Wednesday 18 July 2007

Agnipurana Chapter 2

I am fascinated by agnipurana, sanskrit and hinduism. However, this translation is very liberal. Expect surprises!

Chapter Two. The Fish Incarnation

Vasishtha said: "Tell us about the incarnations of vishnu, and repeat to us the agnipurana that vishnu narrated to you"

Agni said: "O vasishtha, I will first tell you about the matsyaavataara (incarnation as a fish). Listen carefully. The lord takes these incarnations to fight and defeat evil and protect the good people. Towards the end of a bygone age, there was a lot of destruction (naimittika pralaya). O saint, at that time the all the worlds were immersed in water. At that time, manu the son of vivasvaana was doing penance for salvation and liberation.

Sunday 15 July 2007

A note on the translation

I am fascinated by agnipurana, sanskrit and hinduism. However, this translation is very liberal. Expect surprises!

I have taken a lot of liberties in translating the agnipurana from sanskrit to english. I have tried to understand the sense of what the sanskrit verse means, and have tried to render it into english in such a way that it does not seem translated at all.
I may be mistranslating something, but as I learn more, I will do this better.
There is a lot of hyperlinking that is going to happen, but I am doing this one layer at a time. I will create much additional content to explain the characters, and even notes on the translation.
Thank you for your support.

Agnipurana Chapter 1

I am fascinated by agnipurana, sanskrit and hinduism. However, this translation is very liberal. Expect surprises!

Chapter One. Introduction

  1. Namaste shri, sarasvati, gauri, ganesha, skanda, ishvara, brahma, vahni, indra and others, and vasudeva
  2. In the forest of naimesha was the hermitage of the rishi shaunaka and others, where they spent their days in the worship of hari. One day suuta, who was an a tour of all places holy, came to their hermitage. The rishis bid him welcome very warmly.
  3. The rishis said: "suuta, we revere you. you must tell us that which is the essense of the truth, and also give us the key which opens the door to the all knowledge."
  4. suuta said: "the essence of the truth is, of course, vishnu, the cause of creation itself. The key that will reveal all knowledge is the realisation 'I am the supreme one'"
  5. "There are two ways of know the truth, by hearing and by sensing. There are two sources of knowledge, the scriptures and the supreme one. This is what atharvan says."
  6. "I, shuka, paila and others had gone to badrik-ashram. We asked vyas about the essense of the truth, and this is what he had to say"
  7. vyasa said: "Listen to me suuta, to shuka and others vasishta had related that very same knowledge that you desire, that which is clouded by the veil of consciousness."
  8. vasishta said: "vyasa, listen to the two paths to understand that which encompasses everything, the supreme one. This was related to me, many munis and devatas, by agni himself."
  9. "This agni purana is a very remarkable text, learn it and you will know about the supreme one. rugveda and other scriptures, by contrast, are for appeasing the dieties only."
  10. "This agni purana gives direct knowledge of the supreme one, it brings fulfillment, joy and liberation to all people who read or hear it even once."
  11. "Vishnu, in the form of the eternal fire, alone has the ability to illuminate minds, and reveal that which beyond the mists of the consciousness. Therefore it is to him we prayed, in our quest for this knowledge."
  12. vasishta prayed thus: "if consciousness is an ocean, the vessel which can cross it is knowledge of the supreme one. that knowledge, reduced to a form which can make a person all knowing, tell that to us!"
  13. Agni said: "Let me tell you about vishnu in his form of the eternal fire. He is the cause of everything, and I will also tell you about the essense of all knowledge."
  14. "From creation to creation, he has guided the generations of each overload, in the forms of a fish, a tortoise and so on.