What is Purana?

The Veda is called Sruti because it is learnt by hearing.

It has four interwoven parts.

VEDAS

RIG-YAJUR-SAMA-ATHARVA

(Hymns or prayers in Sacrifice and Prayers in Musical form for World

Maintenance)

To make these four sections more easily performable Vyasa Deva compiled these

four parts into four separate books. Being sympathetic towards the fallen souls

of Kali-Yuga, who are lazy, misdirected and have no inclination for spiritual

life, Vyasa Deva compiled the Purana, from related historical facts, which

explain the teachings of the four Vedas. In other words, the Purana teach the

Vedic literature in story form, making spiritual life more simple, and therefore

in this age, they are more important.

There are eighteen Purana that are divided into three groups along with three

Predominating Deities.

Guna-     Nature                  Action of the Deity                                      Deity

Satwa-    Goodness             Preservation of Goodness                          Vishnu

Rajas-     Passion                     Overcoming Passion                               Brahma

Tamas-   Ignorance            Destruction of Ignorance or

                                                 Beginning of Knowledge                          Siva

A Purana describes;

1)  SARGA (Creation)

2)  PRATISARGA (Recreation)

3)  VAMSA (History of the sages)

4)  MANVANTARA (Periods of Manu)

5)  VAMSANUCARITA (Genealogy of Kings)

They are divided in this way to gradually raise the conditioned soul from

ignorance to pure goodness. The three divisions of the Purana are compiled in

this way to appeal to those people in these respective modes and to thus elevate

them to the perfection of life.

LORD VISHNI (Predominating Deity)

Vishnu Purana - 23,000 verses. Stories of various devotees;     A description

of varnasrama;     The six angas of the Veda; A description of the age of

Kali; It describes the Sveta Varaha Kalpa, Vishnu dharmotara;

Naradiya Purana - 25,000 verses. This Purana contains a synopsis of

everything;   It describes Jagannatha Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinatha, etc.

Padma Purana - 55,000 verses. Contains the glory of Srimad Bhagavatam;    The

stories of Rama, Jagannatha, Matsya, Ekadasi, Bhrigu, etc.

Garuda Purana - 19,000 verses. Subject of Bhagavad-gita; Reincarnation;

Visnusahasranam; It describes the Tarsya Kalpa.

Varaha Purana - 24,000 verses. Describes different Vrata;   Lord Vishnu's

glories.

Bhagavata Purana - 18,000 verses. (Included by some in the mode of goodness).

LORD BRAHMA (Predominating Deity)

Brahmanda Purana - 12,000 verses.   Describes the Vedangas;   Describes the

Adi Kalpa.

Brahmavaivarta Purana - 18,000 verses. Contains the glories and pastimes of

Radha and Krishna.

Markendeya Purana - 9,000 verses. Stories of Rama and Krishna.

Bhavisya Purana - 14,500 verses. Contains the glories of devotional service;

Prediction of Lord Chaitanya.

Vamana Purana - 10,000 verses. Contains the story of Lord Trivikrama.

Brahma Purana - 10,000 verses.

LORD SIVA (Predominating Deity)

Matsya Purana - 14,000 verses. Temple construction; Describes Vamana and

Varaha Kalpas.

Kurma Purana - 17,000 verses. Contains the conversation between Krishna and the

Sun-god;     Danvantari; Describes the Laksmi Kalpa.

Linga Purana - 10,000 verses. Contains the glory of Lord Narsimha deva;

Janardhana; The story of Ambarisha; The glories of Gayatri.

Siva Purana - 24,000 verses.

Skanda Purana - 81,000 verses.

Agni Purana - 15,400 verses. Contains the description of Salagrama; Describes

the Isana kalpa.