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CONTENTS |
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CONTENTS:- I. Costomary Salutation, conference between Suta and Sablnaka. Suta volunteers a narration of the Agnipuranam as described him by the holy Vysasa who in his turn learned it from Vasistha. II. The fire God narrates to the holy Vasisha, all about the Fish manifestation of the Supremen Visnu. III. The God of fire describes the Tortoise incornation of Visnu, and the incidents of his life on earth. IV. The Same Contd. V. The fire God gives a summary of the Ramayana. VI. Narada takes up the thread of the narrative and the summary of Ramayana continued. VII. Narada proceeds the story of Ramayana. VIII. The Story of Ramayana continued. IX. Hamimana leaps over to Lanka and thus summary continued. X. Rama sent Angada to Ravana demanding the surrender of Sita. Rama's return to Ayodhya with Sita and Laksmana in the aerialcar, Puspaka. XI. Agastya sees Rama and narrates to him a history of the birth of Ravana and his brother etc. XII. The God of Fire describes the birth of Krsna in the womb of Devaki and the story of his life. XIII. The God of Fire gives a geneology of the sovereigns of the race of the Moon and story of Mahabharta. XIV. The armies of the Kurus and the Pandus meet in the memorable field of Kuruksetra Krsna exhorts Arjuna todo his duty his duty and story continued. XV. The story continued. Death of Krsna and Baldeva, etc. XVI. The God of Fire describes the incidents in the life of the Buddha incarnation of Visnu. Kalki, the last incarnation of Visnu. XVII. The God of Fire describes the creation of the universe. Brahma is unmanifest and self-existent. Origin of sex. XVIII. The God of Fire describes the ancestry and birth of Dhruva. Birth of Daksa. The birth of the Rudras. Mahadeva begets sons of Sati. XIX. The sons of Kasyapa, Birth of twelve Adityas etc. XX. Successive-orders of creations, such as those of Mahat, Tanmatra etc. Marriage of Satin her second incarnation. XXI. The procedure of Visnu worship. XXII. The rite of ceremonial ablution to be performed before undertaking any sort of religious life. XXIII. Narada describes the mode of worshipping the god Visnu etc. XXIV. The rite of fire. The adjustment of vessues and utensils around the fire pits. XXV. Narada enumerates the Mantras respectively held sacred to the different manifestations of Vasudeve. XXVI. The Mudras used in worship. XXVII. The rite of initiation. The preparation and purification of the sacrificial ground etc. XXVIII. The rite of Abhiseka, preparatory to the attainment of Siddhis. XXIX. The practice of mantra in a temple subsequent to a worship of the God Hari. XXX. The mode of worshipping the different deities and spiritual beings in the different parts of the mystic diagram etc. XXXI. The rite of Marjana and its process. XXXII. The forty-eight Samskaras, the seven Vratas, the eights Paravan-Sraddhas, seven Hari-ajnas, etc. XXXIII. The rite of Pavtrarohana. The Gayatri sacred to the god. Prayer, the worship and the Angapuja. XXXIV. Decoration and purification of the sacrificial Mandala. The rite of Dvara-Yajna etc. XXXV. The rite of Pavitradhivasanam the worship of Visnu including prayers. XXXVI. The rite of Pavitrarohanam, sacred to visnu. XXXVII. A summary of the procedure to be adopted in all rites of pavitrarohanam. XXXVIII. The merit of building and consecrating temples to the god etc. XXXIX. Consecration of divine images. The Pancaratra school of Philosophy. XL. The procedure to be adopted in making Argha offerings to the God. XLI. Rules to be observed in lying down the foundation of a divine edifice. XLII. The structure of a divine temple or edifice. XLIII. The rite of installing an idol in a temple. XLIV. The essential points in an image of the god Vasudeva or of any other deity. XLV. The essential points of a divine pedestaland the dimensions. XLVI. The characteristic traits of the different classes of salagrama stone. XLVII. The process of worshipping a Salagrama. XLVIII. Hymn to the twenty four manifestations of the God Visnu. XLIX. The ten incarnations of Visnu, the characteristic features of their images. L. Dimensions of the image of the goddesses their decorations weapons and accompaniments. LI. An image of the sun-god, with those of his companion deities. Signs of zodiac. LII. The Yoginis and the characteristic features of their images. LIII. The essential points of a phallic emblem. Mode of sculpturing a phallic emblem and its dimensions. LIV. The merit of worhsipping phallic emblems made of different substance. LV. Pedestals of images, their dimensions. LVI. The rite of dikpala yoga. LVII. The rite of taking possession of the sacrificial ground. LVIII. The rite of consecratory ablution. LIX. The rite of Adhivasanam. LX. Rite of installation of the pedestal of a divine image. LXI. The rite of avabhrtha. LXII. Rite of consecration of divine images in general. LXIII. The rite of consecrating the image of Garuda, of brahma, the narasinha etc. LXIV. Consecration of tanks and ponds. LXV. The mode of building Gopuras. LXVI. Consecration of the images of gods and spiritual beings, such as the sun, etc. LXVII. The rite of Girnoddhiaram. LXVIII. Description of the feastes and the parading of an idol. LXIX. The rite of Avabritha Snanam and its rules. LXX. The rite of consecration trees and fruits, gardens. LXXI. The worship of the god Ganesa. LXXII. The rite of offering of libationso f water to the gods and preceptors. LXXIII. The worship of the sun. LXXIV. The worship of the god Siva. LXXV. The rite of kindling the sacrificial fire at the close of the preceding worship. LXXVI. The methods of worshipping the image of Shiva. LXXVII. The process of worshipping the cow Kapila. LXXVIII. The process of investing a divine image with the hole thread. LXXIX. The process of investing a divine image with the hole thread. LXXX. The process of investing a divine image with the hle thread. LXXXI. The rite of spiritual initiation. LXXXII. Sankskara-diksha or the rite of purifying initiation. LXXXIII. The process of illumining. LXXXIV. The process of illumining. LXXXV. The process of illumiininh. LXXXVI. The union of the too fundamental principles of the universe. LXXXVII. The union of the Viday kala an dPinchinakala. LXXXVIII. The union of a beatific knowledge and absolute peace. LXXXIX. The beatific principle of shantyatra kala. XC. The spiritual intiation of Tattviki. XCI. The rite of Abhisheka. XCII. The worship of Vishnu, the sun and other. XCIII. The installation of a phalicemblem. XCIV. The construction of the divine edifice. XCV. The worship of Caraki and her compassions. XCVI. The installation of the phallic emblem. XCVII. Continued. XCVIII. The purification of the component principles of the body. XCIX. The process of installing the image of gauri. C. The process of installing an image of the sun-god. CI. The rite of the consecration. CII. The process of consecrating a diving edifice. CIII. The consecration of the pinnacle and banner. CIV. The process of repairing of replacing a phallic emblem. CV. The general characteristics of a di fice. CVI. The worship of the god of the homestead. CVII. The foundation of a city and the rite of word ping the Vastu. CVIII. The different continents of the terrestrial glags. CIX. The seven great islands. CX. The greatness of the sacred pools and places. CXI. The sanctity of the river Canges. CXII. The sanctity of the congruence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna at Prayag. CXIII. The sanctity of Benares. CXIV. The glory of the sacred stream of Narmada. CXV. The glory of the sacred pilgirimage of gaya. CXVI. The glory of the sacred pilgrimage of gaya. CXVII. The process of performing the Sraddha ceremony at Gaya. CXVIII. The topography of Bhartavarsha. CXIX. The toporgraphy of Jambudwipa. CXX. Interdicted rites and foods. CXXI. The atonement for sins. CXXII. The penances for deadly sinners. CXXIII. The most mysterious of the sin exting rites. CXXIV. The most mysterious of the sin exting rites. CXXV. The most mysterious of the sin exiting rites. CXXVI. The fasts, ceremonies, and penances. CXXVII. The vratas to be performed on the day of the second phase of the Moon's wane or increase. CXXVIII. The Vratas of the fifth phase. CXXIX. The Panchami-Vrata. CXXX. The Shasthi-Vratas. CXXXI. The Saptami-Vratas. CXXXII. The Asthami Vratas. CXXXIII. The Dashami Vratas. CXXXIV. The Vratas t be performed in days of the eleventh phase. CXXXV. The Vratas to be performed on days of the twelfth phase. CXXXVI. The Shravana Dvadashi Vrata. CXXXVII. The Vrata which is complementary to all other Vratas. CXXXVIII. Trayodashi Vratas. CXXXIX. The different acts of atonement. CXL. The Shivaratri Varta. CXLI. The Ashoka Purnima Vrata. CXLII. Vratas under various asterisms. CXLIII. The Nakshatra Vratas. CXLIV. The divasa Vratas. CXLV. Monthly vows. CXLVI. Ritu vratas or season vows. CXLVII. The vow for illuminating a divine edifice. CXLVIII. The nine-fold propitiation. CXLIX. The worship of Hari. CL. The fruits acquired by a man for worshipping hari. CLI. The vow of monthly fasting. CLII. The king of all the vows. CLIII. The worship of the holy sage Agastya. CLIV. The practice of the Kumuda Vrata. CLV. The process of making gifts of the occasion of Vratas. CLVI. The pity accruing from making various Vratas. CLVII. The sixteen great gifts. CLVIII. The gift of cows and baffaloes. CLIX. The gift made in different months. CLX. The gift of the whole earth. CLXI. Nadachakra or the system of veins, nerves, and arteries. CLXII. The Omkar Mantra. CLXIII. The Gayatri Mantra. CLXIV. The use of the Gayatri Mantra for worshipping the phallic emblem. CLXV. The duties incidental to a sovereignty. CLXVI. The Mantas to be used on the occasion of the installation of a king. CLXVII. The duties of a king. CLXVIII. The duties of the servants of king. CLXIX. The sites and constructions of fourts. CLXX. The system of administration. CLXXI. The duties of a king in the female apartment. CLXXII. The duties of a king towards the royal princes. CLXXIII. The acts of a man through the innate forces of his nature. CLXXIV. The Code of Criminal laws. CLXXV. The occasion of an expedition. CLXXVI. The nature and significance of dreams. CLXXVII. The auspicious signs for an expedition. CLXXVIII. Brids unfolding the good or the evil fate. CLXXIX. The nature of penalties. CLXXX. The weekly duties preceding the day of then. CLXXXI. The prayer to Indra. CLXXXII. The utility of diplomacy. CLXXXIII. The art of divining the character and the good or the evil fate. CLXXXIV. The characteristic of woman. CLXXXV. The characteristics of a homestead. CLXXXVI. The realization of the heart-felt desires. CLXXXVII. The science of archery. CLXXXVIII. The worship of arms. CLXXXIX. The use of arms on horse-back and riding animals. CXC. The thirty-two sorts of military art. CXCI. The institution of law-suits. CXCII. Debts and their repayment. CXCIII. The citing of witnesses in a legal matter. CXCIV. The partition of properties. CXCV. The settlement of boundary bisputes. CXCVI. The rites and Mantas of the Sama Veda. CXCVII. The rites and Mantras of the Atharva Veda. CXCVIII. The rites and Mantras of the Atharva Veda. CXCIX. The Suktas as contained in each of the Vedas. CC. The ceremonial ablutions in general. CCI. The celebration of the King's nortj-day. CCII. The lunar race continued. CCIII. The system of medicine propounded by the holy dhanwantari. CCIV. Organic, mental, extraneous and Functional disease. CCV. Indian Pharmacopeia. CCVI. The Omkar Mantra giving longevity. CCVII. The rite for bringing peace on elephants. CCVIII. The rite which is beneficial to the cows. CCIX. The worship of Rudra. CCX. The mantras sacred to the god shiva. CCXI. The recitation of the fifty names of Vishnu. CCXII. The mantras sacred to the goddess of fortune. CCXIII. The Mantra for worshipping the goddess Tvaritta who grants enjoyment of earthly comforts and salvation after death. CCXIV. The rite of inition with a mystic diagram. CCXV. The incantations by which one can aquire learning. CCXVI. The process of worshipping the god Vinayaka. CCXVII. The mantras for the goddess Tvarita. CCXVIII. The same Mantra continued. CCXIX. The bliss of the same mantra. CCXX. The peace-giving rite of shiva-shanti. CCXXI. The rudraksha seeds. CCXXII. The rule so prosody. CCXXIII. The metre jagati. CCXXIV. The metre utkriti. CCXXV. Yati or the pause in reciting a verse. CCXXVI. Physiology. CCXXVII.Hells and the passage of the soul described. CCXXVIII. The eight auxiliary factor of Yoga. CCXXIX. The process of Pranayama. CCXXX. Dhyanam or meditation. CCXXXI. Dharana or the faculty of retaining in the mind. CCXXXII.Samdhi. CCXXXIII. The knowledge of Brahma. CCXXXIV. The atiributes of Brahma. CCXXXV. Non-Dualism. CCXXXVI. Non-Dualism. CCXXXVII. The synopsis of the Geeta. CCXXXVIII. The summary of Yama Geeta. CCXXXIX. An account of Agni Purana. |
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The different works known by the name of Puranas (od old) are evidently derived from the myth-heroic stage of Hindu belief. The Puranas are commonly stated to be eighteen in number. It is said there are also eighteen Upa-Puranas or Minor Puranas-but the names of all these are not found. The principal eighteen Puranas are Brahma, Padma, Visnu, Siva, Bhagvata, Naradiya, Markandeya, Agni, Bhavisya, Brahma Vaivarta, Linga, Varaha, Skanda, Vamana, Kurma, Matsya, Garuda and Brahmanda. All these Puranas are classed into three groups according to the qualities which prevail in them. The Matsya Purana remarks that those in which glory of Hari or Visnu prevails are Sattvika; those in which the legends of Agni of Siva predominate are Tamasa and those which dwell most on the stories of Brahma are Rajasa. The Agni Purana, that is the cream of all sciences and the cause of all (13) creation and dissolution, of various families, periods of Manu and genealogies. The Lord Visnu assumes the forms of fish, tortoise etc. There are two sciences, superior and inferior. O twice-born one, the Veda, Rik, Yajus, Saman and Atharvan, the six auxiliaries of the Vedas, namely (Siksa), the science of proper articulation and pronunciation, (Kalpa) ritual or ceremonial, (Vyakarana) grammar, (Nirukta) etymological explanation of difficult Vedic words (Jyotis) astronomy, (Chandas) science of prosody, (Abhidhana) lexicon, Mimamsa, Dharma Sastras Nyaya, medical science, musical science, the science of archery and Political economy these all are the inferior sciences. The superior science is that by which Brahman is comprehended (14-17). I will describe unto thee the great Purana, Agni, containing the great and eternal knowledge of Brahman, that which is invisible, incomprehensible, stable and eternal. In the general treatment of the subjects of the author, however, does not stick to the five principal topics which should constitute a Purana. He even loses sight of the two knowledge, divine and secular set forth by him originally in the introduction. He has introduced a number of topics, useful to men, without any system or methods, His work is more like an Encyclopaedia, containing a variety of useful topics bearing on later Sanskrit learning. The early chapters of this Purana describe the Avataras, and in those of Rama and Krsna, avowedly follow the Ramayana and Mahabharata. A Considerable portion is appropriated to instructions for the performance of religious ceremonies; many of which belong to the Tantrik rituals and are apparently transcribed from the principal authorities of that system. Some belong to mystical forms of Siva worship, little known in Hindusthan, though perhaps, still practiced in the south. One of thee is the Diksa or initation of a novice; by which numerous ceremonies and invocation in which the mysterious monosyllables of Tantras are constantly, the disciple, is transformed into a living personation of Siva, and receives, in that capacity the homage of his Guru. On the final analysis, the Agni Purana shows that it owes much to the various branches of literature of early medieval times and is especially indebted to the four Vedas, Upanisads, Smrtis, Visnudharmottara and the Harivamsa uranas; the Visnu and the Matsya Puranas, the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharta; the Hayasirsa, the Gita, the Samkhya, the Vedanta, the Samhita of Caraka and Susruta and Naradiyasiksa Monoyllabic lexicography of Ksapanaka, the Pingalasutra, the lexicon of Amarsimha, Bharata, Bhamaha, Dandian etc. Vaisnava and Saivagamas. Thus Agni Purana presents essence of all branches of knowledge and is an encyclopedia of all that existed. |
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