Chapter 5.9 - The Brihadvishnu-purana (study)

This work [brihadvishnu-purana] is mentioned as 'Brihad-vaishnava' in the list of Upapuranas given in the Ekamra-purana¹ and is drawn upon under the title 'Brihadvishnu-purana' in the Caturvarga-cintamani (III. i, pp. 7º4,711, 726-7), Haribhakti-vilasa (pp. 449, 495, 658, 661, 685), (Gopalabhatta's) Satkriya-sara-dipika (pp. 45, 46, 98, 108), (Sanatana Gosvamin's commentaries) Brhat-tosini and Vaisnava-tosini¹ª (on Bhagavata-purana X. 21. 10), (Sanatana-Gosvamin's) Laghubhagavatamrta (p. 147-I, No. 397, and pp. 163-4-1, No. 471), and (Ratnakara Misra's) Prayascitta-sara-samgraha¹³. In the Laghubhagavatamrta this Upapurana is also named as 'Brhad-vaisnava'. Hemadri's knowledge of the Brhad-visnu-purana shows that this work must have been written not later than 1000 A.D. We do not know whether this Brhad-visnu-purana was the same as the spurious Vaisnava Purana' known to Vallalasena. This Vaisnava Purana' contained 23000 verses and was, therefore, an extensive (brhat) work. The Brhad-visnu-purana was undoubtedly a Vaisnava work dealing with 12 For this list see Chapter 1 (p. 13) above. 12 a. Ascribed to Jiva Gosvamin in Nityasvarupa Brahmacarin's edition of the Bhagavarata-purana 13 Haraprasad Shastri, III, p. 579, No. 2530 (Manuscript No. 8520). The Manuscript is dated 1661 Saka. 14 Danasagara, p. 7 (verses 63-66)- 45 tarksyam puranam aparam brahmam agneyam eva ca/ trayovimsati-sahasram puranam api vaisnavam// sat-sahasra mitam lingam puranam aparam tatha/, diksa-pratistha-pasandayukti-ratnapariksanaih// mrsa-vamsanucaritaih kosa-vyakaranadibhih/ asangata-kathabandha-paraspara-virodhatah// tan-minaketanadinam bhanda-pasanda-linginam/ loka-vancanam alokya sarvam evavadhiritam/ /,

354 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS the praise and worship of Visnu. In his Haribhakti-vilasa Gopalabhatta quotes from this work seven verses which say that the water, which is placed before the eyes of Kesava and is mixed with Tulasi leaves, or with which the Salagrama stone has been bathed, is extremely sanctifying, 15 that no twice-born man should hesitate to partake of the food and drink offered to Visnu, because such food and drink are never affected by anybody's touch,16 that the mention of Visnu's name is highly sanctifying and beneficial and is able to destroy much more sin than a sinner can commit," and that the muttering of the word 'vasudeva' can give one final emancipation.18 In the Laghubhagavatamrta Visnu is called 'nityavatara', 'nitya-murti', 'nitya-rupa', 'nityaisvarya-sukhanubhu' etc. and Krsna's exploits at Vraja are said 15 Haribhakti-vilasa, p. 449 brhad-visnu-puranc- *tathadhikam yajna-satac ca pavanam jalam sada kesava-drsti-samsthitam/ chinatti papam tulasi-vimisritam visesatas cakra-sila-vinirmitam//* 16 Haribhakti-vilasa, p. 495 brhad-visnu-purane- 'naivedyam jagadisasya anna-panadikam ca yat/ bhaksyabhaksya-vicaras ca nasti tad-bhaksane dvijah// brahmavan nirvikaram hi yatha visnus tathaiva tat/ vikaram ye prakurvanti bhaksane tad dvijatayah// kustha-vyadhi-samayuktah putra-dara-vivarjitah/ nirayam yanti te vipra yasman navartate punah// 17 Haribhakti-vilasa, p. 661 sarva-rogopasamanam sarvopadrava-nasanam / santidam sarva-ristanam harer namanukirtanam// Ibid., p. 658 namno 'sya yavati saktih papa-nirharane hareh/ tavat kartum na saknoti patakam pataki janah//, With this second verse the following Bengali saying may be compared:- ekavara ramaname yata papa hare | jivera ki sadhya srache tata papa kare || 18 Haribhakti-vilasa, p. 685-... anuttamam. kva japo vasudeveti mukti-bijam

SOME LOST SAURA AND VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 20 355 to have been described elaborately in the Brhad-visnu-purana.¹ According to the verse quoted from the 'Brhad-visnu-purana' in Sanatana Gosvamin's commentaries Brhat-tosini and Vaisnava-tosini (on Bhagavata-purana X. 21. 10), Nanda's wife had two names, Yasoda and Devaki, and it was for this reason that she had friendship with Devaki, wife of Sauri (Vasudeva). That the Brhad-visnu-purana dealt also with penance, funeral ceremony etc., is evidenced by its verses quoted in the Praya- scitta-sara-samgraha and the Caturvarga-cintamani. Of these two works. the latter has 30 metrical lines on gifts of umbrellas, chowries, mirrors, combs, young cows with calves, female buffaloes, bulls, camels, goats, sheep etc. to the departed forefathers, the recipients of all these gifts being the Brahmins." In the Satkriya-sara-dipika (pp. 45, 46, 98, 108) five verses have been ascribed to the 'Brhad-visnu-purana'. In one of these verses the Satvatas have been advised neither to worship. the Pitrs and the gods other than Visnu nor to do any other kamya karman; one verse prescribes the worship of the gods and Pitrs to persons who are not Satvatas; in one verse the sanctifying power of the Candrayana-vrata and the Dvadasa-varsika-vrata has been put forth; and in the remaining two, Visnu has been described as the cause of all kinds of bliss. It is to be noted that in the verse ascribed to the Brhad-visnu-purana' in Satkriya-sara-dipika, p. 46, the word 'rajendra' has been used in the Vocative Case and that in explaining this verse Gopala-bhatta takes this word to mean Yudhisthira'. So, in the Brhad-visnu-purana somebody spoke to Yudhisthira on the topics mentioned above. those 22 In his Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts, II, pp. Mitra describes a Manuscript of the Karma-vipaka 68-69 (No. 635) R. L. which, in its colophon, 471- 19 Laghubhagavatamrta, p.147 (I, No. 397), and pp. 163-164 (I, No. sribrhad-vaisnave-vraje dvaravatisthasya pradurbhavo mura-dvisah/ brhadvisnupuranadav asakrd bahudhocyate//). 20 dve namni nanda-bharyaya yasoda devakity api/, atah sakhyam abhut tasya devakya sauri-bharyaya// 21 Caturvarga-cintamani, III, i, pp. 704, 711, 726-7. 22 Satkriya-sara-dipika, p. 45- na darbha-dharanam kuryat na ca samkalpam acaret/ na kamyam satvato margam sambhu-devadi-pujanam/↓↓

356 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS claims to be an extract from the Bhrgu-samhita belonging to the Brhadvisnu-purana The date of this Manuscript is 1687 Saka (=1765 A. D.), and in it Bhrgu speaks to Bharata, son of Sakuntala, on the diseases and other evils resulting in this life from sins committed in a previous one, as well as on the expatiations meet for their removal.