The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition

The Puranas are eighteen in number. Saga Veda Vyasa composed them. There are references to Epics and Puranas in the Vedic texts and also in Sutras texts and also in Sutras texts of Apasthamba, Gautama, and others. Many of the previous Puranas are extinct now and only those are available, composed by Veda-Vyasa. 

The Vishnu Puranas is presented as a dialogue between sage Parashara and his disciple Maiteya. It deals with, the devas and asuras the geographical description of the earth divided into seven islands the avatars of Vishnu about the earth's population from the beginning of life, and plays of Lord Krishna. 

The literature of the Hindus has now been cultivated for many years with singular diligence, and in many of its branches with eminent success. There are some departments, however, which are yet but partially and imperfectly investigated; and we are far from being in possession of that knowledge which the authentic writings of the Hindus alone can give us of their religion, mythology, and historical traditions.

From the materials to which we have hitherto had access, it seems probable that there have been three principal forms in which the religion of the Hindus has existed, at as many different periods. The duration of those periods, the circumstances of their succession, and the precise state of the national faith at each season, it is not possible to trace with any approach to accuracy. The premises have been too imperfectly determined to authorize other than the conclusion of a general and somewhat vague description, and those remain to be hereafter confirmed or corrected by more extensive and satisfactory research.

The earliest form under which the Hindu religion appears is that taught in the Vedas. The style of the language, and the purport of the composition of those works, as far as we are acquainted with them, indicate a date long anterior to that of any other class of Sanscrit writings. It is yet, however, scarcely safe to advance an opinion of the precise belief or philosophy which they inculcate. To enable us to judge of their tendency, we have only a general sketch of their arrangement and contents, with a few extracts, by Mr. Colebrooke, in the Asiatic Researches’; a few incidental observations by Mr. Ellis, in the same miscellany; and a translation of the first book of the Sanhita, or collection of the prayers of the Rig-Veda, by Dr. Rosen; and some of the Upanishads, or speculative treatises, attached to, rather than part of, the Vedas, by Rammohun Roy. Of the religion taught in the Vedas, Mr. Colebrooke’s opinion will probably be received as that which is best entitled to deference, as certainly no Sanscrit scholar has been equally conversant with the original works. "The real doctrine of the Indian scripture is the unity of the Deity, in whom the universe is comprehended; and the seeming polytheism which it exhibits, offers the elements and the stars and planets as gods. The three principal manifestations of divinity, with other mythology, are indeed mentioned, or at least indicated, in the Veda. But the worship of deified heroes is no part of the text which I have incarnations of deities suggested in any portion of text which I have yet seen, though such are sometimes hinted at by the commentators. Some of these statements may perhaps require modification; for without a careful examination of all the prayers of the Vedas, it would be hazardous to assert that they contain no indication whatever of hero-worship; and certainly, they do appear to allude occasionally to the Avataras, or incarnations, of Vishnu. Still, however, it is true that the prevailing character of the ritual of the Vedas is the worship of the personified elements; of Agni, or fire. Indra, the firmament; Vayu, the air; Varuna, the water; Aditya, the sun; Soma, the moon; and other elementary and planetary personages. It is also true that the worship of the Vedas is for the most part domestic worship, consisting of prayers and oblations offered in their own houses, not in temples by individuals for individual good, and addressed to unreal presences, not to visible types. In a word, the religion of the Vedas was not idolatry.

It is not possible to conjecture when this more simple and primitive form of adoration was succeeded by the worship of images and types, representing Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, and other imaginary beings, constituting a mythological pantheon of most ample extent; or when Rama and Krishna, who appear to have been originally real and historical characters, were elevated to the dignity of divinities. Image-worship is alluded to by Manu in several passages, but with an intimation that those. Brahmans who subsist by ministering in temples are an inferior and degraded class. The story of the Ramayana and Mahabharata turns wholly upon the doctrine of incarnations, all the chief dramatis personas of the poem being impersonations of gods and demigods and celestial spirits. The ritual appears to be that of the Vedas, and it may be doubted if any allusion to image-worship occurs, but the doctrine of propitiation by penance and praise prevails throughout, and Vishnu and Siva are the special objects of panegyric and invocation. In these two works, then, we trace unequivocal indications of a departure from the elemental worship of the Vedas, and the origin or elaboration of legends, which form the great body of the mythological religion of the Hindus. How far they only improved upon the traditions of families and dynasties may originate with them, are questions that can only be determined when the Vedas and the two works in question shall have been more thoroughly examined.

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