The Indonesian Brahmandapurana

Contents: Preface. Note on the pronunciations of the Kawi language. Chart of Balinese letters. I. Introduction: 1. The Indonesia—India cultural links. 2. The impact of Sanskrit literature on Indonesia: A. The Ramayana. B. The Mahabharata. C. The Purana: i. The classical Indonesian Brahmandapurana. ii. Religious life. 3. The language of classical Indonesian Brahmandapurana. 4. Authorship. 5. Translation. 6. Manuscripts. 7. Resume. II. The Kawi text of the Brahmandapurana and its English translation: 1. The sacrifice of King Adhisimakrsna. 2. Evolution of the universe. 3. Creation of the world. 4. Birth of Lord Rudra. 5. Creation of celestial sages. 6. Birth of the Thousand Rudras. 7. The progeny of the Saptarsis. 8. The destruction of Daksa’s Yajna. 9. The lineage of Ksatriyas. 10. The method of measurement of Devas and others. 11. The composer of the Mantras. 12. The line of Byasa’s disciples. 13. The branches of Vedic School. 14. The genealogy of Vedic teachers. 15. The branches of Vedas. 16. The lineage of Manu. 17. Description of Jambudvipa. 18. Description of Bharatavarsa. 19. Description of other sub-continents. 20. The descent of sacred Ganga. 21. Description of the other continents. 22. Nature of the sun and the moon. 23. Description of clouds. III. Bibliography.

"The complete Indonesian Brahmandapurana has been translated into English for the first time in this work. It was rendered into classical Indonesian language (Kawi) in the tenth century A.D. Simple and lucid, it relates the story vividly in limpid fluency. The Indonesian Brahmandapurana is not literal Kawi rendering of the Sanskrit text. It is an original text in Kawi, which has taken inspiration from the Sanskrit Brahmandapurana and the Vayupurana. It follows Sanskrit passages. Although it is much shorter, it does not generally speaking, omit, the matter what is essential. The interesting feature of the Indonesian Brahmandapurana is that many slokas, double or single "Padas" are literally borrowed and interspersed at irregular interval.

The Indonesian Brahmandapurana contains summaries of information on mythology, philosophy, geography, politics and so on. From the religious point of view, the Brahmandapurana is regarded as a sacred treatise in India as well as in ancient Indonesia. It has the ancient Vedic tradition which is called the fifth Veda.

This English translation of the Indonesian Brahmandapurana has been done for the first time. Its corresponding Kawi text is given on the opposite pages to enable researchers to understand it, in depth. The present English translation of one of the great classical Indonesian literary texts would be of great help not only to students of indology, but also to others interested in the cultural development of Southeast Asia in ancient times." (jacket)

[I. Gusti Putu Phalgunadi has also written Hinduism in Bali and The Indonesian Mahabharata: Adiparva.]