Dear colleagues

I am interested in the contemporary uses of puranic texts, in particulary the Skandapurāṇa. Below is a list of the main māhātmya of the Skanda.

Do any of you good folk know if any of these texts are still recited or at least drawn on or employed in ritual in their relevant situations?

Thanks in advance

McComas


Section no.

Section title

Contents of section

1.2

Kaumārika-khaṇḍa (KKh)

māhātmya of Mahīsāgarasaṃgama tīrtha, (Kambath, Gujarat)

2.1

Veṅkaṭācala-māhātmya (VM)

Mt Tirumali, near Tirupati, AP

2.2

Puruṣottamakṣetra- māhātmya (PM)

Puri, Orissa

2.3

Badarikāṣrama-māhātmya (BM)

Badrinath, Uttarakhand

2.4

Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya (KM)

various rites to be performed during this month

2.6

Bhāgavata-māhātmya (BhM)

māhātmya of Bhāgavata-purāṇa

2.7

Vaiśākhamāsa-māhātmya (VaiśM)

rites performed for Viṣṇu in month of Vaiśākha

2.8

Ayodhyā-māhātmya (AM)

tīrthas around Ayodhyā, UP

2.9

Vāsudeva-māhātmya (VāsM)

churning of the ocean, description of the earth, dharma of varṇa and āśrama

3.1

Setu-māhātmya (SM)

Ramsetu, TN ‘Adam’s Bridge’

3.3

Brāhmottara-khaṇḍa (BKh)

greatness and glorification of Śiva

4.1-4.2

Kāśī-khaṇḍa

Varanasi 

5.3

Revā-khaṇḍa

tīrthas and temples on banks of Narmadā R

6

Nāgara-khaṇḍa

akeśvaraketra  and Vaḍnagara, Gujarat

7.2

Vastrāpathakṣetra- māhātmya (Vaṅga.)

Gujarat

7.4

Dvārakā-māhātmya

Kṛṣṇa’s capital after flight from Mathurā, traditionally associated with Gujarat


--
McComas Taylor
Head, South Asia Program
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
Tel: +61 2 6125 3179
Location: Baldessin Precinct Building, 4.24
Website: http://arktos.anu.edu.au/chill/index.php/mct
Learn about my courses:  Sanskrit 1  |  Indian Epics