Brahmanda Purana Pt. 5 (AITM Vol. 26): Ancient Indian Tradition And Mythology

The present volume contains the Brahmanda Purana, Part II (Chapters 1-43) of the third section, Upodghatapada, of the text in English Translation. This is the Twenty-third volume in the Series which we have planned on Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology.

The project of the Series was envisaged and financed in 1970 by Lala Sundar Lal Jain of Messrs Motilal Banarsidass. Hitherto twenty-two volumes of the Series (comprising English translations of Siva, Linga, Bhagavata Garuda, Narada, Kurma, and Brahmanda Puranas) have been published and released for sale.

The present volume opens with Ch. 31 it describes Sripura or Srinagari the capital city of the supreme goddess Sri Lalita and lord Kamesvara her consort. This city was built by Visvakarman and Maya the chief architects of Devas and asuras at the bidding of Brahma Visnu and Mahesvara the Trinity of gods recognized and accepted as the foremost deities in Indian religion. The gods had asked Lalita to divide herself into sixteen forms as they had planned sixteen cities for her residence on earth at different sites. At the request of the gods, Lalita divided herself into sixteen forms and was named Sodasi. Of these sixteen abodes, nine were terrestrial and seven were aquatic. The nine sacred spots consisted of the peaks of Meru Nisada, hemakuta, Himalaya Gandhamadana Nila, mesa, Srngara, and Mahendra mountains. Seven abodes were laid on the shores of seven oceans viz the oceans of salt sugar cane juice, liquor, ghee, curd, milk, and water. At these sixteen spots were built sixteen sripuras for Lalita.

Lalita had different designations. She was called Nitya because she was the queen of Nitya Devis. The sixteen cities of her residence became famous also by Nitya names they were called kamesvaripuri, Bhagamalapuri Nityaklinnputi so on and so forth.

Sripuras were well planned. They were encompassed by ramparts enclosures and walls of iron, bronze, lead, copper, silver, and gold. They were beautified by the gardens of heavenly trees: Kalpa, Santãna, Haricandana, Mandara, and Parijãta. By the side of Cintamaitigrha stood the palace of Mantrinatha, surrounded by the peak of Kadamba trees. There were barracks for the army personnel in the cantonment at Mahapadmatavi region in the grove of lotus flowers.

Mantrinätha was the chief adviser to queen Lalita. She was of dark complexion (Syamangika). Born of Mãtañga and Siddhimati she was named Mâtangi. According to an anecdote, sage Mãtañga felt that he was inferior to his friend Himalaya because the latter was the father of Gauri. Therefore he prayed to the goddess Mantrinãtha to be born as his daughter so that he should feel equal to Hitnavat. The goddess was pleased to bless him and was born of Siddhimati, wife of Mâtanga, and was called Laghuyãmâ. By her birth as the daughter of Mâtañga she sanctified the other daughters of Matañga who also attained the status of Saktis.

Ch. 32 mentions seven chambers and their respective enclosures with a guard to watch. In the first enclosure beautified by a garden of many trees, Mahakâla kept the watch. Being the presiding deity of Kãlacakra where he occupied the central position, he looked deterrent, black-colored, and boisterous. He was accompanied by a terrific spouse Mahãkali. The other six enclosures of chambers were watched by the six Indian seasons: Vasanta (Spring), Grima (Summer), Varsa (Rains) Sarad (Autumn), Hemanta (Early Winter), and Sisira (Winter). The respective position of the guards in the enclosures ran thus In the second enclosure, the Spring season kept the watch in the Kalpaka-Vá4i (the garden of Wishful filing trees). He was absorbed in the Worship of Lalitã. He had married Madhusri and Mãdhavati. The third enclosure was watched by the Summer season who was stationed in Santana-Vasika. He had married Nabhab. Sri and Nabhasya-Sri. The fourth enclosure was watched by the rainy season who was stationed in the Haricandanavasi. He had two wives Suka-Sri and Sri Suci-Sri. The fifth enclosure was watched by early winter who was stationed in the park of Parijata trees. He had married Sahab-Sri and Sahasya-Sri. The seventh enclosure was guarded by Winter who had married Tapa-Sri and Tapasya Sri. He sat in the Kadambavatika and kept watch over the enclosure assigned to him.

Then there were chakras of the Guardians of seven chambers. At first, there was a circle of Mahakala which had four coverings with Vindu at the center where Mahakala sat splendidly. The four coverings of Kalacakra consisted of a triangle (ii) Pentagon (iii) a Lotus of Sixteen petals (iv) lotus of eight petals. To explain the sandhya's morning noon and evening were the saktis in the pentagon days nights and the special days such as the full and the new moon days were the saktis in the lotus of 16 petals names of years in the Vedas were the Saktis in the lotus of 8 Petals.

At some distance from the Kalacakra there stood the mystical circle of the spring season. The deities stationed in this circle were sixty. There were thirty tithes pertaining to Madhu Sri and thirty to Madhava Sri.

Thus there were six Cakras corresponding to six seasons each Cakra had sixty Saktis. The total number of Saktis was 360 corresponding to 360 days of the year. In the same manner, there were deities in seven enclosures.

Ch. 33 the material of which these seven enclosures were made consisted of precious stones Topaz gold, Rubies, Gomeda, Diamonds, Lapis-lazuli, Sapphires, and Pearls. In the enclosure of Topaz and gold there lived male and female siddhas. The enclosure of Rubies was inhabited by bards. The enclosure of Gomeda was populated by Yoginis, Bhairavas apsaras, and Gandharavas. The enclosure of the diamond was stationed by Kinnaras and Kimpurusas. In the enclosure of Lapiz Lazuli there lived Nagas Sesa, Karkotaka, and others. In the enclosure of Sapphire there lived Asuras Bali and others. In the enclosure of Pearls there lived Devas and the guardians of quarters in their respective characters.

Ch. 34 there was a Cakra of sixteen coverings with Rudra and Mahamudra as the central presiding deities. Made of pearls the cakra had sixteen coverings. It had a seat in the middle on which maharudra sat. in the triangle which was the first covering there Rudras were scated. They were Hiranyabahu, Senani and Disampati. In the second covering six Rudras were seated. In the third covering eight Rudras. In the fourth covering ten. In the fifth covering twelve. In the sixth covering seven. In the seventh covering Sixteen. In the eighth covering eighteen. In the ninth covering twenty. In the tenth covering twenty-three. In the eleventh covering Twenty-four. In the twelfth covering twenty-six. In the thirteenth twenty eight. In the fourteenth twenty nine. In the fifteenth thirty two. In the sixteenth four.