The revelation of God in the Bhagavata purana

Abstract

Rise and development of traditional lore occurs within rigid frameworks of cultural and “literary” stereotypes. These stereotypes repeat themselves in a vast number of traditional texts. New ideas and concepts are superimposed upon an age-long pattern, without fully transforming it, but giving it new accents, overtones. In the article “The revelation of God in the Bhagavata purana” Yu. G. Kokova shows that the bhakti ideas in the purana come to some contradictions with the traditional description of the epiphany. These ideas, however important they might be, have not modified the narrative pattern. Yu. G. Kokova assumes that the preservation of the subjects and themes which are considered typical of the puranas and their realization in the canonized narrative model apparently meet the listeners’ expectations. The repletion of structurally similar descriptions of religious experience implies their unchallenged authority for popular mentality. Moreover, the character of the relationship between the god and believer, ingrained in the epithany, fits the “everyday” hindu practices.

Keywords:

Theophany, bhakti, purana, narrative model, Krishna, bhakta