What are Puranas?

  • Puranas are ancient Hindu texts that are considered to be a part of the Vedas, the oldest and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism.
  • These texts contain a wealth of information about the history, culture, and beliefs of Hinduism, as well as stories and legends about the gods and goddesses of Hinduism.
  • The Puranas are traditionally divided into 18 major texts, which are known as the “Mahapuranas,” and 18 minor texts, which are known as the “Upapuranas.”

Why some Puranas are called Mahapuranas & Upapuranas?

The term “Mahapurana” means “great Purana,” while the term “Upapurana” means “minor Purana.” The classification of the Puranas as “Mahapuranas” or “Upapuranas” is based on their size and the amount of content they contain. The Mahapuranas are larger and more comprehensive in nature, while the Upapuranas are smaller and more focused on specific topics.

Lecture Video by Arti Chhawri

 

Five characteristics (Pancha-Lakshanas)

The Puranas are characterized by five key features, known as the “Pancha-Lakshanas” in Sanskrit. These features are:

  1. Sarga: The Puranas contain stories about the creation of the universe and the gods, as well as the histories and genealogies of different dynasties and rulers.
  2. Pratisarga: The Puranas contain stories about the destruction of the universe and the rebirth of the gods.
  3. Vamsa: The Puranas contain genealogies and histories of different dynasties and rulers.
  4. Manvantara: The Puranas contain stories about the different ages of the world, known as “Manvantaras,” and the rulers and deities associated with each age.
  5. Vamsha-vriksha: The Puranas contain stories about the genealogies of different deities and the relationships between them.