HINDU PURANAS

INTRODUCTION
The word Puranas covers a wide range of topics
and it is mainly composed in Sanskrit, but also in
Tamil and other Indian languages, and these are
focussed the major Hindu deities such as Vishnu,
Shiva and Devi and narrates their importance.
There are 18 Puranas and have been important in
the Hindu culture. All Puranas praise Hindu gods
and goddesses. The Bhagavata Purana has been
the popular text in Hinduism and is considered as
a very holy one, since it tells the leelas of Lord
Krishna during his childhood. Sage Vyasa, is
credited as the compiler of the Puranas.
The details of the 18 Puranas are as follows:-
1.Agni Purana
The Agni Purana, is one of the eighteen
major Puranas of Hinduism. The text is classified
as a Purana related
to Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism, but also
considered as a text that covers them all.

2.Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavatam , is one of Hinduism's
eighteen Puranas. It is composed in Sanskrit and
also in all major Indian languages, it
promotes bhakti to Krishna. The Bhagavata
Purana is a revered text in Vaishnavism.

3.Brahma Purana
The Brahma Purana is one of the eighteen
major Puranas in Sanskrit language. It is also
called as Adhi Purana. Another title for this text
is Saura Purana, because it includes many
chapters related to the Sun god.
The Brahma Purana contains several passages
from Mahabharata and Puranas such as the
Vishnu, Vayu, Samba, and Markandeya.

4. Brahmanda Purana

The Brahmanda Purana is one of the eighteen

major Puranas.It is listed as the eighteenth Maha-
Purana. It is one among the oldest Puranas.
The Brahmanda Purana includes the Lalita
Sahasranamam, which tells the glory of Goddess
Parvathi.

5. Brahma Vaivarta Purana

The Brahmavaivarta is a Sanskrit text and a
Maha-purana of Hinduism. It
features Krishna and Radha,and is
a Vaishnavism text.
The text identifies Lord Krishna as the supreme
reality, and asserting that all gods such
as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Ganesha,Muruga are
the incarnations of Lord Krishna.
6. Garuda Purana
The Garuda Purana is one of
18 Mahapuraṇ in Hinduism. It is a part
of Vaishnavism literature, primarily centering
around Hindu god Vishnu and also praises all
other gods.
The text contains relationship between gods,
good versus evil, the theory of "heaven and hell"
with "karma and rebirth" and ancestral rites.

7. Kurma Purana
The Kurma Purana is one of the
eighteen Mahapuranas. The text is named after
the tortoise avatar of Vishnu.
The Padma Purana categorizes Kurma Purana as
a Tamas Purana.

8. Linga Purana
The Linga Purana is one of the
eighteen Mahapuranas, and a Shaivism text
of Hinduism.
The text tells us the worship of Linga, and is
mainly focussed on Shiva as a Supreme
God. However, along with the worship of Lord
Shiva, the Linga Purana includes the importance
for Vishnu and Brahma.

9. Markandeya Purana
The Markandeya Purana is a Sanskrit text
of Hinduism, and is one of the eighteen
major Puranas. The text's title Markandeya refers
to a sage in Hindu mythology, who is the central
character in two legends, one linked to Shiva and
other to Vishnu.
The Markandeya text is probably one of the oldest
Puranas in Hinduism.

10. Matsya Purana

The Matsya Purana is one of the eighteen

major Puranas, and among the oldest puranas
in Hinduism. The text is named after the half-
human and half-fish avatar of Vishnu.
A history written with five characteristics is called a
Purana, states Matsya Purana.

11. Naradiya Purana

The Naradiya Purana, are two Sanskrit texts, one
of which is a major Purana of Hinduism, while the
other is a minor Purana.
The Naradiya Purana is notable for dedicating
eighteen chapters on other Puranas.
The Naradiya Purana consists of two parts, with
the first called Purvabhaga and second
called Uttarabhaga.

12. Padma Purana

The Padma Purana is one of the eighteen major
Puranas, a classification of texts of Dharmic
religions. It is named after the lotus in which
creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large
sections dedicated to Vishnu, as well as significant
sections on Shiva and Shakti.
13. Shiva Purana
The Shiva Purana is one of the
eighteen Puranas in Hinduism, and part of
the Shaivism. It primarily focuses on the Hindu
god Shiva and goddess Parvati, and also tells the
importance of all other gods.

14. Skanda Purana

The Skanda Purana is the largest Mahapuraṇa, is
part of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son
of Shiva and Parvati, who is also known
as Kartikeya and Murugan. The text is named after
Skanda. The text has been considered as an
important one in hinduism and relates to the god
Skanda. This Mahapurana, like others, is
attributed to the sage Vyasa.

15. Vamana Purana

The Vamana Purana , is one of the eighteen
major Puranas of Hinduism. The text is named
after one of the incarnations of Vishnu and it was
a Vaishnava text in its origin.
16.Varaha
The Varaha Purana is a ancient literature
in Hinduism. It belongs to
the Vaishnavism praising Narayana who took the
form of varaha for safeguarding the earth goddess
“Bhoomi Devi” from the demon Hiraniyakshan, and
also praises on Shiva and Shakti.

17. Vayu Purana

The Vayu Purana is a Sanskrit text and one of
the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. Vayu
Purana is mentioned in Mahabharata and other
Hindu texts, and it is considered that the text is
oldest among the puranas.

18. Vishnu Purana

The 'Vishnu Purana’ is one of the
eighteen Mahapuranas, It is an
important Pancharatra text in Vaishnavism.
It primarily tells the importance of the Hindu
god Vishnu and his avatars such as Krishna, and
also praises Brahma and Shiva and quotes that
they are one with Vishnu. Vishnu Purana, like all
major Puranas, attributes its author to be
sage Veda Vyasa.
CONCLUSION
By reading all these 18 puranas, we will get
enlightenment in our life. We will get a great
punyam(Good Karma), and will find positive
vibrations in our life. Our needs will get fulfilled,
and all sorts of difficulties and problems in our life
will get eliminated by reading these divine texts.Let
us pray to the gods and the compiler of the
puranas -“The Great Guru Sree Veda Vyasa”
and chant their holy names and be blessed.
Guru Brahma,Guru Vishnu,Guru Devo
Maheshwarah
Guru Saakshaat Para brahma
Tasmai Shri Guruveh Namaha
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR