[Advaita-l] Padma Purana VI.236.1-27

S Jayanarayanan sjayana at yahoo.com
Fri Mar 31 14:53:31 EDT 2017


 I've often wondered about the exact source of ISKCON's ideology,
and am glad to have at last found it!
 
The extract below is an textbook-case of interpolation, for it claims that:
 
1) Shiva incarnated on earth to delude people with "Mayavada".
2) Advaita is pseudo-Buddhist.
3) Jaimini sutras are anti-Vedic.
4) All Shaiva Puranas are Tamasic.
5) Gautama Dharma Sutra (among others) leads one to hell.
6) ...
 
 
http://www.mediafire.com/file/a173i1g42f5f15t/Purana+-+Padma+Purana+-+Eng.pdf
 
Padma Purana VI.236.1-27
 
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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED THIRTYSIX
 
Characterization of Various Texts and Doctrines as Sattvika,
Rajasa and Tamasa
 
Parvati said:
1. O sinless one, tell me about the vicious texts which were
composed by the brahmanas bereft of devotion to the lord. O
lord of gods, tell me their names in a sequence.
 
Rudra said:
2-4. O goddess, listen. I shall tell you about the vicious
texts in a sequence. By merely remembering them even the wise
ones would be deluded, First I myself proclaimed the Saiva,
Pasupata (texts) etc. Hear about the ones which were proclaimed
by the brahmanas into whom my power had entered, after that:
Kanada proclaimed the great Vaisesika text.
 
5-7. Similarly Gautama (proclaimed the doctrine of) Nyaya,
and Kapila (proclaimed) Samkhya. Dhisana (Brhaspati) in the
same way (proclaimed) the much censured Carvaka (doctrine);
Visnu of the form of Buddha proclaimed the false Buddhist doctrine
and those of the naked and wearing dark blue garments for
the destruction of the demons. The doctrine of Maya (illusion)
is a wicked doctrine and said to be pseudo-Buddhist. I myself,
of the form of a brahmana, proclaimed it in Kali (age).
 
8-12. It shows the meaninglessness of the words of the holy
texts and is condemned in the world. In this (doctrine) only the
giving up of one's own duties is expounded. And that is said to
be religiousness by those who have fallen from all duties. I have
propounded the identity of the Highest Lord and the (individual)
soul. I stated this Brahman's nature to be qualityless. O
goddess, I myself have conceived, for the destruction of the
worlds, and for deluding the world in this Kali age, the great
doctrine resembling the purport of the Vedas, (but) non-Vedic
due to the principle of Maya (illusion) (present in it). By my
order formerly Jaimini propounded the great doctrine of Purva
Mimamsa, stating godlessness and making the Veda meaningless.
 
13-17. O Girija, know from me the vicious doctrines. I
shall also narrate the names of the vicious Puranas* in succession:
 
[Footnote: *The immediately following list is not actually that of the vicious
Puranas but of the Puranas in general. The vicious six Puranas follow this
list of eighteen Puranas. The word 'tamasa' in this verse is not appropriately
used. (Ed.)]
 
Brahma, Padma, Vaisnava, Saiva, so also Bhagavata. So
also Naradiya and Markandeya as the seventh. Agneya is said
to be the eighth, and Bhavisya to be the ninth. Brahmavaivarta
is said to be the tenth, and Liriga to be eleventh. Varaha is said
to be the twelfth and Vamana the thirteenth. Kaurma is said to
be the fourteenth and Matsya the fifteenth. Garuda is said to be
the sixteenth, and Skanda to be the seventeenth. The eighteenth
is Brahmanda. (These are) the Puranas in succession.
 
18-22a. Know from me that Matsya, Kaurma, Lainga,
Saiva, so also Skanda and Agneya are tamasa (vicious). O you of
an auspicious appearance, the Puranas, viz. Vaisnava, Naradiya,
so also the auspicious Bhagavata, similarly Garuda, Padma,
Varaha should be known to be sattvika (or virtuous). Know from
me that Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavisya,
Vamana and Brahma are rajasa (endowed with the quality of
passion). The sattvika ones are said to give salvation and are
always auspicious. Similarly, O goddess, the tamasa are said to
be the cause of (i.e. lead one to) hell.
 
22b-27. Similarly Smrtis endowed with the three qualities
are proclaimed by the sages. O you of an auspicious appearance,
they are sattvika, rajasa and tamasa. Vasistha, Harita, Vyasa,
Parasara, Bharadvaja and Kasyapa are said to sattvika, giving
(i.e. leading to) salvation and auspicious. Yajnavalkya Atreya,
so also Taittira, Daksa and Katyayana and Vaisnava are
rajasa, giving (i.e. leading to) heaven, and auspicious. Gautama,
Barhaspatya, Sarhvarta, Yama, Samkhya and Ausanasa are said
to be tamasa, and giving (i.e. leading to) hell. What is the use of
talking much in the case of the Puranas and the Smrtis also?
The tamasa do lead to hell. A wise one should avoid them. As
the occasion has come, I have told you all the auspicious
doctrines. Listen. I shall tell you about the nature of the remaining
birth (i.e. of the other incarnations) of Visnu.
 
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