Maps and Myths in the Matsya Purana
Maps and Myths in the Matsya Purana
This chapter looks at the vast mythological texts called Puranas, with a special focus on the Matsya Purana. The vast cosmological periods (yugas) and the maps of the universe contained in these texts are explained. The chapter also looks at two major pilgrimage centers on the Ganges and explains their religious importance. The politically charged methods of interpreting Hindu mythology are discussed, particularly in reference to the narrative of the churning of the ocean.
Keywords: Cosmography, Cosmology, Matsya Purana, Myth, Pilgrimage, Prayaga, Puranas, Varanasi (Kashi)
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