Tag Archives: matsya purANa

On the rise of the mātṛkā-s and the goddess Cāmuṇḍā

The roots of the mātṛkā-s in the śruti and the Kaumāra tradition The standard list of 7/8 goddesses known as the mātṛkā-s is a hallmark feature of the classical religion: Brāhmī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Cāmuṇḍā, sometimes with the … Continue reading

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kumAra gAthA

jaya atula-shakti dIdhiti pi~njara | bhuja-daNDa-chaNDa-raNa-rabhasa | sura-vadana kumuda-kAnana-vikAsanendo kumAra | jaya ditija-kula-mahodadhi-vaDavAnala | ShaNmukha madhura-rava-mayUra-ratha | sura-mukuTa-koTi-ghaTTita-charaNa-nakhA~Nkura mahAsana | jaya lalita-chUDa kalApa-nava-vimala-dala-kamala-kAnta | daitya-vaMsha-duHsaha-dAvAnala | jaya vishAkha vibho | jaya sakala-loka-tAraka | jaya devasenA-nAyaka skanda | jaya gaurI-nandana ghaNTApriya … Continue reading

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Notes on vaiShNava-shaiva sectarian competition in the purANa-s

The appropriation and/or downgrading of each others ancient narratives is a common practice seen among shaiva-s, vaiShNava-s shAkta-s, gANapatya-s and to a lesser extent the kaumAra-s. Many years ago when we first began our studies in the purANa-s we became … Continue reading

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A saiddhAntika adaptation of the vAstupuruSha narrative

We had earlier pointed out that the vAstupuruSha narrative in the smArta vAstu texts ( e.g. as provided by varAhamihira in his bR^ihatsaMhitA) might be derived from an old brAhmaNa-like narrative that was provided in the context of explaining the … Continue reading

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