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Book Review

 

Vishnu Purana commentary

V. N. Gopala Desikachariar

 

The Vishnu Purana is extolled as the "Purana ratna" by Alavandar and Adi Sankara

has also interpreted the Purana in support of Advaita

 

SRI VISHNUCITTIYA OF VISHNUCITTA: M. A. Ranganayaki; copies can be had from the

author, 25, Thirunarayana Avenue, Kilpauk, Chennai-600010. Rs. 100.

 

This book deals with the Vishnucittiya, the commentary on the Vishnu Purana by

Vishnucitta, popularly known as Engalazhvan, a celebrated disciple of Ramanuja

and Kurukesa.

 

Among the 18 Puranas, six are listed as Sattvika Puranas, of which the Vishnu

Purana occupies the pride of place. The western scholar, Wilson, asserts that

this is the earliest of the Puranas.

 

The disciple, Vaisampayana, asks his Guru, Sage Parasara, about the principles

of evolution, sustenance and dissolution of the universe, the nature and

identity of the Supreme and so on; and Parasara proceeds to explain at length,

leading to the birth of the Vishnu Purana.

 

This is extolled as the "Purana ratna" (gem among Puranas) by Alavandar and Adi

Sankara has also referred to and interpreted the Purana in support of Advaita.

 

Engalazhvan has written a scintillating commentary and there is another equally

noteworthy one by Sridhara, from the Advaita standpoint.

 

The Purana, in six chapters, deals with various subjects like the structure of

the universe, the stories of Dhruva, Prahlada and Bhagiratha and so on, with one

full chapter devoted to Krishna, His divine deeds and pursuits.

 

 

Philosophical aspects

But the author focusses more on the philosophical aspects discussed in the

Purana. She begins her study, explaining the fundamentals of Visishtadvaita

the three Reals (Tattvas) namely the sentient, the non-sentient and

Isvara; their nature and the body-soul relationship between them; recognising

Narayana as the Supreme Brahman; role of Sri as His divine consort; the summum

bonum of life (Moksha) and the means of attaining the same; followed by a brief

narration about the Acharyas preceding Engalazhvan.

 

The author then proceeds to study the life and works of Azhvan. Taking up the

commentary Vishnucittiya next, she shows how these various aspects are clearly

brought out in the commentary, confirming the Visishtadvaita character of the

Purana. She further explains how Azhvan in his commentary closely follows

Ramanuja's commentary on the Brahma Sutras, the Sri Bhashya giving prolific

examples.

 

It would have been interesting if the author had made a comparative study of the

two commentaries of Azhvan and Sridhara, at least with regard to some of the

more important issues.

 

At several places, Sanskrit verses and phrases are quoted from the Purana and

texts like Sri Bhashya without providing the English translations, and terse

words in Sanskrit are used in abundance throughout without furnishing the

English equivalents, making it difficult to follow for the lay reader, not

well-versed in Sanskrit.

 

The book will be useful for those with an adequate knowledge of Sanskrit.

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