Epics in Imprints-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

common man the wisdom of the saints of
the highest order without creating any
discord. The authors of these works took
every individual into consideration and
made such prescriptions as would benefit
him in his social and religious life. In giving
recognition to a man’s personal worth, they
slackened the rigours of the caste system
and declared, ‘Being remembered, or
talked of, or seen, or touched, a devotee
of the Lord, even if he be a Candala,
purifies (the people) easily. They allowed
greater freedom to women and Sudras in
social and religious matters, with the
result that these neglected members of
Hindu society could have their own
religious life and worship their deities
themselves. The religion and philosophy
professed by the Puranas had such a great
appeal that even scholars, philosophers,
or religious reformers, like Vijnana
Bhiksu, Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha,
and Jiva Gosvamin, to mention only a few,
very frequently drew upon the Puranas in
their own works in support of their
philosophical views; and this utilization led
to the greater popularity of these works
with all grades of Hindu population.
Sectarian excesses are sometimes found
in the extant Puranas, but these are due
to the want of proper understanding of the
idea of absolute or unswerving devotion
(aikantiki bhakti), on which the Puranic
religion is principally based; and it is owing
to this basic idea that Brahma, Vishnu,
Siva, and other deities, have been praised
individually as the highest one in some
Purana or other.
From the survey of the eighteen principal
Puranas it is evident that these works have
been utilized through centuries not only
for educating the mass mind and infusing
it with the nobler ideas of life but also for
tactfully solving the religious, social and
economic problems which were created in
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ancient India by the rise of various
religious movements and the repeated
invasions made by foreign races. A careful
analysis of the devotional vratas, for
instance, will amply testify to the Puranic
Brahmana’s deep insight into human
nature as well as to their intelligence in
cleverly tackling the various problems,
especially those relating to women, from
whom the life and spirit of a race proceed.
It is undeniable that the extant Puranas
can only on rare occasions, claim for
themselves any real merit as literary
productions, but it must be admitted that
in addition to their character as records
of ancient geography and political history,
they are of inestimable value from the
point of view of the history of religion and
culture of the ancient Hindus. As a matter
of fact, these works afford us, more than
other works of the time, a great insight
into all phases and aspects of Hinduism
as well as into the inner spirit of the Hindu
social system with its adaptability in all
ages and under all circumstances, however
unfavourable. They therefore deserve far
more careful study than has hitherto been
devoted to them.
(Extract from “The cultural Heritage of
India” II, The RKM Institute of Culture,
Calcutta 1993.)