Skanda Purana Chapter 30

[Virgil Gardiner]

TheSkanda Purana (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest Mukhyapurana, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts.[1] The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature,[2] titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parvati (who is also known as Murugan in Tamil literature).[3] While the text is named after Skanda, he does not feature either more or less prominently in this text than in other Shiva-related Puranas.[3] The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions and rituals related to the war-god Skanda.[3][4]

The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the 8th century CE,[5][6] but the Skanda Purana that has survived into the modern era exists in many versions.[7] It is considered as a living text, which has been widely edited, over many centuries, creating numerous variants.[8] The common elements in the variant editions encyclopedically cover cosmogony, mythology, genealogy, dharma, festivals, gemology, temples, geography, discussion of virtues and evil, of theology and of the nature and qualities of Shiva as the Absolute and the source of true knowledge.[9]

The editions of Skandapurana text also provide an encyclopedic travel handbook with meticulous Tirtha Mahatmya (pilgrimage tourist guides),[10] containing geographical locations of pilgrimage centers in India, Nepal and Tibet, with related legends, parables, hymns and stories.[11][12][13]

Haraprasad Shastri and Cecil Bendall, in about 1898, discovered an old palm-leaf manuscript of Skanda Purana in a Kathmandu library in Nepal, written in Gupta script.[14][15][16] They dated the manuscript to 8th century CE, on paleographic grounds. This suggests that the original text existed before this time.[17] R. Adriaensen, H.Bakker, and H. Isaacson dated the oldest surviving palm-leaf manuscript of Skanda Purana to 810 CE, but Richard Mann adds that earlier versions of the text likely existed in the 8th century CE.[5][18][19] Hans Bakker states that the text specifies holy places and details about the 4th and 5th-century Citraratha of Andhra Pradesh, and thus may have an earlier origin.[20] The oldest versions of the Skandapurana texts have been discovered in the Himalayan region of South Asia such as Nepal, and the northeastern states of India such as Assam.[21] The critical editions of the text, for scholarly studies, rely on the Nepalese manuscripts.[21]

Additional texts style themselves as khandas (sections) of Skandapurana, but these came into existence after the 12th century.[21] It is unclear if their root texts did belong to the Skandapurana, and in some cases replaced the corresponding chapters of the original.[21] The version of the earliest known recension was later expanded in two later versions namely the Revakhanda and Ambikakhanda recensions. The only surviving manuscript of the Revakhanda recension is from 1682. The four surviving manuscripts of the Ambikakhhnda recension are of a later period and contains much more alterations. Judit Trzsk says a similar recension to these two recensions seems to have been known to Laskhmidhara, thus it existed before 12th century.[19] Ballala Sena quotes content found only in these two recensions, thus the version known at that time was similar to the ancient version of these two recensions.[22]

There are a number of texts and manuscripts that bear the title Skanda Purana.[5] Some of these texts, except for the title, have little in common with the well-known Skandapurana traced to the 1st millennium CE.[21] The original text has accrued several additions, resulting in several different versions. It is, therefore, very difficult to establish an exact date of composition for the Skanda Purana.[23][7]

Stylistically, the Skanda Purana is related to the Mahabharata, and it appears that its composers borrowed from the Mahabharata. The two texts employ similar stock phrases and compounds that are not found in the Ramayana.[5] Some of the mythology mentioned in the present version of the Skanda Purana is undoubtedly post-Gupta period, consistent with that of medieval South India. This indicates that several additions were made to the original text over the centuries.[17] The Kashi Khanda, for example, acquired its present form around the mid-13th century CE.[24] The latest part of the text might have been composed in as late as the 15th century CE.[23]

The whole corpus of texts which are considered as part of the Skanda Purana is grouped in two ways. According to one tradition, these are grouped in six saṁhitās, each of which consists of several khaṇḍas. According to another tradition, these are grouped in seven khaṇḍas, each named after a major pilgrimage region or site. The chapters are Mahatmyas, or travel guides for pilgrimage tourists.[10]

The manuscripts of the Sanatkumāra Saṁhitā, the Śaṁkarī Saṁhitā, the Sūta Saṁhitā and the Saura Saṁhitā are extant. A manuscript of a commentary on the Sūta Saṁhitā by Madhavācārya is also available.[26] These texts discuss cosmogony, theology, philosophical questions on virtues and vice, questions such as what is evil, the origin of evil, how to deal with and cure evil.[35]

The oldest known 1st-millennium palm-leaf manuscripts of this text mention many major Hindu pilgrimage sites, but do not describe Kailash-Manasarovar.[16] The later versions do, particularly in Manasakhanda.[16]

The Skanda Purana, like many Puranas, include the legends of the Daksha's sacrifice, Shiva's sorrow, churning of the ocean (Samudra manthan) and the emergence of Amrita, the story of the demon Tarakasura, the birth of Goddess Parvati, her pursuit of Shiva, and her marriage to Lord Shiva, among others.

The central aim of the Skandapurana text, states Hans Bakker, is to sanctify the geography and landscape of South Asia, and legitimize the regional Shaiva communities across the land, as it existed at the time the edition was produced.[36] The text reflects the political uncertainties, the competition with Vaishnavism, and the cultural developments with the Pashupata Hindus during the periods it was composed.[37]

This story is read during Satyanarayana Puja, a Hindu prayer practice throughout Indian communities. The text is from the Skanda Purana. Puranas are stories that are included in Hindu scriptures. During the puja, some of those attending the puja participate by reading a chapter. See also the article, Satyanarayana Puja in South Louisiana, by Daria Woodside.

Once upon a time, the various sages assembled at the Naimisha forest and approached the great sage Soota, and asked him, "By doing which worship of penance can one's desires be fulfilled? Please tell us." The great sage Soota replied, "Earlier the great sage Narada asked the same question to Lord Vishnu, the consort of Lakshmi. Let me repeat what Lord Vishnu told Narada. Please listen intently."

Once, Sage Narada, while traveling for the benefit and upliftment of the various worlds, arrived on earth. There, he saw mankind going through the various cycles of birth and suffering as a result of their past deeds. Anxious to find a solution to this endless cycle of rebirth, and to find a way for salvation for humanity, he went to the abode of Lord Vishnu. He found the dark-complexioned Lord holding his conch, disc (chakra), mace (gadha), and lotus in his four hands. He had a garland draped around his neck. Sage Narada prayed saying, "Having an unimaginable and indescribable form, infinite power, omnipresence though formless, yet having attributes, you are the foremost in this universe. I pray to Lord Vishnu, who is the savior of the devotees." Hearing Sage Narada's prayer, Lord Vishnu replied, "O Narada, why have you come here? What is your desire? Tell me, I will fulfill all of your wishes." Sage Narada replied, "O Lord of the three worlds, people on earth are suffering in various ways as a result of their past sinful deeds. Bestow your grace and bless me with a solution to relieve their suffering." Lord Vishnu replied, "Son, you have asked a good question. The concern you have for all the worlds is worth mentioning. There is a worship that is very powerful in the heavens and on the earth. I will reveal it now to you because of our affection for each other. That is the Satyanarayana Puja (worship). Those who perform this worship in the required way, according to religious rites, will enjoy all the happiness in this life and attain salvation beyond."

On hearing this, Narada asked again. "O Damodara (a name for Lord Vishnu), with your infinite grace, please tell me in detail the fruits of the worship. What is the procedure for doing it? Who has performed it before? And how do you perform it? Lord Vishnu replied, "This Satyanarayana worship removes sorrows, grants wealth, grain, and clothes. It increases prosperity and grants progeny. One who performs it will be victorious in all conditions and situations. One can do this worship on the months of Vaishaka (April-May Taurus), Maagha (January-February Aquarius), Karthika (October-November Scorpio) or on any auspicious day. While preparing for a battle, when afflicted with sorrows or struck with poverty, it is beneficial to do this puja. This worship can be done every month or once a year depending on one's conditions. It can be performed on full moon day, Ekadashi (eleventh day of each of the two fortnights of the lunar month), and Sankranti (the holy day marking the Sun's entry into Capricorn)."

Lord Vishnu continued explaining how to perform the puja. "One should get up early in the morning and finish his daily ablutions and tasks. Then with a pure mind and body the one performing the puja should pledge, 'O Lord Satyanarayana! To receive your blessings, I am performing this worship with devotion and concentration.' He should finish his daily activities, bathe again in the evening and perform the puja when night starts. The place of worship must be anointed with cow dung, decorated with Rangoli (colorful designs made with rice flour) of five colors, and a new cloth must be spread. Rick should be poured on the cloth and a Kalasha (a holy urn or vessel made of silver, copper, bronze or mud, and filled with water) should be placed on the rice. Another new cloth should be laid out, and on it should be placed an idol of Lord Satyanarayana. This idol can be made of any material based on one's status. It should be bathed with the five nectars (milk, curds, ghee, sugar, and honey), and then placed on the cloth."

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