Studies in the Epics and Puranas c8.118

c8.118

Now to give a very short account about cosmogony in the other Purāṇas: The Brāhma deals with the creation of the world, birth of the primeval man Manu and his descendants, origin of gods, demi-gods and other beings. The Saura Purāṇa, which claims to be a khila (supplement) of the Brāhma Purāṇa, takes up an intermediate position between the orthodox systems regarding cosmogony: on the one hand Śiva is explained as the Atman in accordance with the Vedānta, and on the other hand, the creation from Prakṛti is explained as in the Sāṅkhya. The Padma Purāṇa assumes the highest Brahman in the form of the personal god Brahmā as the first cause. The Purāṇa, however, is Vaiṣṇava in character and the chapters dealing with cosmogony mostly follow the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. In the Prakriyā Pāda of the Vāyu Purāṇa the elemental creation and the first evolutions of beings are described to the same purport as the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, but in a more obscure and unmethodical style. The cosmogonic myths of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa agree on the whole with those of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, but in some interesting details are different from it. The cosmogony of the Bhāgavata is more largely intermixed with allegory and mysticism, and derives its tone more from the Vedānta than the Sāṅkhya philosophy. The doctrine of active creation by the Supreme as one with Vāsudeva is more distinctly asserted with a more decided enunciation of the effects being resolved into Māyā or illusion. In the *Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa* the creation of the world is not touched upon. The *Bhaviṣyat Purāṇa* treats of creation; but it is a transcript of the words of the first chapter of the *Manusmṛti*. To turn to the *Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa*, we find that it describes the creation as by Brahman, the First Being who is none other than the god Kṛṣṇa. In the account as given by the *Liṅga Purāṇa*, Śiva occupies the position which is otherwise ascribed to Viṣṇu, and is described as being praised by Viṣṇu and Brahmā. The *Kūrma Purāṇa* gives the account of creation, of the *avatāras* of Viṣṇu, etc., in a summary manner, but mostly in the words employed in the *Viṣṇu Purāṇa*. The *Varāha*, *Vāmana*, *Garuḍa* and other Purāṇas merely refer in brief to creation generally on the lines of the other Purāṇas.