Saranagati (As Reflected in the Major Purana-s)

Dr. Pai has a long association with the Bhandarkar Institute. In the early sixties of the last century he submitted to the University of Poona (now Savitribai Phule Pune University) through the Institute his doctoral dissertation written under the guidance of Dr. A. D. Pusalker. Dr. Pai was a resident of our Nizam's Guest House during that period. He has also been associated with research projects of the Institute.

Dr. Pai is a renowned scholar of Puranas. He has a number of publications to his credit on various cultural aspects, especially puranic religion and philosophy. This is his second work published by the Institute.

The present work is a study mainly of the relevant legends available in the Major Puranas, in the light of the above definition. The contents of the work are divided under four heads viz., I - Introduction, II - Saranam and Saranagati in Puranas, III - Saranagati Legends in Puranas and IV - Karma, Bandha and Saranagati.

Whereas it is only four or five of the Saranagati -Legends which have become popular, such as that of Prahlada, Dhruva, Gajendramoksa, Kaliya and Kakasura, the present work provides an exhausted list of the legends collected from the Major Puranas. Altogether there are thirty three legends (Vaisnava - 24; Saiva - 8 and Saba - 1) of Saranagati- import presented in this. work. While dealing with every legend attempt has been made to exhaustively quote the original verses of Saranagati-import which would help the reader arrive at his own assessment of the material. The verses thus quoted are either preceded or immediately followed with an English translation.

Besides the main legends, additional material relevant to the topic available in the Purana-texts is also tapped.

The works which have been utilized in the present study are listed under Bibliography. In addition I have made full use of the English Translations of the Puranas brought out by M/s. Motilal Banarsidass under the Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology series. I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to all the scholars whose works I have utilized in the preparation of the work.

I am grateful to the authorities of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune and especially to Dr. S. S. Bahulkar, for having accepted this work for publication.

I am also thankful to Shri. Sateesh Sangle (Retd.) and other members of the staff of the R. N. Dandekar Library (BOR!) for their unstinted co-operation extended to me during the production of this work.

I have also to thank Mr. Lagu Bhalchandra Yashwant, M/s. Pratibha D.T.P. Centre, Thane, for expeditious completion of Type- setting and page-making of the work.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages