Chapter 01

Pages 15-62

15
 Chapter 01

menñeOee HeáeoMeev³egkeÌLee ³eeJeod ÐeeJeeHe=efLeJeer leeJeefoÊeled~

menñeOee ceefnceeve: menñeb ³eeJeod ye´ïe efJeefÿleb leeJeleer JeekedÀ~~
~~ $eÝiJeso: 10/114/08~~

The fifteen chief forms are found in thousand places, as heaven and
earth are. The thousand great functions are in thousand places, because
Brahman is that much variably developed and so the speech.

Introduction

The earliest idea of the thousand1 names is found in the above given
R being the root of the
Sahasran ma literature. It is a fact that the enumeration of the names of
a deity is known in ample Vedic hymns including Vedic prose
formulas.

Modern scholars who are unaware of the fact about Vedic origin of
the Thousand Names
advanced stage of the compositions if the literature
(hundred-names). But both the varieties of 100 and 1000 names seem
to be independently originated and hence the hymn of the thousand
names cannot be taken as a new metrical composition called
Sahas

The sages of the yore not only experienced but also realised the
truth that Human mind is filled with various sacraments depending
upon inherent psychological inclinations based on variations in their

1
The number noun Sahasra is wrongly read as Sahastra by many persons
ignorant of the Sanskrit language.
16
devotional taste. Therefore the sages have composed various hymns in
which they praised hundreds or thousands of names of the deity whom
they considered, respected and adored as the Supreme One. In this case
the deity of one’s choice is formed of the divine attributes and Such
verbal analogies were metrically versified for the easy chanting and
keeping them in the memory. The latter religious and spiritual practices
did aim at the concentration and meditation on various forms getting
revealed in the Trans.

The Three V Thousand Names may be understood

ecause it is a fact that each of His names
denotes His nature or characteristic, exploit, quality, function, form,
relation and identity (with a god or a sage).

10/114/082 that the Highest Brahman, the Supreme Cause of the

Universe assumes thousand sorts of forms. These various (or
innumerable) forms get individual names (JeekedÀ leeJeleer lelHeefjceeCee YeJeefle);
because it is a general rule that every being (i.e. object) requires an
individual name.

Thus it is quite clear that any name of any god or goddess is the
manifestation of the Supreme Reality presented either through an entity
or substance, non-entity or abstract form, though both the
manifestations
for the Supreme Reality which it seems and to describe the desired
deity.

The Epics, the –text and even the Tantric texts contain the
hymns (mlees$eeefCe) with the collections of a thousand names of a god or a
goddess.

2
menñeOesl³e$e efJeOeeLex OeeÒel³e³e:~ ye´ïe peielkeÀejCeb Jemleg ³eeJeled veeveeefJeOeÒeeefCeosnªHesCe ³eeJelHeefjceeCeb Yetl Jee efJeefÿleb
efJeMes<esCe efmLeleb JeekedÀ leeJeleer lelHeefjceeCee YeJeefle~ SkewÀkeÀm³eeefYeOes³eeLe&m³ewkewÀkeÀveeceeHes#eCeeled~ Dev³e$eeefHe Þet³eles – meJee&efCe
ªHeeefCe efJeef®evl³e Oeerjes veeceeefve ke=ÀlJeeefYeJeoved ³eoemles~ (lew. Dee. 03/12/07)
17
 Prof. Keith pointing out the continuous flow of the production of
hymns says, “The production of hymns of praise to the gods naturally
did not cease with the Vedic poets, though gradual change of religion
evoked an alteration of the gods. Who received adoration.” 3

Such hymns may be called the statements of attributes of the god

who is the respectable of such attributes (qualities). They are called
“Hymns or songs of praise”. The hymns of praise consist of epithets
describing the power or greatness of the god or goddess.

The thousand names are also significant because they express the
type of help & support provided to devotees as the only resort for
devotees or the ultimate source of inspiration for higher living through
his grace and blessings bestowed on devotees, worshippers, reciters
and so on.

The primary forms of hymns

The primary forms of hymns are found in Vedic hymns describing

characteristics like exploits, valour, forms, qualities, nature, relations
and even special events of the deities like Agni, Indra, Rudra, Vis
Varun Us , -god), Soma
4
and others. Even the Namak chapter
contains 265 epithets in 66 verses showing prowess and valour of
Rudra
Thousand Names in the Vedas. The Atharvaveda contains enalogistic
invocations of various deities and their eulogies.

The development of stotras seems to take place in three successive

stages: (01) The Vedas n s & the Tantras and (03) The
independent tradition of stotras.

The word Stotra, Stavanam, or Stutih is derived from mleg (mleewefle-mlegJeles)

2nd Conju. Ubhayapada to praise, to eulogize, to appreciate, to sing
3
Keith, HSL, London, 1920, p.210
4

no Pancamo Namaka -36.

18
glory and hence it means that by which or in which someone is praised
or eulogised (mlet³eles Devesve Deeqmceved Jee).

The enumeration of Names of Rudra seems to be the first Stotra,

Stavanam, or Stutih originated from Yajurveda
(CH 16 v t Soul of the universe), the
Supreme God is addressed with 265 names. The Sage a adheres
the prime importance to the Names of the
these are the Names of the Immortal Being and the recitation of the
Names leads one to immortality.5 This bespeaks of the initial upcoming
of a literary form called the tram.

The hymns praising divinity by 08 names (veeceeJeu³eäkeÀced), 12 names

(ÜeoMeveecemlees$eced), 108 names (DeäesÊejMeleveecemlees$eced), 300 names (ef$eMeleer) and 1000
or 1008 names (menñeveecemlees$eced) came into existence gradually. In this way,
the hymns of Names praising various deities like Lord Lord
6
Vis , , , Laks
and so on.

The number noun menñeveece does not just fix a figure of one thousand
complete but it aims at openness of counting the Names up to one
thousand eight or more. 7

The employment of the Anus

(01) popularity, (02) simplicity, (03) short and sweet (04) easier
recitation, (05) rhythmic character, (06) conducive to memorize (07)
connectivity with their meaning (08) transformation of one’s mental
perplexity to the disciplined mind and (08) competence to God-
realization.
5
me nesJee®e ³ee%eJeuke̳e: Mele©efê³esCesl³esleeefve n Jee Dece=leveeceOes³eev³eslewn& Jee Dece=lees YeJeleerefle~~ peeyeeueesHeefve<eod
03~~
6
The scholars point out the Purs ttamasaha
with the names collected and -
.
7
m edited by J.L.Shastri counts 1116 names, though the
candidate of the present thesis has tried to lower the number to 1008. Vide. CH
05 below.
19
 In all the types of list of a god or a goddess it is observed that the
names are employed in the nominative case with implied sense of “You
are (Deefme) so and so” and at the time of offering anything with
obsessions (vece:) the Dative is employed in the sense of “ Salutation to
You (who are) so and so”. The traditional practice to recite each and
every name appended obsessions (vece:) is purposeful for sake of
offering -leaves (to Lord Vis or any goddess), Rice, Bilva–
leaves, Lotuses s well
to other gods or goddesses.

Singing the glory (veece mebkeÀerle&veced) of god or a goddess is highly

applauded in R (3/39/1) (The praise that is prompted by the heart and
is uttered by the reciters of sacred hymns, proceeds to the Presence of
the lord and is His awakener when repeated at the sacrifice be
cognizant Indra, of this praise, which is born for you) and (8/11/5)
(Prudent mortals, we offer abundant homage to you, who are immortal
8
and all-knowing) announces .Even sage Vatsa
9
appaludes that the mortals are urged to chant repeatedly the
immortality.

The hymns of Thousand Names in general, are not only an

instrument of worshipping the deity but also make the devotee well-
conversant in visualizing the divine form in his heart. The devotee
acquires the complete awareness and close association with the desired
deity.10 As the Supreme Reality is beyond the reach of speech and
mind (³elees Jee®ees efveJeÊe&vles DeÒeeH³e cevemee me:) and having the indescribable nature,
the hymn of Thousand Names reveals the attribute, nature, form, godly
powers, divine functions and graceful report gradually. Even

8
Fvêb ceefleË&o Dee Je®³eceeveeç®íe Heefleb mleesceleäe efpeieeefle~
³ee peeie=efJeefJe&oLes Mem³eceevesvê ³eled les pee³eles efJeef× lem³e~~$eÝ. 03/39/01~~
9
celee& Decel³e&m³e les Yetefj veece ceveecens~ efJeÒeemees peeleJesome:~~ $eÝ. 08/11/05~~
10
My guiding teacher’s father late Prof. Dr. A.N. Jani used to say, “If you
recite any sahasran ma stotra constantly, you need not to go for any
other means of enjoyment and liberation. For the reason a desired deity
is none but the bestower of enjoyments and liberation (Yees#ecees#eÒeo:).”
20
Kr (10/25), “Among Sacrifices, I
am the sacrifice consisting of repeated recitation (³e%eeveeb peHe³e%eesçeqmce).”

Method of numbering of the Thousand Names

The numbering of the names does not create any problem in case of
any hymn consisting of 08 names (veeceeJeu³eäkeÀced), 12 names (ÜeoMeveecemlees$eced)
or 108 names (DeäesÊejMeleveecemlees$eced), but the great problem arises when a
hymn consists 1000 or 1008 names (menñeveecemlees$eced). It is observed at the
time of numbering the Thousand Names, as in case of any hymn of
thousand names, the number exceeds 1000 or 1008 names as per the
tradition (of DeäesÊejmenñeveecemlees$eced) by method of combining the similar
names after examining the nearest previous or succeeding name. The
following examples are sited from the ,
&L

(A) Hejceced (Highest) leHe: (the penance) as

Hejceb leHe: (MBh 081) (the Highest penance),

cev$e: (the sacred formulas) GÊece: (the Best) as

cev$e GÊece: (MBh 105) (the Best of the sacred formulas),

lespemkeÀj: (the Light-maker) efveefOe: (treasure) as

lespemkeÀjes efveefOe: (MBh 120) (the Light–giving treasure), etc.

(B) mLeHeefle: (architect) efmLej: (Steady) as

mLeHeefleefmLej: ( 156) (Steady architect),

YemceefÒe³e: (Fond of ashes) YemeceMee³eer (who lies on ashes) as

YemceefÒe³ees YemeceMee³eer ( 167) (Fond of ashes who lies on ashes),

megJe´le: (One performing good rites or vows) Metj: (Hero) as

megJe´le:Metj: ( 216) (Hero of good rites or vows), etc.

21
(C) osJeosJe: (god among the gods) ef$euees®eve: (the Three-eyed one) as
osJeosJeeqðeuees®eve: (LP 042) (the Three-eyed god among the gods),

Je=<ee¹: (Bull–bannered) Je=<eJeenve: (rider of the bull) as Je=<ee¹es Je=<e-

Jeenve: (LP 052) (Bull–bannered rider of the bull),

meJe&%e: (the Omniscient) meJe&iees®ej: (perceivable by everyone) as

meJe&%e: meJe&iees®ej: (LP 137) (Omniscient perceivable by everyone), etc.

The above Mentioned method must be adopted to adjust the

number, otherwise the list of 1000 or 1008 names exceeds to quite a
considerable total.11 Though the number noun thousand (menñe) is
normally taken to mean innumerable (DemebK³e), yet the arrangement of the
names in this manner enhances the power of concentration of the
reciter while reciting any Sahasran stotram.

The verse saha stotras have one common

meter viz. Anus The names
sometimes begin with the same sound syllables occurring in a sequence
like:

(A) ceneyeerpe: (MBh 084), cenejslee: (MBh 085) and ceneleHee: (MBh 086).
ieCe: (MBh 099), ieCekeÀlee& (MBh 100) and ieCeHeefle: (MBh 101).
TOJe&jslee: (MBh 138), TOJe&efue²: (MBh 139) and TOJe&Mee³eer (MBh 140),
etc.

(B) mJeOecee& ( 740), mJeie&le: ( 741), mJeie&mJej: ( 742) and

mJejce³emJeve: ( 743).
MegYeo: ( 936), MegYekeÀlee& ( 937) and MegYeveecee MegYe: mJe³eced ( 938).
osJeefÒe³e: ( 859), osJeveeLe: ( 860) and osJe%e: ( 861).
mleJ³e:( 987), mleJeefÒe³e: ( 988) and mleeslee ( 989) etc.

11
Shastri J.L. gives 1116 names in his English translation of the

22
(C) ogjemeo: (LP 173), ogie&ce: (LP 174), ogue&Ye: (LP 175), ogie&: (LP 176) and
ogie&: (LP 176).
ceneyeue: (LP 318), ceneyegef×:( LP 319), and ceneJeer³e&: (LP 320).
Jeerjséej: (LP 381), JeerjYeê: (LP 382) and Jeerjne (LP 383).
³e%e: (LP 477), ³e%eHeefle: (LP 478), ³epJee (LP 479) and ³e%eevle: (LP 480),
etc.

Unity projected in Diversity

Vedic statement of R
01/164/46 that the single Reality is designated to be many (SkeÀced meod efJeÒee
yengOee Jeoefvle) proves that the Vedic seers had already understood the logic
behind writing the Thousand Names or even Hundred Names 12 that the
Almighty is One but has many forms, qualities, nature and functions.
Accordingly the Supreme Brahman called Agni has different names
such as Indra, Mitra, Varun . 13
These are different forms for one being i.e. Brahman. Essentially, thus
Brahman that one being has many embodiments in accordance with
different powers attributed to them.

panis d 6/1/4 rightly points out

referred) is one.14 This means that the names are modifications or

alterations of one & the one single deity and hence the names are
different facets of the same deity.

The concept of Unity in diversity and diversity in unity is crux

Indian Philosophy since the Vedic time. Therefore diverse religious
12
A large number of hymns containing hundred names (Meleveece) or even hundred &
eight names (DeäesÊejMeleveece) are published in many collective works of the stotra
literature. Vide. Br by Dhavale Prakashan, Mumbai.
13
Fvêb efce$eb Je©CeceeqiveceengjLees efoJ³e: me megHeCeex ie©lceeved~
SkebÀ meod efJeÒee yengOee Jeovl³eeeqiveb ³eceb ceeleefjéeeveceeng~~ $eÝ. 01/164/46~~
14
³eLee meesc³ewkesÀve ce=eqlHeC[sve meJe¥ ce=vce³eb efJe%eelebm³eeod Jee®eejcYeCeb efJekeÀejes veeceOes³eb ce=lkesÀl³esJe mel³eced~~
íe.06/01/04~~
23
sects of people having different faith are justifiable for their sole goal
of Liberation. Likewise the adequate practices relevant and proper to
rich to the goal, are also many and even different such as, devotion,
knowledge and actions leading to Liberation.

Purpose of the hymns containing Thousand Names

Most of the texts are so small and thin in size that they look like the
pieces of living literature that constantly flow, evolve and enrich the
potency of the desired deity. As the names of the desired deity are
divine, the purpose is also divine and then effect would be naturally
divine and finally the outcome of the result or the fruit must be totally
divine.

have acquired richness and endless variety

of descriptions, narrations and observations that are channelized into a
name or names to experience the presence of the deity.

Eleven hymns of Thousand Names (Sahasran mastotrams) of Lord

are enlisted by Dr. Smt. Vina V. Thakkar. 15

The list of 11

01 of Mah mr uñjaya and 01 hymn of Thousand Names of Nat

but, the closer study gives 09 hy
From among them 03 hymns of that more popular and include in the

research work.

Looking to the number of hymns

there may arise a doubt about the similarity and the difference in the
texts mutually, but the present thesis discusses at length the niceties
(met#celee) of the Thousand Names

15
I owe this information from the thesis titled “The sahasran ma Literature: A
study P 226”. I thank the authorities of the Departmental Library.

24
 an saha
which the MBh
contains two well–known saha viz. The
Vis -158 and
-150.
16
The famous Nat seems to incorporate the
explanatory names of some of the original short Names
(for the major text of the Thousand Names) occurring in the MBh,
& LP.

“Òeew{vele&veuecHeì:”, cenevele&veuecHeì:” and so on. iva’s eternal dance is the

statement of the worlds’s creation and its dissolution. In order to
protect the world lord engages Himself in a dance at the twilight. At
the time all gods, ghosts, goblins, Semi-divine beings, demons, etc.
remain present at H iva’s worship incorporates the
worship of all the gods iva

nas, Stotras and Poetry.

halo.

Each of the Thousand Name is to deep in meaning but at the

same time too effective in result that it is wide upon for any illiterate or
literate, young or old, men or women of the society and that to
procuring the desired result to its chanter or reciter.

The purpose of the Thousand Names is aptly pointed out by

Pataskar Bhagyalata17 that the purpose behind the writing of
Sahasranamastotram is to praise the deity and glorify His names,
virtues and deeds that a deity performs to help devotees.

16
Tripathi Vasistha N M -200) pub.Sarupanin
Brahmana Parisad, Varansi-1999.
17
Pataskar Bhagyalata : Sahasran maTradition In India Journal of the oriental
Institute, Vol. 45, Nos. 12, September - December, 1995.
25
 The high recognition and wide popularity are based on the fact that
the chanting of Thousand Names needed no extra efforts to learn and
study to collect money to gather any type of material to be offered and
to spare the extra time. The reciter marches in the path of liberation in
the Kali era through the chanting may be the hymns, eulogies or
Names.

The impact of chanting the hymns of Thousand Names helps the

reciter for yielding purity to his mind, speech and heart. The pure
thinking, righteous behavior and pious understanding of the reciters
influence others to engage in the path of pure devotional practices.

The Thousand Name’s literature has survived and sustained the

interest of the people for all the ages till today. Though the it is the
simplest, easiest and even convenient literary composition giving just a
simple list of the names of a god & a goddess it bears attraction of any
reciter with faith. This literature supports the devotees in their worship
and prayers.

It consists and continuous flow of creativity since begging of such

Stotra literature. The popularity of the various hymns of Thousand
Names of a multitude of gods and goddesses is quite visible through
the immense publication of the books and booklets of this field of
literature.

The names (veeceeefve) point out different perspectives, motives, &

functions of the individual who may be a god, a goddess, or even a
superhuman being (like ter on accepted as
a deity.

The Thousand Name’s literature is written with simple & pure

motive to praise god to protect to devotees helps them to accomplish
the worldly tasks and to achieve almost all the four human goals viz.
Dharma, Arth, & Moks . This motive is normally mentioned
c . This motive gets modeled in the
holy effort to describe God’s potency and power in different
perspectives.

26
Structure of the hymns of the Thousand Names

The saha totras contain particles as expletives (HeeoHetjCeced) like

®e, DeLe, leLee, SJe, efn, sahasra-
employ such expletives to adjust the number of syllables in the verses.
In many cases such expletives help to connect or disconnect the
previous or a next name. This technique is to emphasize the thought
that the chanting of names does not seem to be accepted as a mere
mechanical task, to help the reciter to meditate upon the in order to get
the knowledge about the desired deity. The chanting provides the
detailed information about qualities and the characteristics, the form
and the identity, the mythological and the historical events of the
a
high excellences acquired the knowledge through the grace of the
desired deity. 18

-stotras of
different gods, goddesses and rivers like: Gan
19
, Devi,

and so on.

There are even hymns of Thousand Names on like

Jesus Christ in the

Christian Literature.

The stotram occupy the prominent place in the

society and Devotional as well as Yogic path. Lord ’s Thousand
Names do not have singular meaning but most of them have many
different multiple meanings. They are presented in a skillful such as
those of mantra, yoga and the rituals.

18
les<eeb melele³egkeÌleeveeb Yepeleeb ÒeerefleHetJe&keÀced~
ooeefce yegef׳eesieb leb ³esve ceecegHe³eeefvle les~~ ieer. 10/10 ~~
19
Vide. FN 05 above.
27
 The hymns of Thousand Names represent different
aspects:

(01) Exploits,
(02) Qualities,
(03) Functions,
(04) Form (physical features).
(05) Relations,
(06) Identity

Smt. Vina Thakkar 20 enlists the following Sahasranamstotras:

21

22
23

(05) Ska

24

vasahasra-
arose to unveil the mystical secrets that lie in the
meaning and the presentation ’s Thousand Names. This
was the source of inspiration to select this subject of Three Versions of
Names.

20
I thank the Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, Pali & Prakrit to avail Mrs. Thakkar’s
thesis for this information.
21
Vide. App. 02.
22
Vide.App. 05.
23
Vide. App. 01
24
Vide. App. 08.
28
 As 11 hymns (mentioned above) with the same genre were

Thousand Names was done for the textual analysis of (01) MBh
-
(CH 35, 02-132 verses) and (03) LP First Part (CH 98, 27cd-158
verses).

Epics & Puranas

get a comprehensive idea of the greatness and the importance of the

Thousand Nam

The summary of sage R is given here.

(in 77 Cantos) begins with celestial sage N rada
narrating
the pair of curlew (H« m¡#m).

. The poet gives an outline of the cends to the

-sacrifice. Episode of R nga, the son-

in-law of the king is narrated.
for four blessed sons under the supervision of R nga. The gods

implores lord Vis

said purpose. Lord Vis
alter with a basin sacrificial milk-rice (nm`g_²). Other gods take birth as

follow by the description of festivity. After their religious ceremonies,

protection of the sacrifice.

instructs 02 mystic spells and . They stay night long in a

holy hermitage at the confluence of Gan
29
sage being pleased imparts the knowledge of various missiles as well
as the method of calling them back and narrates the story of the

Laks -sacrifice of king

party reach the bank of Gan

Gan -ocean is churned by gods and
demons from which come out one by one the deadly poison, god
s, the beverage known as , the
horse Uccaih

austerities. Sumati, t

deserted hermitage of sage Gautama. The sage narrates the account of

sag

practises severe austerities to attain Brahman-hood. The nku is

nku. Sage
from ’s bondage and the king gets the
reward of the sacrifice
Pus

of Mahars lves upon a further course of austerities.

Ultimately he is conferred the title of a Brahmars

Vis

30
through

(in 111 Cantos) begins with the aging king of

, , his wives , and , and the
four princes: son of , Bharata, son of , and
Laks as well as , sons of .
determines, amid general approval, install as Yu , the
crown prince or heir-apparent, but urged on by her servant
, contrives to have him supplemented by Bharata and
banished to the forest for 14 years. feels forced to give in to
her petulance in fulfillment of 02 boons he has previously granted her,
but his agony of mind doing so it touchingly portrayed; so profound is
his grief that he dies shortly after ’s departure from ,
attributing his death, separated from his son, to retribution for having
accidentally killed an ascetic. His distress is shared by almost all the
inhabitants of the town, but not by himself, who accepts the
decree with absolute submission and with the calm self-control that
regularly charac-terizes him. The more completely to fulfill his father’s
comm.-ands, he suggests sending messengers to recall Bharata, who,
with , is away from on a visit, and so innocent and
ignorant of his mother’s machinations; then makes preparations
for his departure with no protest whatsoever, accompanied at their
insistence by his wife and his brother Laks . feels
persuades him and
begins to lament, and party take hault

citizens who flock after them, the citizens helplessly return to

. In the mean time having crossed the revers
Gan and

en route the Nis chief Guha and the ascetic . On

ily for a while,
enjoying the beauties of nature, Minister Sumantra returns to .
and lament for , narrates the

31
 Meanwhile, to avert the graphically predicted evils of a kinless
state, Bharata has been recalled to , where he confounds his
mother’s schemes by angrily rejecting the offerred kingdom and setting
off, accompanied by the 03 queens and huge retinue, to fetch
back. The
miraculous banquet by
Bharata and party reach greets Bharata with none of
the rancour displayed by the excitable Laks , along with His
brothers performs but enquires calmly about his conduct of public
affairs; but he insists on carrying out to the letter of his father’s express
wish, undeterred alike by Bharata’s impassioned pleas and offers to
change places with him, by the courtier J , and by the defending of
orthodox traditional values put forward by the court chaplain, Vasis
followed by the glory of Solar dynasty. Eventually Bharata and his
train return to , taking with them ’s sandals as a symbol
of his authority. Bharata retires to nearby , from where he
administers the country as ’s regent. Meanwhile and his

way of the hermitage of Atri and , who listen to their story and
present them with handsome gifts of clothing and ornaments.

The Aran (in 70 Cantos) narrates the exile life amongst the
Dan
e like an ascetic, it is his role as
the perfect Ks , or warrior, which now comes to the fore. The

nga who then ascends to heaven and the sages

extract a pledge
-ically, a relatively late redactor of
poem) feels that such conduct may lead to a charge of aggression, but
protect the

nga, Sutiks
Agastya, who gives him divine weapons and advises him to build a
hermitage in nearby Pañcavat , on the way there they meet the vulture
Jat

32
 While they are living in the hut they have built in Pañcavat where
they enjoy the autumn season, the hideous but none the less amorous
pan

Her brother Khara attempts to avenge her, first by sending a posse of

fter they have all been

finally Khara himself, to the delight of the Dan

then seeks a differ
king of Lan

it.

Jat
taken to Lan
blandishments, she is confined in a grove of
Laks
what has happened, and the monster Kabhandha advises them to ally

-
woman.

The Kis (in 66 Cantos) concentrates on events in or

es and ornaments

single combat, while going to

Kis Saptajanas and finally, with

and his son Angada, and is cremated with elaborate ceremonial.

33
 ngada as his heir.

n Laks

and Angada
momkey chiefs set forth towards the quarters assigned to them by

ch searching
and several bouts of suicidal despair, An
meet Sam ngada narrates him the whole story

Lan
narrates his past life and the incident how he lost his wings and

The (in 66 Cantos) opens with a long account of

ch he alights unnoticed in Lan
and wanders about the city, dazzled by its splendours. Entering

grove and eventually discovers her in the grove, his eyes filled

entreaties

though one, Trijat

then embarks upon a course of ostentatious and

34
why he has ruined the grow and and killed the demons he warns

envoys, so

Lan
reports to his eager companions. Overjoyed, the rampage through
Madhuvana, to the discomfiture of its
guards before returning to Kis
their mission.

The (in 116 Cantos) concerns with the final battle

bet
n

vice is

consecrated as king of Lan

solved by Nala’s construction of a causeway.

information from his spies about the size of the besieging army and

reaching Lan es them of arrangement made by

n
ngada, joins the battle. Disaster soon

are resorted by the divine intervention of the bird Garud

a long series of duels resulting in the eventual deaths of all the most
an
monkey-

Kumbhakarn who is under a curse of deed sleep, the elaborate efforts

35
of his desperate comrades to wake him provide some much needed
comic relief from the tension of the battle scenes, Kumbhakar

ngada,
Dw
and Nikumbha respectively. Indrajit repeatedly resorts to magic to

and Laks he also embarks

upon a sacrifice
Laks
completing it by Laks
enraged due to his son’s death proce

ngada

coldly to spurn her, saying (for the first time) that he undertook the
quest and combat simply to vindicate his own and his family’s honour,
and not for her sake and asks her to seek shelter elsewhere. In

reveal that he is in fact an incarnation of Vis

appears, blesses his sons,

resume his reign (the fourteen years of exile have, it seems, just

Pus and they go surveying the scenes of their earlier advantages,

36
 arata is

him the kingdom. This is followed by an elaborate ceremony of

righteous ten-thousand-year reign.

The begins with the arrival of the great seers arriving to

meet and Agastya discloses the origin of , the race of
demons and the origin of etc. and younger brothers
perform penance and obtain boons. The demons occupy Lan and
is installed as the ruler. The marriages of ,
’s
exploits are described. attacks on the Yaks
Manibhadra and Kubera holds Pus . Lord curses and
curbs his pride. being insulted by , curses him and
enters into fire. kills Anaran
invades the domain of Yama, destroys the forces, fights with
Yama and being triumphant leaves the place. He forcibly carries off the
celestial damsels and other ladies who curse him. He accompanied by
Madhu invades the realm of gods.

violates celestial nymph and receives a curse from

. He invades the realm of Indra, the fight takes place
between demons and gods. Vasu kills . A combat takes place

Lan .
grants him boons agains the release of Indra from captivity. There is
the encounter of
captures and bears him away to his city . Pulastya
secures the deliverance of from the bondage. After ’s
humiliation at the hands of he makes friendship with him. There is
a description of ’s descent, past life and his heroic super
human deeds. Due to a curse of some sages, he remains unconscious of
his might. requests Agastya and other sages, he remains
present in the sacrifice performed by and they depart. King
Janaka, , Pratardana and others proceed to their respective

37
dominions. accepts the presents, distributes them to His
friends, the monkeys, the bears as well as the demons and sends them
back to their respective abodes. Bharata describes the glory of
’s reign wishes to visit penance groves and accords
His consent. Bhadra reports ugly remarks made by citizens about

dialogue between Laks

Laks

of king Nr
subjects. There is the story of king Nimi as well as sage Vasis -
incarnation. King Nimi resides in the eyelids of living beings.

curses Yadu. The sages terrorised by demon Lavan

,
proceeds to

week and returns to

goes there in the plane Pus and kills him for which gods applaud
Him. Sage Agastya welcomes Him, presents celestial ornaments and

performing the -sacrifice as

38
per Laks

nd asking them

rata proceeds towards the territory of

the Gandharvas and defeats them. He installs his son Taks
Taks us . Angada and Candraketu are
coronated by Bharata and Laks .

enter the chan\mber. Laks

ascends to heaven with the citizens.

The Mah bh ratam

Vis efJe<CegÒeeskeÌleced) who it is said, lost His Discus in

His Boar Incarnation. For this reasons He offered 1000 (or 1008)
lotuses reciting each of the Thousand Names. At the end of the lotus-

Him the Discus.

The Version
th
incarnation) 25
and though it is posterior, it is of a prime authority. So the sequence of

25
Lord Vis celm³e:), ( 02) Turtle (ketÀce&:), (03)
Boar (Jejen:), (04) Man-lion (ve=efmebn:), (05) Dwarf (Jeeceve:

ce®í keÀ®í Jeejen vejmeQ Jeeceve LeF& cee~ S DeJeleejes leeje pe les legpe cenelce LekeÀer cee~~36~~
HejMegjece Þeerjece jece yeUer yeU pes cee~ yeg× keÀuebkeÀer veej oMeefJeOe Oeejer osn cee~~37~~

39
following pages of this thesis).

The MBh is the earliest example available of the Historical

Literature (Fefleneme:) which is defined as it happened thus or thus it
happened (Fefle n Deeme) and hence it means a Legend or a historical tale.
Therefore the Books (HeJee&efCe) of the MBh contain various narratives
(DeK³eeveeefve). It describes the great battle between the rival descendants of
rata, the emperor of the Ancient India. The most
striking feature of this work is its voluminous size. It deals with a
variety of topics and contains a lakh of verses. It is the largest poem
known to be the literary history. The comparison of the MBh with the
ocean is due to the v
quality.

It contains 2109 chapters divided into 18 Books called Parvas

several of them are further divided into subordinate Books called
s. The supplement called Harivamsa gives the account
Krsna.

The whole epic is in the form of the narrative told to Janamejaya

by Vai
MBh.

The subject matter of the 18 Parvas of the MBh can be

summarised as under:

The 1st
Bharatas. This contains the history of Lunar dynasty and elaborately
Kuru-

Dhi

40
defamned Duryodhan, Duh
has two wives: Kunti (who had a son Karn ity and)
gives birth to 03 sons Yudhist
-brothers Nakula and
Sahadeva.
The 2nd
envy and hatred invites Yudhis
(Duryodhana’s maternal uncle) being expert in gambling cheats
Yudhist
rd
husbands, but Bhis Vanaparva desciribes

The 4th Vir

(during their last 13th

different guise: Yudhist

as a cook named Balava, Arjuna as a dance teacher Br
and Sahadeva as the supervisiors of the stable and the cowpen as well

Sudes
him. At the end of 13th th

in the battle filed Kuruks

The 6th Bhis

the MBh. The Bhis
th
pierces Bhis Dron
th
day of the battle is over). The
8th Karn
terrible fight between Karn

41
9th t
a is alone and he takes refuge in a
lake where, through magical power he hides himself under water.

The 10th
th
slaughtering of the five sons of the Pan Striparva
narrates the visit of battle field by Kaurava-
daughter-in-
corpses of their husbands. The 12th -story
of Karn then
installed on the throne.The 13th
26
Bhis

to Pariks

forest. The 16th Mausalaparva describes fight with the help of Musala,
taking place
in the Striparva blames for not having prevented the slaughter of her

abode, as a hunter unknowingly pierces His foot-sole with an arrow.

heaven.

The last 18th is the that narrantes Yudhist

refusal to enter into the heaven without his brothers and even his dog.

It is a Heroic Poem describing a famous battle between Kauravas

and Pan . The ethical and philosophical side of the work in as
much as it includes a vast mass of ancient legends pointing out the four
human goals.

Ve r of 8800 verses must be taken to

prove the three stages of evolution of the text. It is (1)
26
The present
Sage Upamanu in this Parva (CH 17).
42
Samhit 27 28 29
which is also referred
to in the colophons of the Visnusaha a addition like Fefle ÞeercevceneYeejles
Melemeenñ³eeb mebefnlee³eeb Jew³eeefmeke̳eeceevegMeemeefvekesÀ HeJe&efCe. . . .~~ which can be related to three
recessions of the MBh, the first one
then narrated to Vai who narrated it to Janamejaya (2nd
recession calle and Ugra rav narrated to
rd
the sages in the Naimis ya (the 3 recession called MBh).

The original epic was probably in its nature a history and not a
didactic work. It is specially called a History (Fefleneme:). The MBh shows
evidence of having grown over a considerable span of time. The
(as it
inerrant bard) by its pupil Vai as it stands now, by
Ugrasravas it is (as mentioned above) found in the opening chapter of
.

verses for there is a sloka in the MB

Bh
account of Janmejaya and his sarpastra, where he recited his poem.

The present MBh in fact contains about a thousand less sholkas than
the number given by the MBh that the
industrious Krsn
working day & night.

The
composed the first version in 3100 BC, followed by the 2nd version by
bably within 50 years i.e. 3050 BC and the final

27
De<ìew MueeskeÀmenñeeefCe Deäew MueeskeÀMeleeefve ®e~
Denb Jesef¨e MegkeÀes JesefÊe mebpe³ees Jee ve Jee~~ ce.Yee.Dee.01/81~~
28
®elegefJe&MeeflemeenñeeR ®e¬esÀ Yeejlemebefnleeced~
GHeeK³eevewefJe&vee leeJeÓejleb Òees®³eles yegOew:~~ ce.Yee.Dee. 01/102~~
29
Fob Melemenñeb leg ueeskeÀeveeb HegC³ekeÀCee&ced~
GHeeK³eevew: men %es³eceeÐeb YeejlecegÊececed~~ ce.Yee.Dee. 01/101~~
43
 -200
years i.e. 3000-2900, though modern scholars (influenced strongly by
the western scholars) opine that an extension of the original epic must
have taken place after 300 BC and by the begining of our era.

Mirashi V. V. has discussed at length the probable date of MBh war

3140 BC - 2500 BC 30 He further adds the support of the Aihole
Inscriptions dated 3735 of Kali era i.e. 556 AD constructed in reign of
– II.

As the Indian Astrological Calendars give the Yudhis a Era 6012

and the Kali Era 5014 (in 2013 AD), the historical fact that the famous
MBh war was fought at the end of the juncture of the era and
the beginning of the Kali era. After the war ended, Yudhisthira was
coronated . The
Mbh, the text of which is available (as a critical edition from BORI,
pune) in the present time is obviously, a compilation took place in 10th
Cent. B

(ch- -worship with the recitation of Names can be

traced as old as the Yajurveda.

a of the MBh must have been incorporated

tion of the present MBh,
though the first speaker is Sage Upamanyu, the brother of Sage
Dhaumaya who was the contemporary of Yudhis

present in the time of second version itself.

The scholar defi (a) Pre-historic and

Cosmological legends, (b defined it as description of
ancient tradition, am defines it as ancient legends
about gods and the genealogy of sages, (d) the Upanisads explain it as
30
Journal of the Oriental Institute, Vol.XXV, September 1975 (No.i), pp. 286-
292.
44
a History (Fefleneme:) and (e) the Smrti texts defined as an exposition or an
amplification of (GHeye=nCeced). This shows that the P literature existed
a have been a kind of popular
encyclopedia of useful information as their compilers have gathered
together a mass of extraneous didactic matter on all subjects.

The H

the general

. Dr.Baladev Upadhyaya has given the probable dates of

31
the composition (rather) compilation of the 18 Major Pur
(2nd (2nd-4th Cent.
(4th
(4th (4th-5th
(6th Cent.AD), (07) K (6th-7th
(6th-9th
(7th-9th Cent.AD), (10) (7th-9th Cent.
(7th-9th (8th-9th
Cent.AD), (13) (9th
(9th-10th (10th Cent.AD), (16)
Brahma- (13th (15th
(after 16th Cent.AD). 32

(01) m:
23,000 verses divided in to 126 chapters. The 1st Part deals with the
Creation along with the Creation of the worlds and the human beings.
The 2nd Part described the Geography of the world divided into
Continents called Dwipa with special description of the Jamb dw pa
and India (Bharatvrsha). The 3rd Part discusses the religious duties of
thetwice-born and the stages life. The 4th Part deals with the
Genealogies of the Kings of Solar and Lunar dynasties. The 5th
describes Lord Vis
th
Part described the
31
The detailed information is provided in his Pur a, pp.537- 569.
32
Hazra R.C. dates
Customs, P 141.
45
Deluge, the dissolution called Pralaya. It also discusses about the path
of Devotion.

(02) : It consists of more than 15,000 verses

divided into 291 chapters. It deals with lineages of the ancestor as well
as of the sages in the context of the Ancestral Rites (Shradha). It

(also called K
with their Geographical data. Moreover the topics like duties of a king,
the Iconography of various gods and goddesses are given here.

(03) m: It
contains 24,000 verses divided into 457 chapters. The 1st

supported by various accounts, the mode of making and worshipping

-born house holders. It also
discusses he importance of Bilva-leaves and the Ashes (Bhasma). The
2nd . The 1st Part
(20 chapters) describes the Creation of the beings along with the modes
The 2nd
, as well as
-immolation
’s sacrifice that was destroyed by Virabhadra.
rd
The 3 Part (55
th

. The 5th

.
rd
The 3
33
The 4th Bo (43
chapters) looks like the further continuation of the previous Book as it
commences with narrations of 12 Jyotirlingas followed by the
33
Vide. App.12.
46
 34

The 5th

son. But the major part gives the description of the Creation, different

-syllabled Name-formula. The 6th Book called

-attributive
-dualistic form of the

The last i.e. the 7th

, because most of the
narrations, discussions and descriptions of rites and rituals, mode

.35
36
: It consists of 12 Book
(Skandhah) containing 18,000 Verses divided into 335 chapters, The 1st
Book introduces the origin

, birth of
Parik

The 2nd
devotion. The 3rd Book deals with Vidura

34
The present
Lord Vis
35
Of the basis of striking similarity of the topics of both the , the name
may not have been included in the enumerations of the 18
as.
36
Scholars are not unanimous in accepting this -
-

10 characteristics.
47
mental relief. Maitreya narrates the different creations and happiness as
well as miseries of the souls, followed by Lord Vis

and their son sage Kapila who instructed the Knowledge of the

The 4th Book narrates the lin

by the account of Daks
Virabhadra, the accounts of Dhruva, king Vena and his son Pr
ascetics called Prachetas and then king Purañjaya. The 5th Book
discusses the line
). It also
describes the spread of king Bharata’s 07 sons indifferent continents,
the people over there, beginning with the Jambudvipa, the Solar
Transation as well as the planets their planets and their effects on the
people along with the description of Nether worlds and different hells.
The 6th
his previous birth).
th
The 7

twice-born followed by those of the house-holders and the monks. The

8th Book narrates the accounts of 04

famous ocean churning event, followed by other Manus and their

duties and Lord Vis n (with a corsory ref. of
Manu Satyavarata of the Fish Incarnation).
The 9th
, sage
f river Ganga’s

s
followed by a brief accounts o .
The 10th
-tors, His birth

48
and exploits from His childhood to the dimese. The 11th Book deals

followed by the discussions on the duties, the path of devotion,

Master), followed by the duties of Celibates house-holders, forester-

living ones and the monks. The 12th

- -tion of
the Serpent-sacrifice started by king Pariks

ey m: It

-formed (yeeuecegkegÀvo:) followed by the descritption

of the li
otherwise called and

- -Nis
and other demons.

(06) m: It consists of 12,000 Verses is divided

(probably) into 04 Parts viz

Cosmology, Astronomy and Geography of the world with its 07

continents, the narration of the lineage of the Ks

(07) m:

(08 m: It

am: It is a type of encyclopedia of Sanskrit

Literature. It consists of about 15,400 Verses divided into 383 chapters.

49
It gives a brief outline of almost all the Sciptures and texts like the

Pro

m:
, Br -
of 25,000 Verses
divided into 125 chapters in the First Part and 82 in the Second Part.
The 1st Part deals with various topics of the Science of Piety and the
stages of life followed by ancestral rite and the discussions on
Grammar, Etymology, Astrology,
nd
Part is
divided mainely to the

(11) Skandapurana: It consists of 81,000 Verses divided into 06

viz.
Brahma and Saura. It is divided into 07 Parts called Khan viz.

deals wi
Daks

churning of Ocean, Indra killing demon Vr

nd

narrates the greatness of the holy plac

st
Arun section (HetJee&Oe&) narrates the

Lord Vis
nd
killing demon Mahis section (GÊejeOe&) depicts different

The 2nd
greatness of the holy places: Venkat

50
The 3rd
03 sections. The 1st section called Setu bandha narrates the entire story
nd

ndra receiving the

share in the sacrifice, the duties of a house-holder, greatness of

Yudhist
rd
section called Brahmottara deals

- -vara,the

a are described in 491 chapters.

th
The 6 deals with the
-
37
mitra, drinking away the Ocean and Indra

ñvalkya and Maitrey

R -

rites, different vows and so on.

The 7th
describing the greatness

with the various accounts of the places under their titles respectively.

m: It consists of 11,000 Verses contains chapters

in the 1 Part 108 chapters and 2nd Part 55 chapters. It deals mainly
st

-image. It
37
The N ,
because there are repeated accounts of many holy places, narratives and vows.
51
 and the holy places of Lord
nd

(13) Garud m: It consists 18, 000 Verses is divided into

the 1 Part containing and the 2nd Part 45 chapters. It deals with the
st

greatness of Lord Vis

nd
Part well
known by the names Rituals for the deceased souls deals with the
description of stages of the child in the embryo, hells, the abode of the
deceased souls, nature and d form of deceased soul, release from the
specy of a ghosts, goblins etc., life span of the human beings, etc.

: It consists of 24,000 Verses divided into

Incarnation and again it presents the vow of Twelfth day presided over
by different Incarnations of Lord Visnu. It describes different areas of
he context of the
account of Na

(15) Bhavis : It consists of 14,000 Verses consists of 04

st
Books. The 1
2nd Book called Madhya divided into 03 parts contain 18+20+19=57
chapters, the 3rd Book called Pratisarga divided into 04 parts
07+33+31+29=100. The 4th Book called Uttaraparva contains 130
chapters.
The 1st book deals with the origin of 04 casts, the purificactrory
rites, their duties along with the duties of women, description of
various Kalpas, Science of Marks of the body, kings, women, Maga
along with the accounts - -

-worship, worship
of different gods on particularly constellations, the vows like
ñcami, K 07 days of the week as well as the different
dates (of the months of Indian calendar), ancestral as well as expiatory
rite.

52
 The 1st Part of the 2nd Book deals with Creation of the universe,
greatness of constructing gardens, wells, etc. details about different
sacrifices. The 2nd Part provides details of family lineage, science of
rd
Part discusses the method of
constructing gardens, ponds, etc. and the worship of different holy
trees. The 1st Part of the 3rd Book narrates accounts of kings begging
nd
Part narrates stories of
rd

Bhoja, and so on. The 4th

Dhanvatri, Kr
The 4th -
s d dates of
Indian calendar of all months begini

m:
consisting of 14,000 Verses is divided into 245 chapters. It deals with
the account of the kings of the solar and the lunar dynasties, along with
the narratives of Mother-

the greatness of the Sun-

(17) Brahmav : It consists of 18,000 Verses is

st
divided into 04 Parts. The 1 Part titled Brahmakhan
chapters, the 2nd Prakruti 67 chapters, the 3rd Gan
chapters and the 4th Kr deals with

m: It consists of 55,000 Verses divded into 06

st nd
Parts. The 1 Part called Sr
Bhumi 10 chapters, the 3rd Svarga 13 chapters, the 4th Brahma 07
chapters , the 5th th
Uttara 16 chapters and the
th
7

53
 th
The of the
Kot am. The chapter contains 134
verses in which the Thousand Names are incorporated from the verse
02 upto verse 132.

There is the common authorship of as. As

th
a (7 cen. AD) am and not the
am. But it can be belived that is a highly adored one
and a masterpiece of encyclopedic character (though unlike
. It contains stories about the birth
, Skanda and their marriages. Therfore, it may have
been amplified from time to time and most probably it was
consolidated in its present form in the 8th century, though many
scholars like Hazra R.C. 38 , Upreti39, etc.put it in the 10-11 Cen. AD
though all t as eulogize Lord am
am
a must have taken a fairly long time to come into
the final shape.

The am declares that the Wind-god (Jee³eg) exposed the

duties of the White Age (éeslekeÀuHe:) along with the greatness of Rudra
(efMeJe:). 40 It contains 24,000 verses which are found in the -
a am contains 11,000 verses divided
into 112 chapters.
41
According to Shrikrisnamani -
42
am (the verse not found in the printed edition) proving the
V yu- am a minor a which is incorporated in the

38
Hazra R.C. dates
P 141.
39
Thane Pur P 13.
40
éeslekeÀuHeÒeme²sve Oeerceeved Jee³egefjneye´Jel³e$e leod Jee³eJeer³eb m³eeod ©êceenelce³emeb³egleced~
®elegefJe¥MlmenñeeefCe HegjeCeb leefÎnes®³eles~~ 53/18 celm³eHegjeCeced~~
41
DeäeoMeHegjeCeHeefj®e³e He=. 28.
42
³eLee efMeJemleLee MewJeHegjeCeb Jee³egveesefoleced~
efMeJeYeeqkeÌlemecee³eesieeVeeceܳeefJeYetef<eleced~~
54
Revakhan am. Thus maha am is one
He further supports his view by sighting the
Skanda a
with the greatness of Lord am
because it is narrated by the wind–

P has another name

He quotes a
43
.
DATE

The Visn a being it from the self – born

has passed it on to the god Rudra (Part 06, CH
08) who gave it to priyavrata 44 followed
hr

n by

This hierarchy nullifies the fixing of the date of the s,

because the fixation of the date is quite later concept rather, after the
18th Cen.AD when the western scholars started taking interest in the
Sanskrit Literature.

It is thus a routine of the Modern research that any literary study

requires to fix the dates with limits. Here below the approximate date
of the copmilation (and not compos as
is given.

43
³eefoob MewJeceeK³eeleb HegjeCeb Jesomeeqcleced~ Lem³e Yesoevmemeceemesve ye´gJelees ces efveyeesOele~~01/49~~
44
Fobcee<e¥b Hegje Òeen $eÝYeJes keÀceueesÓJe:~$eÝYeg: efÒe³eJe´lee³een me ®e Yeeiegj³esçye´Jeerled~~43~~
YeeiegefjmlebYeefce$ee³e oOeer®ee³e me ®eeskeÌleJeeved~ meejmJelee³e lesveeskeÌleb Ye=iegmmeejmJelesve ®e~~44~~
Ye=iegCee Heg©kegÀlmee³e vece&oe³ew me ®eeskeÌleJeeved~ vece&oe Oe=lejeä^e³e veeiee³eeHetjCee³e ®e~~45~~
leeY³eeb ®e veeiejepee³e ÒeeskeÌleb JeemegkeÀ³es efÜpe~ JeemegefkeÀ: Òen Jelmee³e Jelme½eeéeleje³e Jew~~46~~
keÀcyeuee³e ®e lesveeskeÌlecesueeHeg$ee³e lesve Jew~~47~~
Heeleueb mecevegÒeesdleb lelees JesoefMeje cegefve:~ ÒeHleJeevesleoefKeueb me ®e Òecele³es ooew~~48~~
oÊeb Òeceeflevee ®ewleppeelegkeÀCee&³e Oeerceles~ peelegkeÀCexve ®ewJeeskeÌlecev³es<eeb HegC³ekeÀCee&ced~~49~~
Hegueml³eJejoevesve ceceeH³eslelmece=efleb ieleced~ ce³eeefHe letY³eb cew$es³e ³eLeeJelkeÀefLeleb eqlJeoced~~50~~
55
 As per the historical evidence the Pañcada 22) of
th
aya (13 Cent.AD) refers to m which
reached its final stage and had been regarded as an authority in
visim before 13th Cent.AD.

Pusalkar A.D.45 and other scholars on the P put

th
am as a late work and probably by the end 13 century, it
S .

But Puslakars must be assumption partially correct, for probably in

the 10th and 13th
am’, but was treated as an independent
46
work however, represent the complete
th
in the 13 Cent.AD, as ya makes a clear mention of the
P and quotes a few
S P 47. This proves the
P known by the same

added to it a little later.

P ya in between the 9th and 10th

Cent.A a even later than this period.
Alberuni (10-11th Cent.AD)
as is mentioned in the (P 131) The exact date when he
wrote his famous book on India has given by Dr. Sachau as between
the period 1017-1030 AD i.e., the time when Alberuni travelled and
stayed in different part of India.48 So the
final stage in the 10th Cent.AD.

P
under the influence of Pratyabhij ña

45
Pusalkar A.D. studies in the epics and P 76; Chaudhary,s. :JBORS, Vol-
15; P 193-194.
46
Hazra, R.C.: Cultural Heritage of India Vol.2, P 282.
47
ya pp. 80, 209, 302.
48
Alberuni’s India, P 16 (preface).
56
written in 9th or 10th Cent.AD as the Kash
between 7th -11th Cent.AD.

ya in between the 9th and 10th

P
A While S.D.
49
Gyani, the sectarian and encyclopedic as must
as between the 1 and 7th
st

Cent.AD. P has assumed its bulk mainly due to this reason seem
to have reached the final stage between the 7th and 8th Cent, AD.

Moreover Bhaskar (850 AD) furnishes many information in his

P, while Mm. Kane P. V. notes in his

may be dated between 300-600 AD. Thus P must be

before 6th Cent.AD.

m
50
(03/52/69-
th
72), while place it on the 12 number.
The text of Linga which now comprises two parts of 108
chapters and 55 chapters respectively, as the scholars believe, had
originally the first part alone and the different chapters in the second
part were added subsequently at different periods. 51

49
a, vol. 2, P 68.
50
DeäeoMe HegjeCeeefveJesoÜwHee³evees ieg©:~ ye´eïeb Hee¨eb Jew<CeJeb ®e MewJeb YeeieJeleb leLee~~69~~
leLeev³eb veejoer³eb ®e ceeke&ÀC[s³eb ®e meHlececed~ Deeives³ece<ìceb ÒeeskeÌleb YeefJe<³eceb veJeced leLee~~70~~
oMece ye´ïeJewJele& uew²ceskeÀeoMeb mce=leced~ Jeejenb ÜeoMeb ÒeeskeÌleb mkeÀevob ®eeefHe $e³eesoMeced~~71~~
®elego&Meb Jeeceveb ®e keÀewce¥b HeáeoMeb mce=leced~ ceelm³eb ®e iee©[b ®ewJe ye´ïeeC[b ®e lele: Hejced~~72~~
51

careful editing (But a near coming of the manuscript, because verse-28 begins
with DeefLe&leJ³e: meoe®eej:....etc, though the last line goes with 27 cd YeJe: efMeJees njes ©ê: Heg©<e:
He¨euees®eve:~~27~~ which shows clearly that the manuscript either dropped the first
line, etc. thinking it to be a repitation or the lines 26CD-27 must have been
interpolated.

57
 8th
chapter of the First Part of the LP. This chapter contains 159 verses in
which the Thousand Names are incorporated from the verse 27cd upto
verse 159ab.

The present LP, which consists of two parts the first half (HetJee&Oe&) and
the second half (GÊejeOe&) seems to be a manual text of the worshippers of
the Linga (Phallic symbol of Lord ) together with other forms of
the gods are Armour-prayer in the Brahmottara
section of the Skanda Tatpurus , Aghora, Sady ,
and . The worship of the phallic symbol is extolled
even over that of the image of Lord .

Tatpurusa presides over the East, 52 Aghora over the South,53

West 54, North55
and es over the Upper direction.56

In the beginning verse of LP 18/27

Thousand Names before which he talks about the installation of the
(pJeeuee+DeekeÀejb).57 It was
named Tvarita.

52
ÒeefoHleefJeÐeglkeÀvekeÀeJeYeemees efJeÐeeJejeYeereflekegÀþejHeeefCe:~
®elegce&gKemlelHeg©<eeqðeves$e Òee®³eeb efmLeleb j#eleg ceecepeñeced~~11~~
53
kegÀþejJesoe¹§MeHeeMeMetueHeeue{keÌkeÀe#eiegCeevoOeeve:
®elegce&gKees veerue©ef®eeqðeves$e: Hee³eeoIeesjes efoefMe oef#eCem³eeced~~12~~
54
kegbÀosvogMe±mHeÀefìkeÀeJeYeemees Jesoe#eceeueeJejoeYe³ee¹:~
$³e#e½elegJe&keÌ$e G©ÒeYeeJe: meÐeesçefOepeeleesJeleg ceeb Òeleer®³eeced~~13~~
55
Jeje#eceeueeçYe³eì¹nmle: mejespeefkebÀpeukeÀ meceeveJeCe&:~
ef$euees®eve½ee©®elegce&gKees ceeb Hee³eeogoer®³eeb efoefMe JeeceosJe:~~14~~
56
JesoeYe³es<ìebkegÀMeHeeMeì¹keÀHeeue{keÌkeÀe#ekeÀMetueHeeefCe:~
efmeleÐegefle: HeáecegKeesçJeleevceeceerMeeve TOJe¥b HejceÒekeÀeMe:~~15~~
57
This s not of a normal shape, because pJeeueekeÀejb
(pJeeuee + DeekeÀejb) means as uneven shape of upward triangle which is observed in the
fire of the alter.
58
 The most important and fundamental meaning of the word Linga is
a mark or a symbol. This primary meaning has always been kept in
view even when applied to a P has used the term
Linga in the sense of a visible symbol, while the absolute form of a
A-linga which
means one without any symbol.

Here in the visible form that may be the Fire burning with flames in
alter O³eeveced). This
may be the reason why some of the Jyotirlingas literary Symbols of
Light have the shape like the blazing fire.

The word Linga is used in many senses58 (01) a sign, (02) a token,
(03) a mark, (04) a characteristic, (05) a badge, (06) a symptom, (07) a
means of proof, (08) evidence, (09) a gender (or Sex), (10) a male
generating organ and (11) an indicatory mark (in Inference).

The word Linga is explained as that which indicates the unknown

thing (ueerveb iece³eefle). The word linga means an agreeate (mebIeele) of the gross
things that have been manifested.

The Rudra Samhita of the P defines LP is given in the as it is so

called, because it narrates the exploits of the Phallus (of Lord iva)59.
Therefore it is so called the LP , because the divine functions of
.

The First Part of the LP (CH 03) is important inrespect of the

meanings in which the name Phallic symbol is used in connection with
Lord
forms is therefore called alinga (that which has no visible symbol) and
as the basis of any later manifestation of any visible form (linga).

The Phallic symbol is by common knowledge applied to a form of

way between the abstract and the concrete, a form

58
Vaidya L.R.: The standard Sanskrit-English Dictionary, P 626,col.01.
59
efue²m³e ®eefjleeskeÌlelJeeled HegjeCeb efue²ceg®³eles~~
59
which consists of nothing more than a column pervading the entire
universe.

Some scholars60 believe that the concept of Phallic symbol has its
origin in the AV (10/7/01, 03,) sung in praise of a Pillar (mkeÀcYe:), “In
what 61 member of him is Penance situated? In what member of him is
right ($eÝleced) deposited? Where is situated [his] vow (Je´leced), where his
faith in what member of him is truth established?62 In what member of
him is situated the earth? In what member is Situated the atmosphere?
In what member is the sky set? In what member is situated what is
beyond the sky?”63

The Phallic symbol holds a prominent place. It is all-mystical and

spiritual.The Phallic symbol is twofold, external and internal. The
ignorant, who need a visible sign, worsh –
which is the proper meaning of the word Phallic symbol–of word or
stone; but the wise look upon this outward emblem as nothing, and
contemplate, in their minds, the invisible inscrutable type, which is

The Padma shows of great significance of the Phallic symbol

relating it with the imperceptible Lord Himself stating efue²b meekeÀmeeveceenséej:~
& ue³eveeefuue²efcel³eeng:~
It should be undoubtly a shallow statement of N.Gangadharan,64 that
t

60
C.V. Narayana Iyer: , pp.49-
58.
61 st
Whiteny W.D.: Atharva Veda edi.
2000.
62
keÀeqmceVe²s leHees Dem³eeefOe efleÿefle keÀeqmceVe² $eÝlecem³eeO³eeefnleced~
keÌJe Je´leb keÌJe Þe×em³e efle<þefle keÀeqmceVe²s mel³ecem³e Òeefleefÿleced~~ De. Jes. 10/07/01~~
63
keÀeqmceVe²s efleÿefle Yetefcejm³e keÀeqmceVe²s efleÿl³evleefj#eced~
keÀeqmceVe²s efleÿl³eeefnlee Ðeew: keÀeqmceVe²s efleÿl³egÊejb efoJe:~~ De. Jes. 10/07/03~~
64
– A study; Ajanta publications 1980, P 60.
60
composition da and Matsya s, because
most of the jyotirlingas date back to the Vedic period. 65

Rudra’s partiality for serpents and his being the lord of ghosts are
probably due to the influence of the serpents. The account of Phallus
that
appears to be an attempt of the later period to identify the Vedic
Skambha with the Phallic symbol.
Yaduvansi (S.N. Roy)
narrates emergence of Phallus dose not connects it with the organ of
. 66

In Upamanyu’s discourse in the MBh the more prominence is given

to the different forms of Lord
as the Phallic symbol, as well as the mode of worshipping His different
forms. In this context a good number of Vedic mantras have been used.

The LP has much material intended for the followers of the

like the extollation of the merits of
Bhasma, the five-syllabled formula of Lord observances.

Thus the LP being a does not denounced the worship

of Visnu. On the otherhand it has even passages in praise of Visnu and
nu.

Conclusion

P contains description of many more legends associated with

Lord P. The text in most of these legends
P is quite different from those in the LP. The
stotra in LP (01/98) which is modelled on the stotra on Visnu in the
MBh is also found i P (04/35) with some variant readings.

65
See my guide Prof.Dr.J.A.Jani’s article
book- -March 2003.
66

61
 The different sections of the Linga dealing with the
different subject matter were composed in stages probably between the
7 and 9th centuries. The LP has preserved some of the material found in
the older r Matsya. It may be said that after a
gradual process of assimilation of the different materials, the
had grown into the present form by about the 10th century

a, it may be
suggested on the basis of the above study that same portions of the text
were complied between the 8th and 9th centuries, while some other
portions belonged to an earlier period; this is on the basis of the
evidence obtained from: (i) The quotations in the Smrti digest and (ii)
.

The LP has been assigned a date which is between the 7th and 8th
centuries67 AD. But a close study of the above makes it evident
that the Linga P and not earlier.

The LP edited by Shastri J.L. 68 contains the English translation in

which he has given question marks at some places, though some of the
names required grammatical help and even the connection with other
s. Here below
in the following pages an humble attempt is made to mention them.

ya S
th
In the 13 century because ya of the same period makes a clear
by which he certainly means the
and quotes a few sentences from K S ( P) of
69
P including the
Kail sa samhit was known by the same denomination as the present
one and probably ya S .

67
Hazra, R.C.: Cultural Heritage of India vol.2, P 261.
68
Pub.Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi 1973.
69
Vid
62