Mishka Lepps

B.A English Hons

21BENG015

With special reference to the Puranic tradition, explain the evolution of vaishnavism and Shaivism

In this essay I will firstly be giving a brief overview of the Puranic tradition, subsequently tracing
the growth of Vaishnavism and Shaivism within the same ~

Before writing thoughts down on pen and paper was the norm, all knowledge was passed down
through the oral tradition. Scriptures and learnings were memorised through the art of repetition.
The idea seems almost, infallible in a world like ours today where even a simple game of Chinese
Whispers ends in confusing chaos. Despite all the advancements in the modern era, that have
resulted in the Futuristism Manifesto being brought to life- things are stronger, faster, more
powerful, more mechanical; however, most of humanity seems to have lost its connection with its
self, with ancient tradition. It is almost as if people are scared, like those in power are scared of
sharing this knowledge and inspiring people to be truly independent and common folk are afraid of
standing up to this wrong, most do not even realise how they are being wronged; however, this is a
topic that would need a separate essay of its own. The practices of Vaishnavism and Shaivism,
although promoting the worship of two separate avatar of the sacred deitiy, ultimately promise the
same end result- salvation. The attainment of personal liberation and freedom from the material
world. This was something to be encouraged in an age that was not rooted in materialism, where
mans relationship with nature was nurtured and encouraged, personal autonomy meant that man
would do good for others, which in turn meant he would do good for himself.

In the beginning of the christian era, Brahmanical social order was seriously undermined due to the
growing opposition from groups who followed the anti Vedic ideology of renunciation. The
Brahmanas attempted to meet this challenge by drawing people from the non-brahmanical fold into
their sphere of influence. Thus, an interaction between the brahmanical tradition and many local
traditions was initiated, which resulted in the creation of a composite syncretic socio-religious
system explained in the Puranas. When in the post Gupta period, large scale brahmana migrations
started reaching areas peripheral to their influence, such as the Tamilakam, a new category of
regional Puranas was composed, that offered a balance between the Puranik brahmanical tradition
and the exclusively local traditions of a region. In other words, the regional Puranas widened the
scope of brahmanism to incorporate several local cultural elements and induce many local people as

was considered viable by the local Brahmanas to participate in this interactive process, without
however, endangering their social supremacy. The method of achieving this complex
accommodation between the Vedic authority represented by the Brahmanas on the one hand, and
the local popular customs on the other hand, is called the Puranik process.

The term ‘Veda’ is synonymous for sruti ‘revelation’ which is heard by the sages, and so can refer
to the whole body of revealed texts comprised of four traditions, the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva,
which are divided into four categories of texts- the Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the
Upanishads. In a restricted sense; however, ‘veda’ refers to the earliest layers of Vedic literature- the
Samhita portion of this corpus, the entire body of Vedic literature is dated between circa 1500-600
BC. The basic religious practice of the Vedic tradition is performance of the sacrifice by qualified
priests to propitiate gods. A careful scrutiny of the Puranic content, shows that brahmanism of the
Dharmasastras and the smritis underwent a complete transformation at the hands of the Puranik
composers, so that it came to acquire a wholly new aspect, which can be best described as Puranik
hinduism. The most remarkable development in the field of religion during the Gupta/ post Gupta
times was the rise of ‘Hinduism’, which like a colossus striding over the religious firmament soon
came to overshadow all existing religions. Certain features which distinguish it from its Vedic roots
were its ever widening horizon and popular base, its theological and sectarian pluralism, its tantric
veneer and an extraordinary trust on devotion, on Bhakti. Whereas brahmanism represented more or
less a single religious strand drawing mainly upon Vedic ideology and throughout manifesting an
elitist outlook, Puranik Hinduism, through its gargantuan powers of assimilation and synthesis was
able to bring within its vortex all possible classes and segments of society, literate as well as
preliterate. Puranik hinduism developed at a time when society was in the throes of a changing
political and economic order. The period represented a watershed in Indian history, when a
flourishing market economy was giving way to a closed landed economic order; when foreign and
indigenous tribal groups had began staking their claims to political power, leading to fragmentation
and the eventual rise of a feudal order. This was not a sudden or abrupt transition, but was the
outcome of a slow and gradual process of evolution and growth.

South india offers the most interesting and complex forms of development of the cultural mosaic
known as hinduism. The Puranas are central to its development, representing a process of
interaction, acculturation and accommodation, and often confronting between different language

 and cultural zones Itihasa purana refers to two of the most important groups of Hindu narrative
traditions contained in oral and written texts. The Sanskrit word ‘Itihas’ (‘thus, it was) encompasses
the western categories of ‘history’ and ‘myth’ and specifically refers to the two great epics’ the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata/ the Puranas (‘old narratives’) constitute another huge corpus of
texts, numbering eighteen major and eighteen sub major ones. Influenced by the Vedic literature and
the epics, they contain mythology, genealogies of kings, law codes, rules of grammar and poetics,
descriptions of yogic practices and sacred geographies of pilgrimages. Collectively, the itihasa
Purana is even known as the ‘fifth veda’, although it is classified as a smriti (texts of human
authorship) and not Shruti (revelation), and all castes have access to it, not just the twice born upper
castes- brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya. These texts were composed orally and received by bards over
many centuries and are dated between (600 BC-AD 300). In Puranik religion, unlike Vedic
Brahmins, the mediation of a priest was optional as the ritual of ‘puja’ expressing devotion to a
deity gained primacy over the Vedic sacrifice. ‘Vedanta’ means culmination of the veda, and it
refers to the upanishads (literally, sitting close to a teacher) which define themselves within the
Vedic tradition but they speculate on and reinterpret the ritual process in terms of personal religious
experience indicated in the idea of meditation and direct transmission of teachings from teacher to
student.

Though all the major deities are found to be integral to the brahmanical pantheon right from later
Vedic times, it is during the first millennium AD, that the two principle gods- vishnu and shiva
became the focal points of the emergent sectarian streams of vaishnavism and Shaivism. The third
dominant area was represented by Shakti. The first mentioned two streams, began to absorb
countless local cults and deities within their folds, they were either taken to represent multiple
facets of the same god or else were supposed to denote different forms and appellations by which
the god came to be known and worshipped. For example, vishnu came to subsume the cults of
Narayana, Jagannatha, Venkateswara and many others, Shiva became identified with countless cults
by the sheer suffixing of Isa or Isvara to the name of the local deity- Bhutesvara, Hatakesvara etc. In
the case of Vishnu, such absorption was rendered easy by the doctrine of incarnation, propounded
and popularised by the Puranas. His two most popular incarnations- Rama and Krnsa, also became
the focus of a strong Bhakti tradition, which found expression particularly in the Bhagavata Purana.
Thus Rama became the object of devotion for several preliterate tribes, which have been mythicised
as vanaras. Hanuman, who was perhaps also a local monkey god, became so closely interwoven
into the tradition that he emerged as a Hindu deity in his own right and continues to be so even to

this day. The more indigenous origins of Shiva however, make the adoption of a different mythical
framework necessary. It had to be one in which collective ethos and close familial ties played a key
role. It is therefore in keeping with such an ethos, that Shiva was believed to be attended upon by a
whole band or Gana of yaksas, who were regarded as his close kinsmen. The leader of the ganas,
the elephant headed Gandes, who was the centre of a major regional cult came shivas older
offspring. Similarly, his second son Skanda or Kumara came to be known with some more well
known deities such as Kartikeya Mahasena, worshipped in south india. Shivas wife, Parvati, the
mother of Ganesa and Skanda was herself a prominent mountain goddess, who was also worshipped
in her more aggressive aspect of Durga. While another rived goddess, Ganga, was said to be trapped
in Shivas tresses, which were also adorned by a crescent mon. Primordial fertility symbols such as
snake and bull are also found to penetrate the mythical lore entering around shiva, one as his chief
body adornment and the other as his favourite mount, Nandi, whose worship became integral to
Shaivism. Even more significant were the developments related to his iconic manifestations. He
was depicted in what appeared to be a typical tribal garb attired in deer skin and sporting matted
hair. Worship of shiva in his linga form gained such wide popularity specially in peripheral zones
that many shrines came up dedicated to it and an entire purana came to be named after it.

In conclusion, religion was and still is a deeply complex matter. There are many names, many
interpretations and perspectives from which the texts are read and practices are carried out, it almost
seems like a desperate search for something. I was once told a beautiful story, it begins with
Brahma, the creator who comes down to earth to marvel at the beauty and magnificence of the land
that he has created. He wishes out loud for a creature that would be smart enough to appreciate this
vast world in all its glory the same way he has. Chaos, also known as Maya responds to his wishes
and created Man; but our creation came with a catch. We would forget Brahma, we would forget the
awe which he wished to instil in us, we would forget the part of our selves that connects us to him.
Instead, we were cursed to spend the rest of our lives searching for him, for that connection. My
hope for humanity is that one day, each and every one of us turns inward, only to find that Brahma,
Vishnu, Shaiva- they all lie within us. After all, that is I believe the beauty of Hinduism- its sheer
multiplicity. The pantheon of gods with such human tendencies, such human failures. There is a lot
for us to relate with and even more for us to learn from. In a world today where we are so divided,
so uprooted, so distracted. It is so important to find a moment to breathe, to pray and be thankful for
the bird that chirps outside our window.