-41

[8]:

Agnipurāṇa, 26.1-7; 161.19-25; 165.7-18; 214.1-41; 372.1-36; 373.1-21;374.1-33;373.1-

[9]:

;376.1-44; 379.24-27;381.34

[10]:

Brahmapurāṇa,127-131

[11]:

Bhāgavatapurāṇa,2.2;3.28;4.4;11.14,15,19,28

[12]:

Vāyupurāṇa, 9-12,16-18,20,23

[13]:

Nāradapurāṇa, Purvakhaṇḍa, 5,33,44,47

[14]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 15.8; 171.4

[15]:

Ibid., 164.6

[16]:

Ibid., 171.5

[17]:

Ibid., 12.5

[18]:

Ibid., 9.14

[19]:

Ibid., 2.2,11

[20]:

, 52.8-10

[21]:

,183.44; 67.46-47

[22]:

Ibid., 135.68

[23]:

Ibid., 180.49

[24]:

Ibid., 180.76

[25]:

Ibid., 109. 9-11

[26]:

Ibid., 1.12

[27]:

Ibid., 21.32

[28]:

Ibid., 43.25

[29]:

Ibid., 185.15, 282.13

[30]:

, 183.45-46

[31]:

, 154.11

[32]:

Ibid., 52.5-12

[33]:

jñānayogasahsrāddhi karmayogaḥ praśasyate// Ibid., 52.5

[34]:

karmayogodbhavaṃ jñānaṃ tasmāttatparaṃ padam/ Ibid., 52.6

[35]:

karmajñānodbhavaṃ brahṃa na ca jñānakarmaṇaḥ// Ibid., 52.6

[36]:

aṣṭāvātmaguṇāḥ proktāḥ purāṇasya tu kovidaiḥ ayameva kriyāyogo jñānayogasya sadhakaḥ// karmayogaṃ vinā jñānaṃ kasyacinneha dṛsyate/ śrutismṛtyuditaṃ dharmamupatisthetprayatnataḥ// Ibid., 52.11-12

[37]:

, 52.5 ff.

[38]:

, 52.13 ff.

[39]:

Ibid., 52.26

[40]:

Ibid., 75.12; 93.56,118

[41]:

Ibid., 184.3

[42]:

Ibid., 188.96

[43]:

Ibid., 144.19 ff

[44]:

, 185.5

[45]:

,106.36

[46]:

Ibid,47.168

[47]:

Ibid., 54.26; 81.26; 80.93

[48]:

Ibid., 180.93

[49]:

Ibid., 51.31; 55.31,33; 60.12; 72.42

[50]:

, 66.6,10

[51]:

, 140.47 ff.

[52]:

Ibid., l54.15

[53]:

Ibid., 172.37

[54]:

Ibid., 244.38

[55]:

Ibid., 244.38

[56]:

Ibid., 245.42

[57]:

Ibid., 180.51-52

[58]:

Ibid., 180.57 ff.

[59]:

Vikramorvaśīyam, 1.1

[60]:

Matsyapurāṇa., 193.38

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