The original Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa and ...

The original Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa and its Assamese version: A Comparative study with special reference to the episode of subjugation of Kāliya

Author Name : Ms. Jewti Boruah

ABSTRACT The purāṇas are very important parts of the Hindu sacred literature. There are eighteen major purāṇas (mahāpurāṇa) and eighteen minor purāṇas (upapurāṇa). These purāṇas deal with various branches of knowledge. Among the eighteen major purāṇas Śrīmadbhāgavata is one of the most popular and widely circulated purāṇa. It is called best among the purāṇas (purāṇasūrya).This purāṇa consists of 12 skandhas and has great influence on the socio cultural life of India through the ages. It has been translated into almost all the Indian languages including Assamese language. Srimanta Sankardeva (1449-1568) and some other vaiṣṇava scholars translated the original Śrimadbhāgavata, which is written in Sanskrit, into Assamese. Srimanta Sankardeva undertook the task of rendering of the major portion of it. He was a saint, scholar, playwright, social-religious reformer and the founder of Ekaśaraṇa Nām Dharma of Assam. Keeping the Assamese people and society in their minds the scholars like Sankardeva rendered the original Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa into Assamese. Therefore, they made some innovations and deviations which were suitable for Assamese culture and society. Here, we will make an attempt to find out the differences between the original Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa and its Assamese version with special reference to the episode of Suppressing of Kāliya (rendered by Srimanta Sankardeva ) which is found in the 10th skandha of the Śrīmadbhāgavata.