Brahma Vaivarta Purana

Brahma Vaivarta Purana, (IAST "IAST|brahma-vaivarta purāṇa") one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is divided into four parts. First part describes the creation of the universe and all beings, the second part relates to description and histories of different goddesses. The third part is mostly devoted to life and deeds of Ganesha, and the last part details the life and deeds of Krishna.

tructure and content

Recited by Suta to the Sages at the forest of Naimisaranya. Second part called "Prakriti Khanda" deals with the goddesses or saktis who are manifestations of Prakriti. The third section is "Ganesh Khanda" and is about Ganesh the elephant headed son of Shiva and Parvati. In this canto Ganesh's mother Parvati told Shani to ignore the curse and look at Ganesh.cite book
author = Vyasa
coauthors = Sen, R.N.
year = 1920 (1974)
title = The Brahma-Vaivarta Puranam
publisher = AMS Press
isbn = ] It also contains Krsna Janma Khanda - a canto about birth of Krishna, Svayam bhagavan.

Krishna and creation of the universe

Brahma Vaivarta Purana declares Krishna to be the supreme God [IAST|Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa 4.4.64, 4.5.94,100,105] , [IAST|Kṛṣṇa called "IAST|paripūrṇatama": 4.1.8, 4.9.13, 4.13.56,79, 4.20.16, 4.21.181,202, 4.22.45, 4.53.51, 4.69.22, 4.70.49] (para-Brahman) who lives in Goloka [ibid. 4.4.*, 4.13.49, etc.] and who with Rasesvari (Radha) [ibid. 4.13.88-112, etc.] has created this universe. All Vedas and related scriptures mention the para-Brahman to be the supreme God but this Purana specifies that this supreme god is Krishna. He created the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva [ibid. 4.9.9, 4.13.49, 4.29.43-46, 4.53.52, 4.67.58,63, 4.70.62] whose responsibility is the creation, preservation and destruction of universe respectively. This Purana takes a view on the creation that is slightly different to other Puranas. The fully developed legend of Radha and Krishna appears in both the Narada-pancaratra and the this Purana.cite journal
author = Dimock, Jr, E.C.
year = 1963
title = Doctrine and Practice among the Vaisnavas of Bengal
journal = History of Religions
volume = 3
issue = 1
pages = 106
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2710(196322)3%3A1%3C106%3ADAPATV%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K
accessdate = 2008-05-03]

Further reading

*Mani, Vettam. "Puranic Encyclopedia". 1st English ed. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
*cite journal
author = C.M. Brown
year = 1976-Hartford, 1974
title = God as Mother: A Feminine Theology in India. An Historical and Theological Study of the Brahmavaivarta Purana
journal = Journal of the American Academy of Religion
volume = 44
issue = 2
pages = 366-367
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-7189(197606)44%3A2%3C366%3AGAMAFT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M
accessdate = 2008-05-03

Notes

External links

* [http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puran.htm Complete Brahma Vaivarta and other Puranas in Devanagari - pdf]
* [http://www.astrojyoti.com/BrahmaVaivartaPurana.htm Astrojyoti.com - Good commentary on the Brahma Vaivarta Purana]
* [http://www.gauranga.org/files/brahma_vaivarta_purana.pdf Brahma Vaivarta Purana on Kali yuga]