Purana Pañcalaksana as Genealogy and Jatipurana

Authors

  • Greg Bailey La Trobe University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v5i1/2.319

Keywords:

class mobility, lineage, pañcalakṣaṇa, Purāṇas, social inclusion

Abstract

This paper investigates the extent and significance of a genealogical component within all the narratives dealing with the five famous characteristic topics (pañcalaksana) of the Puranas: creation, re-creation, lineage, periods of Manu, and the histories of dynasties. Whilst there is some evidence of a concern with genealogy in the narratives of creation and re-creation, lineage as both subject and framing device is far more in evidence in the other three, as these deal with a distinctive ‘social and political history’ of Jambudvipa portrayed in a mythological mode. Two lineage narratives from the Markandeya Purana are studied, and on the basis of these it is shown that there is a much greater concern with resolving breaks in the lineage and dealing with new infusions into a lineage than with giving a simple account of lineal succession. Such a concern may reflect a realistic assessment by the Puranic composers of the complex socio-political situation they actually confronted and the attempts they had to make in order to validate (and translate) this in terms of Brahmanical social theory. Finally, a similar example of lineage problems and class mobility is illustrated from a near contemporary Jatipurana from Maharashtra.

Author Biography

  • Greg Bailey, La Trobe University

    Greg Bailey is Reader in Sanskrit, Program in Asian Studies, La Trobe University, Australia.

References

Kurma Purana. A. S. Gupta (ed.), The Kurma Purana (with English Translation). Varanasi: All-India Kashi Raj Trust, 1972.

Mahabharata. V. S. Sukthankar, et al. (eds), The Mahabharata for the First Time Critically Edited. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, 1933–66.

Markandeya Purana. Varanasi: Nag, 1984.

Matsya Purana. K. L. Joshi (ed.), Matsyamahapurana: An Exhaustive Introduction, Sanskrit Text, English Translation, Scholarly Notes and Index of Verses. Delhi: Parimal Publications, 2007.

Vayu Purana. The Vayumahapuranam. Delhi: Nag, 1983.

Visnu Purana. Ed. and Hindi trans. Gorakhpur: Gita Press, 1943.

Bapat, J. Bhalchandra. 1998. ‘A Jatipurana (Clan-History Myth) of the Gurav Temple Priests of Maharashtra.’ Asian Studies Review 22.1: 63–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10357829808713187

Carter, A. 1975. ‘Caste “Boundaries” and the Principle of Kinship Amity: A Maratha Caste Purana.’ Contributions to Indian Sociology (n.s.) 9.1: 123–37.

Das, Veena. 1977. Structure and Cognition: Aspects of Hindu Caste and Ritual. Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Inden, Ronald. 2000. ‘Imperial Puranas: Kashmir as Vaisnava Centre of the World.’ In Ronald Inden, Jonathan Walters and Daud Ali, Querying the Medieval: Texts and the History of Practices in South Asia: 29–98. New York: Oxford University Press.

Obeyesekere, Gananath. 1991. ‘Myth, History and Numerology in the Buddhist Chronicles.’ In Heinz Bechert (ed.), The Dating of the Historical Buddha: 152–82. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht.

Pargiter, Frederick E. 1972 [1922]. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

Thapar, Romila. 1992. ‘Society and Historical Consciousness: The Itihasa-Purana Tradition.’ In Thapar, Interpreting Early India: 137–73. Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Witzel, Michael. 2005. ‘The Vedas and the Epics: Some Comparative Notes on Persons, Lineages, Geography, and Grammar.’ In Petteri Koskikallio (ed.), Epics, Khilas, and Puranas: Continuities and Ruptures (DICSEP 3): 21–80. Zagreb: Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Published

2012-05-23

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Bailey, G. (2012). Purana Pañcalaksana as Genealogy and Jatipurana. Religions of South Asia, 5(1-2), 319-337. https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v5i1/2.319