North Indian Inscriptions

RELIGIOUS HISTORY

       We have seen how the Asura Bali was dealt with by Vishṇu. But there was another demon called Madhu who is associated with Vishṇu and was in fact killed by him. In fact, he was for that reason called Madhusūdana. The second half of verse 15 of the Gaṅgadhār inscription referred to above has the following: “when it is the time of the ending of the slumbers of (Vishṇu) who destroyed Madhu and was a scion of Śūra.” Here three points are involved. The first is that Vishṇu is called Madhusūdana, the second is that he falls into slumbers which come to an end on a specific day and the third is that he is a scion of Śūra. Let us take the third point first. Everybody knows that Śūra was the name of Yādava who was the grandfather of Kṛishṇa.¹ This is additional evidence of the identification of Kṛishṇa with Vishṇu during this period. As regards the first point, the Pūrāṇas represent Madhu to be killed along with Kaiṭabha by Vishṇu. They were demons sprung from the ears of Vishṇu, while he was asleep, and were slain by him as they were about to devour Brahman.² Of course, the Purāṇas differ as to how they sprung up and also how they came to be killed. These differences must exist as new mythology was in the making. This much, however, is certain that Vishṇu killed them both and was for that reason known not only as Madhusūdana but also as Kaiṭabhajit. Of course, the epithet, Madhusūdana, is mentioned in the Gaṅgadhār Inscription and Kaiṭabhajit is not yet found in any Gupta record. But this ab silentio argument is no good, as all the Purāṇas mention Madhu and Kaiṭabha together and as being slain by Vishṇu. The third and most important point raised is that Vishṇu sleeps and is awakened from his slumbers. This no doubt refers to the myth that Vishṇu sleeps four months of the rainy season, that his slumber commences on the 11th of the bright half of Āshāḍha and that it ends on the 11th of the bright half of Kārtika. Those days have been named Śayanī and Prabōdhinī Ēkādaśīs respectively in the Padma-Purāṇa.

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This, however, seems to be a new development in the mythology of Vishṇu and has nothing to do with the myth of cosmic sleep foisted on him through Purusha-Nārāyaṇa being identified with him. So far, so good. Another divinity, who has been merged into Purāṇic Vishṇu, is Purusha-Nārāyaṇa about whom we have said enough above. The third deity that has been so merged is Vāsudēva-Kṛishṇa. We have already adverted to the Bhitarī pillar inscription (No. 31 below), where Skandagupta is, after destroying his enemy, described as visiting his mother just as Kṛishṇa did Dēvakī. The story about Kṛishṇa, Dēvakī and his enemy Kaṁsa is too well-known to require any repetition.³ Another passage that we have to take note of occurs in verse 16-17 of the Mandasor stone inscription of Vishṇuvardhana.⁴ They describe one Bhagavaddōsha as a prop to his relatives just as Uddhava was to the Andhakas in the proper course of duty and as one who, like Vidura, ‘looked far ahead’ even in the devious path of Polity. Now Uddhava was Kṛishṇa’s cousin, being son of Dēvabhāga, brother of Vāsudēva. He was fond of carrying on discussions on philosophy⁵ and pointing out paths of duty to his relatives. Vidura was the younger brother of Pāṇḍu and was considered to be dīrgha-darśana ‘looking far ahead.’⁶ Sabhā-Parvan, 50.8, says that Vidura was well conversant with the Science of Polity on which Bṛihaspati discoursed to Indra; and Udyoga-Parvan, 32-40, actually sets forth, under the title Vidura-vākya, his own views on the same subject, namely, Polity. There is a third incident in the life of Vāsudēva-Kṛishṇa which is also incidentally
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¹ Padma-P., V. 13. 108-09; Vāyu-P., 96. 143-44; Matsya-P., 46. 1; Harivaṁśa-P., verses 1922-23. In this connection we cannot help praising D. R. Patil’s Gupta Inscriptions and the Puranic Tradition and Tables, etc., done under the supervision of H. D. Sankalia.
² Brahma-Vaivarta-P., I. 4. 26-28; Padma-P., V. 37. 19 and MBh., III. 202; and Mārkaṇḍēya-P., 81. 50 ff.
³ Vishṇu-P., IV. 15; V. 1-2; Padma-P., Bk.III, ch. 13; Bhāgavata, III. 1. 33; III. 2. 17; X. 3. 24 ff., MBh., I. 63.
⁴ CII., Vol. III, 1888, No. 35.
⁵ Bhāgavata, XI. 6. 40-29.49, which is known as Uddhava-gītā.
⁶ Udyōga-Parvan, 32. 5.