Itihasa-purana - II

07-24-2006, 07:28 PM

**Hauma Hamiddha** · 08-19-2006, 11:11 PM

Hindu Mythology
Looks like a reasonable site

08-21-2006, 01:35 AM

Search for the Historical Krishna - I
In the first of two articles, Dr. N. S. Rajaram examines some historical issues surrounding Lord Krishna. This article was originally published in the online journal 'Sword of Truth'. Further information on the subject can be found in the author's book, of the same title. Dr. N. S. Rajaram is an author and mathematician, based in the USA, where he formerly worked for the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. In recent years he has written extensively in the fields of archaeology and ancient history

Search for the Historical Krishna -II
In the second of this two-part feature, Dr. N. S. Rajaram sets an approximate date for Lord Krishna and the Mahabharata.

08-22-2006, 09:07 AM

Today for the first time in the history of world wide web, the english
translations of all the 108 known upanishads have been posted in

http://www.shastras.com/108upanishads/
http://celextel.org/108upanishads/

I would be extremely grateful, if you can bring this fact to the
notice of the members of our community.

With pranams,

**Hauma Hamiddha** · (This post was last modified: 10-26-2006, 07:17 AM by Hauma Hamiddha.)

Like kArttikeya, revanta, a once popular deity, has faded from the Hindu mind, with decline of Indic civilization. We have long wanted collate a file on this deva and revive his rites as we are amongst the few still adhering to his worship. We have been made aware of some other works on him but we have not read those.
Mythology
The purANas narrate the core myth of the origin of the god revanta thus:
vivasvAn was given sanj~nA as his wife by tvasTA vishvakarman. vivasvan begot the twins yama and yamI, and manu vaivasvata through her. However, sanj~nA was unable to endure the excessive fiery lustre of vivasvAn and decided to leave him and go to the regions of the uttara kuru. She created a replica of herself in the form ChAyA and placed her with vivasvAn before retiring in the form of a mare. vivasvAn took ChAyA too be sanj~nA and begot on ChAyA, the inauspicious shanaishchara, the daughter tapatI and manu sAvarNI. One day ChAyA got into a conflict with the death-like yama vaivasvata as she mis-treated her foster son. Thus vivasvAn realized that ChAyA was not sanj~nA and through his dUradR^iShTi located her in the uttara kuru regions as a mare. So he assumed the form of a stallion and reached there. They copulated first via their nostrils, spawning the ashvins and then internally spawning revanta. He was born with a sword and bow, riding a horse and bearing a quiver full of arrows. vivasvAn said to revanta that he shall be the lord of the guhyaka tribe of yakShas and yakShiNI-s. He mentioned that at the time of forest fires and volcanic eruptions, and when dasyus and mlechChas devastate the land the mortal need to invoke revanta to obtain relief.

Versions of this tale are narrated in the viShNu (VP 3.2) and mArkaNDeya (MkP 78) purANa-s. The matsya (MP 11.2) and agni (AP 272.3; 273 in MBLD edition) purANa-s narrates a variant in which vivasvAn has a separate wife rAj~nI through whom he fathers revanta. The devi bhAgavataM mentions revanta as riding on uchChaishravas to visit viShNu, when lakShmI gets fascinated by the horse and fails to pay attention to viShNu. As a result he curse lakShmI to became a mare and generates the haihaya dynasty in this account (DB 6.17-18).

Iconography and history
varAhamihira states that idols of revanta should be shown on horseback with attendents hunting and sporting. This depiction of revanta is seen throughout the early medieval period throughout Greater India from Afghanistan (as reported by Priyatosh Banerjee) to the Vanga country. Typically he is shown with hunting attendants and is invariably accompanied by a dog. As with sUrya he is also shown with high-legged shoes and usually wields a sword and bow. revanta's iconography is strikingly similar to that of the deity popular in mahAraShTra, karnATaka and Andhra know as khaNDoba or mallaNNa. He is depicted as riding a horse with a a dog accompanying him and holding a sword. Further, khaNDoba is known as a manifestation of mArtaNDa-bhairava and an explicit connection with the solar cult through this link is seen in some khaNDoba temples of Maharashtra where he is show with a solar emblem. Thus, it is likely that revanta evolved into the local khaNDoba cult after the 12 the centure CE in middle India. Unlike the late vedic/"itihasic" deities such as kArttikeya and the pA~ncharatric tetrad and the rapidly evolving vinAyaka who spread throughout India, revanta's zone of initial spread (prior to 1100 of the CE) appears to only span the region from the northwest to northeast. His southern most spread in the east in the classical form is seen Orissa. The khaNDoba derivative appears to be a much later atypical variant that eventually reached the south and in the process lost connection with the classical revant. He has a prominent presence in Rajasthan and Gujarat which also correspond with the western zone of the old saura sect. Given this and the similarities in depiction of sUrya and revanta, it is possible that the shAkhadvIpi brahmins had an initial role in spread of the revanta worship. The epithet revant and its Avestan cognate raevant have been widely used for Vedic and Avestan deities including mitra in both the texts (see below). Given this it is possible that the name itself could have even emerged in the para-avestan Iranian Hindus.

Worship of revanta
There are several other references to worship of revanta in the purANas and associated texts.
-The agni purANa (AP 116.22) in describing the oblations to be made during the pilgrimage to the holy spot of gayA mentions that offering of rice balls to the 12 Aditya-s, agni, indra and revanta free on from the hold of disease and one attains heavenly pleasures. The garuDa purANa (GP 1.86.23 ) gives a homologous description of the rite at gayA, but in this the offerings to revanta are made to obtain good horses.
-The agni purANa states that making a gift of a horse consecrated to revanta decorated with gold removes the fear of death (AP 211.28).
-In the grand coronation of a king, where the entire Hindu pantheon is invoked to imbrue the rAjan with power, revanta is invoked along with kumAra, vinAyaka, vIrabhadra and nandI in one series of incantations (AP 219.18)
-The ashvAyurveda of shAlihotra states that periodically in the Ashvina month on the full-moon day the ashvashAnti rite for horses should be done. Amongst deities worshipped are revanta, for whom a lotus and pitcher with water are placed on the altar and 100 oblations with sesame, rice, ghee and white mustard are made (shAlihotrIya ashvashAntiH verse 6). A homolgous rite is mentioned in dhanvantari's hayAyurveda (verse 6) which states that oblations should be made for the safety of horses to revanta and tonic be prepared during the rite of the sarala, nimba, guggulu, sarShapa, tila, vachA and hi~ngu extracts ground into butter. The Kashmirian nIlamata purANa (NMP 394) also mentions that the owners of horses should make oblations to revanta.

mantra prayogas
The worship of revanta deploys the tantric mantras and tantricized R^igvedic formulae. First one meditates on revanta riding a horse with a sword and bow and an excellent quiver. He is accompanied by his dog and his horse borne pArShadas.

The one utters his gAyatrI:
oM ashvaprIyAya vidmahe sUryaputrAya dhimahI | tanno khaDgiH prachodayAt ||

Then one utters his names offering flowers:
1) oM revantAya namaH 2) oM vaivasvatAya namaH 3) oM saMj~nAputrAya 4) oM ashvapriyAya namaH 4) oM ashvavAhanAya namaH 5) oM ashvapataye namaH 6) ashvavidyAdhiShThAya namaH 7) oM shreShThAya namaH 8) oM nisha~Ngine namaH 9) oM dhanur-hastAya namaH 10) oM charma-dhR^ite namaH 11) oM suvarNa- bANa- tuNa- samanvitAya namaH 12) oM ugra-tejasAya namaH 13) surya-retasoddhbhavAya namaH 14) oM mR^igavyAdhAya namaH 15) oM dasyu-taskara-mlechChAdi-upadrava- nAshakAya namaH 16) oM yauvanAya namaH 17) oM ashva-pAlAya namaH 18) guhyakAnAM-patye namaH 19) oM AraNyachAriNe namaH 20) oM suvarNa-kavachine namaH 21) yamAnujAya namaH

Then one performs tarpaNaM-s or oblations with the mahAmantra of revanta:
rAM rIM ruM tAnAshiraM puroLAsham | rUM reM raiM indremaM somaM shrINIhi | roM rauM raM revantaM hi tvA shR^iNomi | raM svAhA revantaM pujAyAmI tarpayAmI namaH ||

One shall than install the yantra of revanta by invoking his parivAra of eight shakti-s:
OM rAM dIptAyai namaH | OM rIM sUkShmAyai namaH | OM ruM jayAyai namaH | OM rUM bhadrAyai namaH | OM reM vibhUtyai namaH | OM raiM vimalAyai namaH | OM roM amoghAyai namaH | OM rauM vidyutAyai namaH |

Then one shall meditate upon the syllable raM at the center of the yantra. Then tantric mahAmantra of revanta shall emanate from that:

rAM rIM ruM rUM reM raiM roM rauM raM asidharAya iShudhanvine huM phaT svAhA ||

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 09-02-2006, 09:51 PM by Bodhi.)

Sushrut and heritage of plastic surgery

**Hauma Hamiddha** · 10-26-2006, 07:15 AM

The wandering sUta said: "Listen to the wonderous AkhyAna of skanda-patnI that relieves unborn and young kids from troubles. In days long past I was wandering in the fringes of the magadha, when I stumbled into the mighty brahmin, kashyapa, the son of marIchI. I asked him to narrate to me the tale of the wonderous exploits of skanda and his agents.

kashyapa said: "Listen sUta this ancient story of the great god kumAra, the commander of the deva forces and his agents. In the ancient kalpa, after the devas had drunk the amR^ita, the asura-s smarting due to their outwitting sought to avenge themselves. The gods have won account of vAk they said. We too shall strive with our vAk, declared dundubhi the lord of the asuras. All the asuras put forth their mighty vAk simulataneously and from the asura-vAk was born the deadly asura-kanyA, dIrgha-jihvI. The asuras then attacked the gods and a fierce battle broke out. The devas fought with their ranks comprised of the vasus, the rudras and Adityas, and their commander-in-chief being the six-headed skanda. He had with him his brothers and gaNa-s lead by shAkha, vishAkha, nejamesha and the bull-headed nandI. At first the deva assault drove back the asuras to pAtAla, but then they let out their secret agent- dIrgha-jihvI. Of black color and with many strong arms and a long lolling tongue the asura-kanyA rushed on the deva army. She started eating up the weapons shot by the devas and licking them up with her long tongue. Seeing their army in disarray the deva-s huddled around their commander kumAra and asked him to aid them in battle.

kArttikeya said: "give me a boon- I wish to be represented amongst all of the devatA gaNa-s".
The devas pronounced the praNAva "te devA OM ityUchUH|". Immediately kumAra became one of each of the devatA gaNa-s. Of the vasu-s he became dhruva, of the rudra-s he became sha~Nkara, of the Aditya-s he became ahaspati, who dominates the 13th month. Pleased with this kumAra decided to rid the world of dIrghajihvI and the asuras, who were tormenting all. kumAra thought of his shaktI, the great ShaShThi devI, and she emerged from this forehead in the form known as revatI devI. The mighty skanda-patnI cheered the deva army and advanced towards the asura army. Here she became a gigantic hyaena known as the shAlAvR^ikI and rushed towards dIrghajihvI who was darting all over the battlefield. With her powerful jaws she grabbed the asura-kanyA and tearing her to shreds swallowed her up. The asura-s terrified by this frightful form of skanda-patnI rushed at her with all their weapons showering, arrows, shataghni-s and other bhindipAlas. Then the frightful ShaShThi assumed the form known as shakuni devI and she flew over the asura army hurling a shower of weapons that crashed from the firmament like blazing meteorites. Then she use a lighting weapon that brought a enveloped the daitya army in the crackle of thunderbolts. Finally, revatI let loose a weapon that showered huge stones on the asuras. Assailed by these the enemies of the deva-s were smashed to smithereens and fled in disarray.

The dAnavas fearing an attack from skanda-patnI hid themselves in the wombs of various beings amongs their embryos. So revatI becoming jAtahAriNI at the behest of kumAra chased the demons in the wombs deluded them and killed them there. It is indeed the goblins of skanda under his wife's command who can hence destroy the embryos and young kids. Hence, the revatI revealed to me [kashyapa] the line of bheShaja known as bAla-graha-chikitsa (paediatrics)."

04-30-2007, 07:36 AM

Does anyone recall why Lord Shiva has a snake wrapped around his neck, or why his face is blue?

Why does Shiva have a crescent moon depicted over his head?

Why does he have a fountain of water flowing out of the top of his head?

Does anyone recall how Ganesha came into being?

04-30-2007, 07:37 AM

QUOTE(Bodhi @ Sep 2 2006, 09:38 PM)Sushrut and heritage of plastic surgery
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Many thanks for this link.

It is a valuable resource

04-30-2007, 10:20 AM

The Puranas chronicle the history of the Chardhaam (the four centres of pilgrimage) and the Four Yugas (eras). According to them Badrinath belongs to the Satyug, Rameshwaram to the Tretayug, Dwarka to the Dwaparyug and Jagannath to the Kalyug.

05-17-2007, 07:59 AM

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06-16-2007, 08:22 PM

06-16-2007, 08:51 PM

QUOTE(sengotuvel @ Apr 30 2007, 07:36 AM)Does anyone recall why Lord Shiva has a snake wrapped around his neck, or why his face is blue?

Why does Shiva have a crescent moon depicted over his head?

Why does he have a fountain of water flowing out of the top of his head?

Does anyone recall how Ganesha came into being?
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Shivji
check out 'Decoding Lord Shiva' @
http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/12/Shiva.htm

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Symbolism_in_Hinduism.htm

06-16-2007, 09:46 PM

QUOTE(sridhar k @ Jun 16 2007, 10:52 AM)Is there a place on the web where I can get free and accurate English translation of Tulasidas' Ramayana? I am currently viewing Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan series from the below link after which I got the inspiration to read Sant Tulasidas Ramayana.
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Gita Press Gorakhpur's Ram Charit Manas of Tulsidas download page. Ebooks contain the original Awadhi along with English translation. Very accurate and easy-read. Downside, you can not copy/paste/print.

06-16-2007, 10:32 PM

QUOTEGita Press Gorakhpur's Ram Charit Manas of Tulsidas download page.Â Ebooks contain the original Awadhi along with English translation.Â Very accurate and easy-read.Â Downside, you can not copy/paste/print.
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Bodhi ji , Thanks a lot. Mikka Nandri.

06-25-2007, 05:34 AM

I was reading the previous version of this thread from forum archives about Ahobilam. Recently I spent around 7 months in Bharata and was fortunate enough to undertake a few pilgrimages

1) Ahobilam, Sri Sailam and Nandyal - In Ahobilam we managed to visit all but one Narasimhar shrines (8 out of 9 in a single day). Sunder ji had a question about Varaha Murthi in and around Ahobilam. There is a VarahaNarasimhar shrine in Ahobilam. However there is a shrine (Sri Mushnam) near Virudhachalam where Varaha Murthy seems to have appeared as a Swayambhu after Hiranyakshaka vadam. There is tirtham where he took bath and his ugra swarupa gave way to Shanta swarupa. This sthalam was visited by Madvacharya/Narayana Tirtha. I had visited this sthalam twice before coming to the States in 2003/2004 timeframe.

2) Madurai, Srivilliputtur(Andal), Rameshwaram (along with Utarakosha mangai and Tirupullani(where you can find Rama in Sayana Posture on a bed of Dharbai- Rama was supposed to be extremely stressed). Uttarakosha mangai is supposed to one of the oldest Shiva Stalams and does not have nava graham. It was mentioned that Navagrahas in Shiva temples in TN started after Adi Sankara's time.
3) Srirangam, Thiruvanaikovil, Samayapuram, Malaikottai and Thirvallarai (Pundari Kaksha Peruma). It was here Lord Shiva did updesam of Narayana Mandiram to Markandeya Maharishi to attain Mukthi. This is also considered as a place where Shibi Chakravarthy attained Mukthi
4) Upilliappan Koil, Thirucherai (Saranatha Perumal -Kaveri performed Penance here to make her more sacred than Ganga), Nachiyar Koil, Raja Mannargudi alias Dakshina Dwarakai near Kumbakonam.
5) Haridwar, Hrishikesh, Mathura, Brindavan, Kurushektra.

06-27-2007, 05:31 PM

114:
MahaBodhi, great link. Thanks. I have saved all the pdfs on that page <!--emo& Smile

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> Mine mine mine....

ramana · 06-27-2007, 09:16 PM

Can some one give a synopsis of Brahmanda Purana- the 17th Purana?

Thanks, ramana

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 06-27-2007, 10:03 PM by Bodhi.)

welcome back, Husky.

118: Ramana:

brahmANDa purANa

This is one of the smaller (in length) of the purANa-s, and one of the most interesting (and intriguing). It deals with the philosophy of creation of the universe, Kalpa, Yugas, manu-s, description of the geography of Jambudweep/Bharatvarsh etc, description of different ancient vanshas of the Sages (Gotra-Pravar) as well as describes dynasties of kings. Describes some wars, and related.

Most important (in popularity) is a part known as Adhyatma Ramayanam - which describes the story of Rama from spiritual significance standpoint - is read independently too, and probably exceeds the popularity of the (rest of this) purANa itself.

ramana · 06-27-2007, 11:40 PM

Is there an English rendition? The reason is I was told by someone who read the Telugu version that there are interesting concepts in the formation of the universe and that there are legends which might have travelled to other civilizations. Eg. jambu fruit.

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