|
|
|
Written by Sri Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
|
|
|
Even those who respect the Puranas are not prepared to accept that the
Sthala Puranas, that is the short Puranas pertaining to particular
places,
are authentic. If educated people think the [major] Puranas to be
nothing
but lies, they go so far as to treat the Sthala Puranas as nothing
better
than rubbish. "It was here that Indra was freed from his curse. . . ““It
was
here that Agasthya witnessed the marriage of Siva and Parvati ". Such
statements give rise to scepticism about the Sthala Puranas. "How are
such things possible?” they ask. “These Puranas must have been made
up. They must have originated in the desire of some individuals to give
a
certain importance to places to which they belong. "
People with faith who are acquainted with our traditions will tell you;
"Kalpa after kalpa, the same stories are repeated, but sometimes with
slight differences. Astory associated with one place in one kalpa may
recur in another place in a different kalpa. "
It is natural for people to take pride in claiming that their birthplace
is
associated with the great men mentioned in the Puranas. This is a fact
that all of us must recognise. Ordinary unlettered folk like to believe
that
Rama or Krsna had once visited their village, also great sages, and that
they were freed from terrible sins. Encouraged by such belief they
conduct the festivals of the local temples with great enthusiasm and are
rewarded with faith and devotion. We should view this attitude with
sympathy and understanding. Why should we who claim to be
"intelligent" disturb the faith of these people of innocence and deprive
them of their sense of fulfiment? The Lord himself says in the Gita that
in
such matters you must not produce some information as "fact"and create
agitation in the minds of ordinary people. "Na buddhibhedam janayed
ajananam karmasanginam.”
By this you should not take it that I am one with the critics who hold
that
the Sthala Puranas are not true, nor should you think that I accept them
[these Puranas] only for the reason that, notwithstanding the fact that
they are not true, they do some good to the people. I believe that the
Sthala Puranas are by and large authentic. Some of the stories told in
them may not be so, but for that reason I would not maintain that all
Sthala Puranas are false. |
|
|
