RE: Misunderstanding created by the Puranas

July 7, 2006

Om Namah Sivaya

Dear Sri Lakshmi,

I did not say Puranas are useless, they can certainly create confusions. There is a misconception even among many Hindus that Hinduism is Polytheistic. Hindus were never polytheistic in the sense that there are many equal Gods, the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are based on stories from Puranas. However you will find in the famous Vedic verse (Maitri Upanishad 5.2) "That part of Him which is characterized by tama is called Rudra. That part of Him which belongs to rajas is Brahma. That part of Him which belongs to sattva is Vishnu." Is this a prayer to a trinity of three Gods? (certainly not, it is a prayer of adoration to the One Supreme Lord). Saiva Agamas say in clear terms that Siva Himself manifested into every visible forms with His own power Sakti. Not only puranic stories create misunderstanding they can also cause bloodshed, there was heavy battles between Saivites and Vaishnavites regarding superiority of their Gods in the middle ages in South India and

thousands of people died. However Great Saivites and Vaishnavites saints restored peace. Do you know Chidambaram Nataraja Temple in South India?, one of the great Saivite Temples, there was no Vishnu shrine inside the temple originally but by the request of a great Rishi (to bring harmony between both communities) it was later built. You will also find shrines dedicated to Vishnu in many Siva temples in South India by the request of Saivite saints, but you could hardly find shrines dedicated to Lord Siva inside Vaishnavite temples because they heavily rely on puranic stories and majority of them are narrow minded and often insult Lord Siva and His Devotees, not only that there are many divisions within Vaishnavism mainly due different interpretations of puranic stories.

Beginners in the spiritual path are puzzled when they go through Siva Purana and Vishnu Purana. In Siva Purana, Lord Siva is highly eulogised and an inferior position is given to Lord Vishnu. Sometimes Vishnu is belittled. In Vishnu Purana, Lord Hari is highly eulogised and an inferior status is given to Lord Siva. Sometimes Lord Siva is belittled. This is only to increase the faith of the devotees in their particular Ishta-Devata. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are one.

I do have a series of audio cassettes on Skanda Purana and the lectures were given by a great Saivite saint. At the end of the lectures he said the essence of Skanda Purana is to illustrate the truth that when Jiva attains Jnana (Divine Wisdom) it becomes free from impurities, namely Anava (ego), Karma and Maya and hence reunites with Sivam. There are many stories in this Purana says exactly the same thing. I have also briefly read Siva Purana and Srimad Bhagavata. One has to look for the hidden meaning of a puranic story rather than blindly believe it, for example there is a story which says three giants by the power of penance ruled over three cities with three flying fortresses- one gold, one of silver and one of copper. Flying their fortresses, they landed on the cities of the celestials and destroyed them. Siva fought the three giants and reduced their three cities to ashes. People who recount this legend do not realise that what Siva destroyed was the triple

impurities-Egoity, Karma and Maya.

Sivaya Namah

Lakshmi Muthuswamy <lakmuthu > wrote:

namaste Selvaratnamji,

I dont agree with the statement that "puranic stories create misunderstanding"

We can call them mythology in english.

It is these puranic stories which satisfy the fantasy of the children in the age group of 7 to 10 before the reason begins to dawn on them. Fantasy is a process of growing up.`

these stories nurture them psychologically. We have all undergone these phases ourselves withjout knowing much about them. Please read child psychology to understand the part the puranas play in a childs life.

even today if some people can narrate stories we will sit and listen.

Thanks to all the pattis and thatahs who narrated them to the children which is missing in the modern days.

have you read Srimad Bhagavatam. The story of Prtaha is a story through which the importance of environmental protection and its importance can be taught to the children.

For the elders when read with the back ground of Vedanta it talks about jNanam.

The varaha Purana has description of building a temple.

All puranas have panca lakshanam. Five main caharcteristics.

creation, the secondary creation, Mnavantara, the dynasties, and past times of the lord.

Every purana focus on a particular diety. There are 18 puranas. 6 for brhama and 6 for Vishnu and 6 for Shiva.

Skanda purana has three chapters called teh Guru Gita which gives us all about guru and sishya qualities.

garuda Purana has conversations with Dhavantari and gives us various remedies for disease and yajnavalkyas treatise on Dharam conduct of life. Then passgae of the soul afyter death a very beautiful description.

Puranas talk about rituals, vratas, mantras, stutis, geography, yoga bhakti Jnana and finally Ashraya support of the creator and what not.

I can go on and on and on.

Please make sure at least you read the Linga purana, or shiva purana or vayu purana or Skanda puarana, at least the synopsis of a few chapters before passing a generalised comment like this.

pura api navam =puaranam though ancinet yet its is new

there are very many inteersting web sites on puranas. Visit the web site on puranas for gathering more info please.

No offences meant please.

with prayers

Lakshmi Muthuswamy

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