CHINMAYI DEODHAR drchinmayideodhar@gmail.com
MADHAVI NARSALAY madhavinarsalay@yahoo.com
University of Mumbai
NAIMIṢĀRAṆYA: A BACKDROP FOR NARRATIONS
Araṇya is a Sanskrit word signifying the meaning as forest. The word is derived from the root √ṛ meaning ‘to go’. It is further explained as aryate gamyate śeṣe vayasi “the place which is fit to reside in at the later stage of the life”. This shade of the meaning definitely refers to the Vānaprastha stage of life according to ancient Hindu system. These forests have played very important role in social and philosophical history of India. An entire section of Vedic literature namely Āraṇyakas was composed in the forests. The foresters’ life was also considered as important and stay in forests is included in framework of Dharmaśāstras. Araṇyas were used in ancient India as place for study, place for contemplation, place for performance of various sacrifices. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that ample references of some specific forests like Daṇḍakāraṇya, Naimiṣāraṇya can be found in Sanskrit literature especially in Epic and Purāṇic literature. Very often it is described as sages staying or coming together in a forest used to perform sacrifices of different types like Satra. This provided very suitable environment for Purāṇa narration. Naimiṣāraṇya is mentioned in Kāṭhaka-Saṁhitā, Tāṇḍya-Mahābrāhmaṇa, Chāndogya–Upaniṣad, Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata and many of the Purāṇas. Mahābhārata mentions clearly that Sauti narrated Mahābhārata to sage Śaunaka and other sages. This forest appears as the location of narration in case of some Purāṇas also. The paper aims at understanding the significance of Naimiṣāraṇya as the location of “Narrations”.