Kosali short story collection “Katha Mahak” by Dr Gobardhan Sahu released on the occasion of Maha Vishiba Sankranti function organised by Sahitya Sanskruti Titilagarh on 14 April 18.

(Part 2)

The oral narrative regarding construction of the Narsinghnath temple is as follows. The worship of Marjara-kesari by the common people at Narsinghnath is said to have been initiated by a tribal couple. According to the oral narrative, a tribal woman named Yamuna and her husband used to go to the jungle to collect fruits, leaves, firewood etc. for their living. One fine morning, while digging a place in search of kanda (roots), Yamuna and her husband observed blood spurted out from that place. An unexpected fear gripped on them. They stood there frightened and shaking. For a moment, they were speechless due to fear. When they overcame from fear, they realized that there might be some supernatural power in that place. Subsequently, they narrated their experiences before Raja Ramai Dev. Consequently, the icon of Marjara-kesari was discovered from that location and a temple was built for his worship. A wound mark found on the head of the image is supposed to have been caused by digging.

Our subsequent analysis, however, unfolds the reality that the Narsinghnath site is an ancient one. The survival of Gandhagiri as a religious site dates back at least to the early Christian era. We have numerous evidences to establish that Buddhism was widespread in West Orissa from the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD. Nagarjuna, the great expounder of the Madhyamika Philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism flourished some time during the period in Daksina Kosala, which was then under the Satavahana king Gautamiputra Satakarni. It is known from the accounts of the Chinese pilgrims Hieun Tsang and Itsing that king Satakarni (106-130 A.D.) built a magnificent Vihara for his philosopher friend Nagarjuna at Po lo mo lo ki li (Parimalagiri) which has been identified with modern Gandhagiri (Sahu, 1958:100-101; Senapati and Kuanr, 1980:43; Senapati and Sahu, 1968:5). It means that Gautamiputra Satakarni is said to have patronized Nagarjuna and constructed a brilliant vihara for him on the Parimalagiri.

In this context, mention may be made of some Buddhist relics discovered in Ganiapali. Remarkably, Ganiapali is situated near the convergence of the Ang and the Magar rivers near Melchhamunda Police Station under Padampur Sub-Division in the district of Bargarh. Most likely, the Ang valley is archaeologically exceptionally rich and Ganiapali occupies a significant place. There appears to be ruins of an ancient Stupa in Ganiapali, which is identified with ancient Muchalinda, a centre of Buddhist learning (Senapati and Mahanti, 1971:49,531).

Chitrasen Pasayat is an OAS comments on culture

(Part 1)

Narsinghnath has constantly drawn the attention and consideration of scholars belonging to diverse disciplines such as sociology, history, archaeology, art, and culture for a very long time. The ground is that it continues to offer novel information partly because various pieces of facts exposed in this field compel us to rethink and reorganize and partly because the ever-growing intricacy in the political landscape of west Orissa which encourage additional examination to reconfigure certain images and symbols for the purpose of socio-historical reconstruction and rebuilding of this place. The present paper is an endeavour to understand and appreciate the mode and probable reasons of assimilation of a local deity called Narsinghnath (Little Tradition) in the wider Hindu society and culture (Great Tradition) in the modern west Orissa i.e. erstwhile Chauhan Rajya (state or kingdom).

In the present context, we have relied largely on the material and substance from the oral tradition accessible in the local areas, which sustains this process of assimilation. Generally, historians have shown slight regard for the oral tradition and in only some places, they treat the claims of the oral evidence rather cavalierly. Nevertheless, it is recommended here that oral narratives like myth and legend are manufactured and attached to the Narsinghnath Tirtha (pilgrimage) to establish and to validate the faith of the numerically dominant aborigines with the Hindu epic tradition and thereby the larger Hindu religious tradition (Great Tradition). Accordingly, aesthetic consideration plays relatively an insignificant role in the present study.

The area of our study is Narsinghnath Tirtha. The shrine of Narsinghnath is bounded by rich jungles and is situated about 32 kms. south-west of Padampur town. It is quaintly situated at the foot of a hill of similar name Narsinghnath, which is an essential part of the Gandhagiri or Gandhamardan hill range. This hill range rises from 2000 to 3000 feet in height and reaches its highest point 3234 feet in the peak of Narsinghnath hill. This Tirtha is in the former Borasambar zamindari under the previous Patna Rajya i.e. Patnagarh. Afterward, it became a part of erstwhile Sambalpur Rajya.

One branch of the Gandhamardan hill range runs along the southern frontier of the ex-Borasambar zamindari and separates Bargarh district from the district of Bolangir.

Narsinghnath temple is positioned on the northern side of the Gandhamardan hill range inside Bargarh district. On its southern slope almost at the foot of the hill is Harisankar / Hari-Sankar, another place of pilgrimage. A difficult path links Harisankar and Narsinghnath across thickly forested mountainous tract. Perennial brooks ooze out on both sides of this hill range. From the northern crest of this range springs a famous stream called Papa-Harni Nala, sequentially called Kapil-Dhar, Bhim-Dhar, and Chal-Dhar and descends to the foot of the hill where Narsinghnath Pitha is situated. On the southern slope, a similar stream named Papa-Nasini (the destroyer of sin) issues from the crest from the range and descends to the foot of the hill where HariSankar Pitha is located. Another range branches off to the west of Narsinghnath running first north-south and then north-east near Jagdalpur in the state of Chhattisgarh where it is broken by the river Ang / Ong. Another range runs eastward to Tal and then to the northeast forming the boundary between the Bargarh district of Orissa and the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh (Senapati and Sahu, 1971, 1968:5,483-84; Senapati and Mahanti, 1971:9). In view of this, it may be understood that Borasambar zamindari was advantageously situated from political, military otherwise security point of view.

It would not be out of context to point out here that Gandhagiri is very popular in the literature of history, mythology, culture and various Puranas of Hindu Great Tradition. The Gandhamardan of the Ramayana may as well be identified with this range of hills (Senapati and Sahu, 1968:5; Senapati and Mahanti, 1971:9). The tradition ascribes the construction of Narsinghnath temple on Gandhagiri to Vaijala Dev-I (1410-1430 A.D.). An inscription of 1413 A.D. found in this temple attests it. Vaijala Dev-I is the fourth Chauhan ruler of Patnagarh and is supposed to be the builder of Narsinghnath temple whereas his queen Durlabha Devi is said to have built the Hari-Sankar temple. The former is dedicated to Lord Visnu (Hari) while the latter is dedicated to Lord Siva (Hara). Nevertheless, according to the oral narrative prevalent in the local area, Raja Ramai Dev (1360-1385 A.D.), the founder of the Chauhan dynasty / kingdom in Patnagarh is said to have built these temples.

Chitrasen Pasayat is an OAS and researcher on culture of Odisha

While going through The Treasury of Knowledge by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, I cam across numerous references to Sakyamitra and his his renowned text KoshalAlankAra-tattwasangraha-tikA. Kongtrul (1813-1899), the author of this encyclopedic work,   is described as an outstanding teacher. He has written many other major works on Vajrayana, this one being one of his most outstanding one. It gives a panoramic view of all the major Vajrayanic traditions and practices mainly based upon Tibetan literature, much of which are translations of Sanskrit works of Indian monks, most of which are lost because of destruction of Nalanda by Muslim invasion. Since my discovery of Sakyamitra in The treasury of Knowledge, I am across his name in many other works. More recently I found extensive coverage on him in Indian Esoteric Buddhism by Ronald M. Davidson who has kindly sent me Tattwasangraha (Tibetan), KoshalAnkAra (Tibetan) and Panchakrama (Sanskrit). In this essay, I will try to summarise all that I could find on Sakyamitra , and hopefully will give a bare outline of this monk.

Who is Sakyamitra ? He certainly was a Vajrayani Buddhist monk. Most likely his original name was different, but he must have been given this name after his ordination. Sakya is a very popular name among Buddhists because Buddha was from Sakya tribe. As he was from Koshala he named his commentary on Tattwasangraha as KoshalAlankara (Ornament of Koshala) according to Dr.Donaldson as well as Eva Eva Dargyay, the well known author of the classic, The Rise of Esoteric Buddhism in Tibet. Tattwasangraha (Summation of Essential Principles) had three commentators, Anandagarbha, Buddhaguhya and Sakyamitra, all of them recognised as great masters of Anuttara Yoga. From what I gather though there is great deal of similarities among the three commentaries, there are some basic differences. So it seems Sakyamitra called his as KoshalAlankAra, either to emphasise the distinctiveness or to identify it as a manual to be used in Koshala. Unlike Vairochanavajra, the twelfth century Koshali buddhist monk who clearly states of his origin to be Sonepur, we do not know the location of his birthplace in Koshala. His root guru was Acharya Sakyaprabha, though he had many more gurus under whom he learnt the various subtleties of yoga and he lived during the period of king Devapala (810-850 AD). It seems he was contemporary of great names of Vajrayana such as Indrabhuti and Sthiramati. Padmasambhaba, who is considered as the great Guru of Tibetans was studying with him under the same Guru, Sakyaprabha. Incidentally, Tibetans call him Sakya-bses-gnyen. His main disciple was Dharmarakshita, who was one of the three people who translated this text into Tibetan. There seems to be no record of Sakyamitra’s travel to Tibet. According to Eva Dargyay, the tradition of Anuyoga ended in india with Dharmarakshita, but flourished in Tibet. Thus Sakyamitra was a revered figure in Tibet through his work.

What else do we know about him? In his KoshalAlankAra, he gives vivid description. Since I have no knowledge in Tibetan, I am giving below Dr. Davidson’s translation of the relevant passage given in his book.

“At the good city(? Bhadranagara), with great faith I first pleased the highest Guru,Buddhasena,who has obtained great fame. I received his permission (to practice) and obtained the rituals and vows. From him, I learned much and reflected on many teachings.

At Konkana, DramiNa, iswarasrisamaja, I happily served Dharmasena, and DharmAkara.

At Sahya (Western Ghats), I prayed to mavajra, of most excellent name, and gave much service to Usnisavajra.

I then went to the source of qualities, Odiyana in the north. There I served king Indrabhuti, holder of the reality of tantras’ meaning.

At Tagkye City(?) I happily relied on the KoshalachAra “SthiramatibuddhAkara-silajna. But a fraction of a method of the scripture that I realised directly from the teacher’s own mouth, I have contemplated so that the gradual worldly ritual of yoga, in accordance with the teacher’s (instruction) will remain for a long time”.

Please note the name great yoga master Sthiramati who is extensively quoted by my friend Herbert Guenther, the author of Philosophy and Psychology of Abhidharma, and he is a KoshalAcharya ! Evidently he also comes from Koshala. Someday, when I come across his biography, I will write about it. It seems the cocroach theory is correct:  if you see one, be sure there are others. By eighth century , Koshal has emerged as a major Buddhist center of Vajrayana. Huen Tsang in his travelogue (629 AD) gives extensive coverage of Vajrayanist Nagarjuna (dead by that time) in Parimalagiri, modern Gandhamardana Hills in Paikmal. It is obvious that the then social and religious ambiance of Koshala as well as royal patronage was conducive to rise of Vajrayana in the region.

The other interesting bit in the above quotation refers to location of Odiyana, the birth place of Vajrayana. It is in the north, consistent with claims of Tibetan sources. This is supported by writing of pilgrimage of another Vajrayanist monk BuddhajnAnapada, a contemporary of Sakyamitra. He writes,”The place Gunodaya is 230 yojanas (920 miles) north of Magadha. It is called the Source of Qualities (Gunodaya) because the Dakini’s blessing arises out of it. The name is applied to Odiyana………………..”. Unfortunately this is not consistent with identification of Odiyana with Odisha.

This is getting too long. Someday, I will write a brief introduction to Tattwasangraha from the scraps of information I have collected.