A Study of the Puranic Vratas

Abstract

<p>Along with pilgrimage rituals vrata-s (a form of religious vow) are one of the major forms of religious observance in popular Hinduism. Details of how these vows should be practised, who may observe them and the merit that they confer are described in many of the Pura~as (compendia of Hindu religious lore, ritual practices, philosophy, myth, geneologies and so forth written in Sanskrit between c. 400 and 1400 A.D.).</p> <p>In this thesis my aim has been to provide an explicit picture of the nature and function of these vrata-s within the Purānic context. In the first section I have traced the meaning of the term 'vrata' from its earliest usage in the Rgveda to its usage in the Puranas where it became identified with a religious observance involving fasting, pūjā (worship), and dāna (the giving of gifts) directed to a deity in return for religious merit, a favour (e.g., sons), or as a form of expiation. In the next section of the thesis a selection of vrata-s from four Puranas have been described. These vrata-s are then analyzed according to nine categories, including deity to whom the vrata is to be directed, ritual requirements of the vratee, and the purpose for which the vrata is to be undertaken.</p> <p>In the process of researching this thesis certain prevalent ideas about the Purānic vrata-s found in secondary literature, such as the idea that these vrata-s are mainly directed to women or that low as well as high caste Hindus had equal privelege to observe them, were found to be misconceptions. A reason for the existence of these misconceptions is the tendency on the part of some writers to confuse sastric vrata-s (those sanctioned in the sacred texts) with popular or 'Folk' (laukika) vrata-s (those given less treatment or none at all in the texts).</p> <p>This thesis has also addressed the controversy over whether vrata-s represent a popularization of Vedic religion or a 'Brahmanization' of popular religious practice. It was determined that the texts themselves do not provide conclusive evidence for either position. Rather, all one can say is that the vrata-s incorporate elements of both Vedic or 'Brahmanic' and non-Vedic thought and practices and that this kind of fusion is itself a characteristic of the Puran.a literature.</p>