Brahmanda Purana
Encyclopedia
The Brahmanda Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of eighteen Hindu
religious texts and has been assigned the eighteenth place in almost all the lists of the Puranas.
Brahma in Sanskrit means "the biggest", anda/andam means globe. So, Brahmanda means the "Biggest Globe".
The Brahmanda Purana gets its name from the account of Brahmanda (the Biggest cosmic egg ) and the future cosmic ages revealed by Brahma. It deals with the origin of the Universe as told by Brahma. In the beginning, there was a golden egg, and the prapanca (Universe with its activities) was formed out of it. Portions of Adhyatma Ramayana, references to Radha and Krishna and the incarnation of Parasurama are included in this. According to tradition, this text contains twelve thousand verses and it is believed to be uttama (best) to give this book as a dana (gift) to a Brahmin
.
The first part comprises first two sections of the text, the Pūrvabhāga, the Madhyabhāga and the first part of the third section Uttarabhāga (up to chapter 4). The Pūrvabhāga comprises two pādas (sub-sections): Prakriyā (chapters 1–5) and Anuṣaṅga (chapters 6–38). The Madhyabhāga and the Uttarabhāga comprise only one pāda each, Upodghāta (chapters 1–74) and Upasaṃhāra (chapters 1–4). The names of these four pādas of the text are same as the extant Vayu Purana and its contents are also almost same as the latter text.
The second part, which comprises chapters 5–44 of the third section, the Uttarabhāga is styled as the Lalitopākhyāna (narrative of Lalita). It narrates the worship of the Goddess Lalita according to the Tantric rites. This part is written as a dialogue between Hayagriva
and sage Agastya
. It describes about Goddess Lalita's emergence out of fire during a sacrifice offered by Indra
to Devi
, her war with Asura
Bhanda and her final triumph.
The major sections of this Purana include:
The Adhyatma Ramayana
, a text consisting about 4500 verses in 65 chapters and divided into seven
kandas, the Nasiketopkhyana, a text in 18 chapters, the Pinakinimahatmya, a text in 12 chapters, the Virajakshetramahatmya and the Kanchimahatmya, a text in 32 chapters are considered to be connected with this Purana.
Image:HinducosmoMap3.svg|thumb|Click! Vivasvan, Rahu, Bhūmi, Naraka, Ananta, Garbhodaksayi Vishnu|200px|alt=Click!
rect 171 2 219 29 Vivasvan
rect 168 36 219 62 Rahu
rect 172 174 232 200 Bhūmi
rect 164 298 298 318 Naraka
rect 174 319 276 335 Ananta
rect 102 374 267 395 Garbhodaksayi Vishnu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religious texts and has been assigned the eighteenth place in almost all the lists of the Puranas.
Brahma in Sanskrit means "the biggest", anda/andam means globe. So, Brahmanda means the "Biggest Globe".
The Brahmanda Purana gets its name from the account of Brahmanda (the Biggest cosmic egg ) and the future cosmic ages revealed by Brahma. It deals with the origin of the Universe as told by Brahma. In the beginning, there was a golden egg, and the prapanca (Universe with its activities) was formed out of it. Portions of Adhyatma Ramayana, references to Radha and Krishna and the incarnation of Parasurama are included in this. According to tradition, this text contains twelve thousand verses and it is believed to be uttama (best) to give this book as a dana (gift) to a Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
.
Contents
The Venkateshvara Press, Bombay edition of the text, published in 1906 comprises 14,286 verses. It is divided into two distinct parts.The first part comprises first two sections of the text, the Pūrvabhāga, the Madhyabhāga and the first part of the third section Uttarabhāga (up to chapter 4). The Pūrvabhāga comprises two pādas (sub-sections): Prakriyā (chapters 1–5) and Anuṣaṅga (chapters 6–38). The Madhyabhāga and the Uttarabhāga comprise only one pāda each, Upodghāta (chapters 1–74) and Upasaṃhāra (chapters 1–4). The names of these four pādas of the text are same as the extant Vayu Purana and its contents are also almost same as the latter text.
The second part, which comprises chapters 5–44 of the third section, the Uttarabhāga is styled as the Lalitopākhyāna (narrative of Lalita). It narrates the worship of the Goddess Lalita according to the Tantric rites. This part is written as a dialogue between Hayagriva
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is a horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism.-Hinduism:...
and sage Agastya
Agastya
Agastya was a Tamil/Vedic Siddhar or sage. Agastya and his clan are also generally credited with uncovering many mantras of the Rig Veda, the earliest and most revered Hindu scripture, in the sense of first having the mantras revealed in his mind by the Supreme Brahman...
. It describes about Goddess Lalita's emergence out of fire during a sacrifice offered by Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
to Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
, her war with Asura
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
Bhanda and her final triumph.
The major sections of this Purana include:
- Detailed description of creation of cosmos, discussion about the time as a dimension and details of Kalpa and Yuga.
- Aspects of religious geography and in this context description of JambudvipaJambudvipaJambudvīpa is the dvipa of the terrestrial world, as envisioned in the cosmologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which is the realm where ordinary human beings live...
and Bharata-varsha, and certain other locations identified as islands and landmasses like Anudvipa, Ketumaala-varsha. - Description of certain dynasties like the houses of Bharata, Prithu, Deva, Rishi, and Agni.
- Describes the vedangas; describes the Adi Kalpa.
The Adhyatma Ramayana
Adhyatma Ramayana
Adhyatma Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit work extolling the spiritual virtues of the story of Ramayana. It comprises around 4200 double verses embedded in the latter portion of Brahmānda Purana and is traditionally believed to be authored by Vyasa...
, a text consisting about 4500 verses in 65 chapters and divided into seven
kandas, the Nasiketopkhyana, a text in 18 chapters, the Pinakinimahatmya, a text in 12 chapters, the Virajakshetramahatmya and the Kanchimahatmya, a text in 32 chapters are considered to be connected with this Purana.
Further reading
- Mani, Vettam. Puranic Encyclopedia. 1st English ed. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
See also
Image:HinducosmoMap3.svg|thumb|Click! Vivasvan, Rahu, Bhūmi, Naraka, Ananta, Garbhodaksayi Vishnu|200px|alt=Click!
rect 171 2 219 29 Vivasvan
rect 168 36 219 62 Rahu
Rahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
rect 172 174 232 200 Bhūmi
Bhumi
Bhumi can mean:* Bhūmi, Hindu goddess of the earth**also, earth as a classical element in Hindu tradition* Bhumi , the ten stages a Bodhisattva advances through in the path to become a Buddha...
rect 164 298 298 318 Naraka
Naraka
Naraka is the Sanskrit word for the underworld; literally, of man. According to Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, Naraka is a place of torment, or Hell...
rect 174 319 276 335 Ananta
Ananta
Ananta is a Sanskrit word meaning "without end".It may refer to:*Ananta , one of the names of Vishnu.*Ananta , Actor and Producer for Bengali film.*Ananta, a serpent on which Vishnu lies, aka Shesha....
rect 102 374 267 395 Garbhodaksayi Vishnu
Garbhodaksayi Vishnu
Garbhodakśāyī Viṣṇu is second in the hierarchy of Viṣṇu Avatāras in the mahā Tattva . In Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, a school of Vaiṣṇavism, the Sātvata-tantra describes three different forms, or aspects, of Vishnu as Mahā Vishnu, Garbhodakaśāyī Vishnu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Vishnu , with each form having a...
- Hindu cosmologyHindu cosmologyIn Hindu cosmology the universe is, according to Hindu mythology and Vedic cosmology, cyclically created and destroyed.-Description:The Hindu cosmology and timeline is the closest to modern scientific timelines and even more which might indicate that the Big Bang is not the beginning of everything...