Kalpabheda

[McComas Taylor]

Dear Colleagues

sAdaraM namo namH

On the question of contradictions among the purANas more broadly, the 
creators of the ZivapurANa acknowledge disagreement among texts, but 
claim that the appearance of their purANa will lay all these 
disagreements to rest:

Before the ZP arises in the world:

‘all the śāstras will contradict one another’ (ZP 1.2.7)
'all [other] purāṇas will clamour on the surface of the earth' (ZP 1.2.10)

there will be disputes among tIrthas, mantras, places of pilgrimage, 
pITha (seat, throne, sacred place), donations, devas and doctrines 
(siddhAntA) (ZP1.2.11-17)

Their idea is, 'Yes, there are contradictions among the purANas, but 
what the ZP says is correct!'

iti bhavatAm

McComas



Toke Lindegaard Knudsen wrote:
> Dear Indologists,
>
> Would any of you know if anyone has written on the idea of kalpabheda that is used in the tradition of puranic hermeneutics to explain contradictions in the puranas?  I have searched a bit, but have thus far only found the term mentioned in Jiva Gosvamin's Brhatvaisnavatosani commentary on Bhagavatapurana 10.33.26.  The idea must be much older than Jiva Gosvamin, though.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
> Toke Lindegaard Knudsen
>   


-- 
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Dr McComas Taylor
Head, South Asia Centre
Faculty of Asian Studies
The Australian National University
ACTON ACT 0200

Tel: +61 2 6125 3179
Fax: +61 2 6125 8326

Email: mccomas.taylor at anu.edu.au
URL: http://asianstudies.anu.edu.au/wiki/index.php/Dr_McComas_Taylor
Location: Room E4.26 Baldessin Precinct Building