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Narada & Maya: from Puranic Encyclopedia by Vettam Mani

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> So both stories come from Devi Bhagavata (Sakta Purana). Thanks for

> posting them Jan Prabhu. I don't think this Sakta Puranas are accepted as

> bonafide by our parampara acaryas. Because these stories indirectly

> indicate that the Maya or sakti can even overpower a pure devotee of the

> Lord which is not true. They want to prove the superiority of Sakti-tattva

> or Maya over bhakti-tattva. That's what I think. I don't understand how

> senior sannyasis are quoting these kind of stories which are from the

> Sakta Puranas and running a great risk of offending Narada Muni.

 

Yes. Vettam Mani seems to be a Sakta himself because quotes from Devi

Bhagavata P. are very numerous in his Encyclopedia.

 

He says about Srimad Bhagavatam in comparison with Devi Bhagavata (he tries

to make them one):

 

BHAGAVATA. One of the eighteen famous Puranas. Gayatri is the main theme of

this Purana and based on it it dwells on the greatness of Dharma (duty) and

states about the dharmas of Sarasvatakalpa. (See under Purana).

 

DEVIBHAGAVATA. The Saivas venerate this book as one of the eighteen Puranas.

But according to the Vaisnavites, this is an authoritative book of a loftier

level than the eighteen Puranas. (See under Purana).

 

He lists Devi Bhagavata among Upapuranas (without giving a source):

 

3) Upapuranas. There are eighteen minor Puranas besides the eighteen major

ones. They are: (1) Sanatkumara (2) Narasimha (3) Naradiya (4) Siva (5)

Durvasas (6) Kapila (7) Manava (8) Usanas (9) Varuna (10) Kalika (11) Samba

(12) Saura (13) Aditya (14) Mahesvara (15) Devibhagavata (16) Vasistha (17)

Visnudharmottara (18) Nilamata Purana.

 

----

 

Kurma Purana (All India Kasiraja Trust, 1972) 1.1.16-20 (this reference we

used for our applet on Puranas) gives a different list:

 

1. Sanat-kumara

2. Narasimha

3. Bhanda

4. Siva-dharma

5. Daurvasasa

6. Naradiya

7. Kapila

8. Vamana

9. Ausanas

10. Brahmanda

11. Varuna

12. Kalika-purana

13. Mahesvara

14. Samba

15. Saura

16. Parasara

17. Marica

18. Bhargava

 

----

 

After all, even the list of Mahapuranas differs a bit in various Puranas.

 

Also, his Encyclopedia is not without errors. E.g. he says that BG has 650

verse while everyone knows there are 700 verses.

 

How are these stories quoted? I suppose that devotees hear/read them

somewhere and use them in lectures etc. without telling the source. Thus are

these stories propagated far and wide. But the point is that if they

contradict Vaishnava siddhanta, they shouldn't be spread.

 

I'd like to identify more of these spurious stories circulating in ISKCON

with the help of P.Enc. You can suggest some.

 

ys bh. Jan

 

veda.harekrsna.cz - Bhakti-yoga Vedic Encyclopedia Vedic Library

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