The
Puranas are ancient and very important religious texts belonging to the
Hindu, Jain and Buddhist pantheons. These consist largely of narratives
about the history of the universe and its numerous epochs or cycles
from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and
demigods. These texts also deal with Hindu cosmology and philosophy.
Rishi Vyasa, the narrator of the
Mahabharata, is believed to have originally compiled the Puranas. But
the earliest written record of this text dates back to the time of the
Gupta Empire, around the 3rd-5th Centure CE. Of course, this date does
not in any way indicate the date of origin of the Puranas. But experts
believe the Puranas are essentially dynamic in nature and have
constantly evolved and been modified over the subsequent centuries and
continue so even to date.
There are 18 main Puranas, also
referred to as the Mahapuranas. There is also an equal number of
subsidiary or Upa-Puranas.
In this particular article, we deal with the 18 Mahapuranas, which are
as follows:
Vyasa was left dissatisfied even after
having written the Mahabharata. Sage Narada went to him and asked him,
then, to write Srimad Bhagavatam, or the Bhagavata Purana. This is
considered the most important Purana, as it describes the ten
incarnations (Dashavatara) of Lord Vishnu and also gives a detailed
account of Lord Krishna's life. The Bhagavata Purana is divided into
twelve cantos or chapters and has a total of 18,000 verses.
Vyasa then imparted the knowledge of Bhagvatam to his son Suka Bramha
Rishi. Suka then recited the same to Maharaja Parikshit, a great and
wise King, in an assembly of learned saints. He had unfortunately
received a curse that he would die within the following week. He then
renounced his kingdom and stayed at the bank of the Ganges, in order to
fast unto death.
The Bhagavatam starts with Parikshit asking Suka Brahma rishi to give
him the knowledge of the right path and liberation. The sage, in
response, narrated the Bhagavatam to him for the seven days, till the
king breathes his last.
According to Skanda Purana, "Whoever makes a copy of the Bhagavatam and
donates it, on a golden lion throne, on the full moon day in the month
of Bhadra, will attain the supreme destination".
The Vishnu Purana, again a very
important one in the Mahapurana list, is considered a Puranaratna or
gem among Puranas. Presented as a dialogue between Parashar and his
disciple Maitreya, this Purana is split into six amsas or parts and 126
adyayas or chapters. The creation of myths, stories of battles fought
between the Devas and the Asuras, the Dashavataras of Vishnu and
genealogy of legendary kings form the basic topics of this Purana.
According to the Matsya Puranas, the Vishnu Purana has 23,000 slokas or
verses. But in actuality, experts have found only about 7,000 verses.
This text introduces the concept of four yugas or epochs. The story of
Rudra, the Samudra Manthan or the Churning of the Milky Ocean, the tale
of Dhruva, an ardent devotee of Vishnu, and tales of kings Vena and
Prithu feature in the first section.
The second section deals with tales of Prithu's descendants, the
Prachetas, the tale of Prahlada and Hiranyakashipu (where Vishnu takes
the form of the half-man half-lion Narasimha), some concepts of the
universe, and tales of the many births of Jadabharata.
The third amsa of the Vishnu Purana talks about sages Vyasa and
Yajnavalkya, Surya (the Sun God), Yama (the God of Death) and the major
devotees, Shatadhanu and Shaivya. This section also gives details about
the four varnas or classes, four ashramas or stages of life and details
of many rituals. Most importantly, this section also deals with the
Manvantara or the cycles of creation and destruction, of birth and
death.
The fourth amsa gives an account of all the famous Kings from the solar
and lunar dynasties of ancient India, as also the list of the names of
kings who would rule in the present age of the Kali Yuga. In the Kali
Yuga section, the text clearly elucidates the concepts of universal
destruction that would eventually follow as a result of extreme
violence, injustice and corruption. It states that this Yuga would
witness that the only means to success would be falsehood and that
corruption would become the rule of the day. It also explains the
importance of the Puranas in the Hindu pantheon. The Vishnudharmottara
Purana appears as an Appendix to the Vishnu Purana and is dedicated
completely to the arts.
The Vishnu Purana, considered to be one of the oldest of the Puranas,
is believed to date right back to the 1st Century BCE.
Also known as Smriti, the Garuda
Purana is a Vaishnava Purana. The first part is a dialogue between
Vishnu and his vahana (vehicle) Garuda, while the second talks about
life after death, funeral rites and the principles of reincarnation.
This Purana deals with astronomy, medicine and gemstone qualities.
The Garuda Purana has nineteen thousand slokas. Vyasa had taught the
Puranas to his disciple, Romaharshana. It was this disciple who related
the stories to one and all. It is believed that Suta, the son of
Romaharshana, related the same to sages. But some others believe that
Romaharshana, himself belonging to the Suta class, could have related
the Puranas to the sages, and not his son.
Romaharshana was also the one who had knowledge of the twenty-two major
avataras of Vishnu, while the rest of the world knew of only ten. The
other avataras included forms such as Mohini, Narada himself, Urukrama,
king Prithu and so on.
In the second section, the Garuda Purana also clearly lists the various
types of punishment that would be meted out to sinning souls after
their death.
The Brahma Purana comprises 246
chapters and is divided into two parts, namely, the Poorvabhaga and the
Uttarabhaga. The first part relates the story of the creation of the
cosmos and enlists the leelas (miracles) of Rama and Krishna. It also
deals with Gautami Mahatmyam or the glory of the Godavari River.
The second part of this Purana gives details about the Purushottama
Tirtha, which is one of the holiest places of visit for Hindus,
situated in Puri, in the state of Orissa. It also talks about how the
knowledge of the Puranas can help enhance people's lives, irrespective
of the caste or class that they are born into. This particular Purana
also talks about the relevance of Yoga and its quality to unite the
human soul or Jivatma with the Univeral Soul or the Paramatma.
Incidentally, the Brahma Purana is the Purana where the Rajas or the
relatively more negative guna (nature) is seen to prevail among people.
The Padma Purana, dating back between
the 8th and 11th Centuries, is again a Vaishnava Purana. It is divided
into five sections, namely, the Shrishti Khanda, Bhoomi Khanda, Swarga
Khanda, Patala Khanda and Uttara Khanda.
In the first part, Rishi Pulastya tells Bhishma all about the true
essence of religion. It also gives details about the Pushkara, a place
of pilgrimage for Hindus. There are also some details about the worship
of grahas or planets in this section.
The second part describes the Prithvi or the Earth in detail. This
section deals with the life and times of several sages and important
kings such as Prithu and Yayati, also giving factual elements of the
history and geography prevalent at that period in time.
The third one describes the cosmos, with particular focus on the
description of the Bharata Varsha or India. Additionally, it also gives
the significance of many holy places, lists the features of the
Jambudwipa and also talks about the people of ancient India.
The fourth section lists the deeds of Rama and Krishna. The 16 chapters
of this Khanda are collectively referred to as the Shiva Gita.
The fifth and final part is a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati. The
last part again deals with the knowledge of religion. This part also
contains the Rama Sahasranama (thousand names of Rama) and another
version of the Vishnu Sahasranama.
The Narada Purana, also referred to as
the Naradiya Purana, enlists the various places of pilgrimage for
Hindus, along with their exact location and religious significance. It
is presented as a dialogue between Narada and Sanathkumara. It also
deals with the dynamics of the cosmos.
This Purana is divided into two parts, the first of which, incorporates
the whole of the Brihannaradiya Purana.
The Narada Purana contains some of the
most popular stories featuring in many other Mahapuranas, including the
story of Markandeya. Markandeya was the son of Rishi Mrikandu and was
born with the grace of Vishnu. An ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, he
lives eternally and even survives the Mahapralaya (the end of the
cosmic cycle).
What makes this particular story different is that Markandeya,
according to the Linga Purana, is popularly believed to have been saved
from very early death, by the grace of Lord Shiva. But here, he is
saved by Vishnu and is then granted immortality.
The Shiva Purana was originally
referred to as the Saiva Purana. Originally, it was believed to
comprise 12 Samhitas or chapters and 100,000 slokas. After it had been
reconstructed and abridged by Vedavyasa, though, it now comprises 6
samhitas and 24,000 slokas. The six sections are the Jnana samhita,
Vidyeshwara samhita, Kailasa samhita, Sanathkumara samhita, Vayaviya
samhita and the Dharma samhita.
This Purana talks about the emergence of the Shivalinga form of Shiva,
as also that of the Rudra, who is no different from Shiva. Finally, it
talks about how Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva emerge as one form, embodying
the different cosmic aspects of Shrishti, Sthiti and Samhara, that is,
creation, maintenance and destruction respectively.
Rudra weds Sati, the daughter of Daksha. He then loses Sati when she
jumps into the Homakunda (ritual fire) prepared by her father for
conducting a Yagna or sacrificial ritual. Rudra then leaves with Sati's
body and heads deep into the forest for penance. Sati is reborn as
Parvati. She wins him over with her own penance and they finally
reunite as Shiva and Parvati.
This Purana also gives details about the destruction of the demon
Tarakasura and the birth of Ganesha and his brother, Karthikeya. It
goes on to enlist the sacred Tirthas, the five sacred Jyotirlingas and
the thousand names of Shiva.
The Linga Purana is divided into four
parts. The first two parts comprise descriptions regarding the origins
of the Universe, the emergence of the Linga form of Shiva, the
emergence of the Varaha and Narasimha avatars of Vishnu and also
describe how Brahma, Vishnu and the Vedas were all born from the Linga.
It also enlists the Pujavidhis (or rules of worship) to be followed for
the worship of the Shivalinga.
The third part describes the seven islands, Mount Meru and many other
important mountains. It also talks about Brahma assigning roles to
various other deities, including Surya, the Sun God. The fourth part
gives accounts of Dhruva, an ardent devotee of Shiva, as also of
Andhaka's emergence as the Lord of the Ganas.
This Purana talks about the relationship between Prakriti and Purusha,
the feminine and masculine aspects of the Universe, as also that of the
divine union of male Linga and the female Yoni.
Brahma and Vishnu once had a debate
about which one among them was stronger. As the debate turned into an
argument, the Linga form suddenly appeared out of nowhere, appearing as
a pillar of fire with no beginning and no end. Brahma took the form of
a swan and flew up to see where the Linga ended. Vishnu took the form
of a boar and went down. But neither of them could discover a start or
end to the Linga. They then realized that a much higher power was at
work here.
The Skanda Purana is devoted to Skanda
or Karthikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati. It also describes many
legends about both Shiva and Parvati, talking about the holy places of
worship associated with them. It is divided into six samhitas, each of
which is again split into several Khandas.
Though opinions on this Purana are divided, it is believed that the
Skanda Purana is made up of the following sections: Sanathkumara
samhita, Suta samhita, Samkari samhita, Vaishnavi samhita, Brahmi
samhita and Saura samhita. This Purana also includes Madhavacharya's
commentary on the Suta samhita.
The Skanda Purana deals with popular narratives such as Daksha's
sacrifice; the Samudra Manthan episode; the birth of Parvati and her
marriage to Shiva; the birth of Skanda; the slaying of Tarakasura;
Parvati destroying demons Shumbha, Nishumbha and finally Mahisha;
details on Vishnukund; the legend of Padmavati; a description of the
types of Naraka or Hell; the stories of Vishwamitra and Trishanku; a
description of the Navadurgas; and finally, an account of the
Jyotirlingas.
Shiva and Parvati get married and are
enjoying their conjugal life. Once, a small quantity of Shiva's sperms
falls to the ground, generating too much heat in the world, resulting
in many parts of the world burning in the heat. Instructed by Vishnu,
Agni approaches Parvati in the guise of a hermit and begs her for alms.
As she gives him the sperms, he eats them up. Enraged, Parvati curses
him that it would create a severe burning sensation in him, which would
come down, only if he could implant them in another woman's body. Soon,
Agni implants the sperms in the bodies of the six Kritikas, who become
pregnant and give rise to six foetuses, which they deposit in the
Himalayas. Ganga (the Ganges) carries them to a secure and secluded
place, where they grow up to become six young boys.
Parvati happens to see the children and proceeds to embrace them, when
they transform into a handsome lad with six faces. Hence, Skanda is
also called Shanmukha, the one with six faces. Kartikeya and Murugan
are the other names of Skanda.
Brahma gives the evil Tarakasura the
boon that only a child, and no one else, would be able to slay him.
Taraka becomes even more arrogant and starts troubling the Devas and
the people of the world. This is when Skanda (Kartikeya) steps in to
slay the demon. Kartikeya or Muruga marries Devasana at this time, due
to which he is also called Devasenapati.
He leads the Devas' army, mounted on an elephant. Taraka severely
injures even the mighty Devas. Vishnu asks Kartikeya to kill Taraka
before it is too late. Kartikeya loses consciousness for a while, but
soon regains it and continues to fight against the demon. He first bows
in reverence to his divine parents and then directs his Shakti in the
direction of the demon, instantly slaying him.
The Agni Purana contains descriptions
of the Dashavataras (ten incarnations) of Sri Maha Vishnu, the Ramayana
and the
Mahabharata. It also gives details about the Prithvi or the Earth and
the Nakshatras or the stars. Additionally, it gives information about
astrology, cosmology, temple architecture, consecration of the idol in
a temple, ritual worship, martial arts, warfare, history, law, property
rights, literature, grammar and medicine. Legend has it that the Agni
Purana was recited to Rishi Vasishta by Agni, the God of Fire.
This text that dates back to the 8th to the 11th Centuries, comprises
383 chapters. The Athagnipurana Parisistam is an appendix of sorts that
has another six chapters.
Some of these chapters also talk about the right way of worship and
Puja Vidhis associated with particular deities, as also sacred places
of pilgrimage and holy rivers in India. It also relates to the follower
details of the Dwipas and Manvantaras and stipulates the requirements
to atone for each of the follower's sins.
The Agni Purana dedicates a section to the significance of the Gayathri
Mantra, the one chant that is considered the most sacred among Hindus.
It also talks about dream and sign interpretation and what certain
dreams and/or signs can imply in a person's life.
The Agni Purana states that one who keeps this text in his house and
reads from it regularly is beyond Samsara (material life) and attains
mukti or liberation without effort. He is also granted long-lasting
health and happiness and is released from suffering, ill-health and
recurring nightmares.
The Matsya Purana talks mainly about
the Matsya avatara (the first fish avatara) of Vishnu. This Purana
contains a comprehensive description about both that particular avatara
and the story of Manu. According to legend, the king of ancient
Dravida, Satyavrata, was a great devotee of Vishnu. He later on came to
be known as Manu.
Manu was once washing his hands in a
river, when a fish came up to him and pleaded with him to save its
life. The kind king took it and put it in a jar, which it outgrew all
too soon. The king then bought a tank to keep the fish safe. But the
fish kept growing, till finally, the king took it to the mighty ocean.
But the fish continued to grow and then finally revealed its true
identity – this fish was actually Lord Vishnu. The Lord told Manu that
there would be a pralaya or deluge within the next seven days, which
would destroy all life on Earth. Manu was instructed to collect all
medicinal herbs, all varieties of seeds, all animals, the seven saints
and the serpent king Vasuki.
Accordingly, Manu built a huge boat to house his family, a variety of
animals and 9 types of seeds, which he could use to repopulate the
Earth after the pralaya. Vishnu appeared as a horned fish and Shesha,
the serpent, took the form of a rope. Manu used these to tasten the
boat to the horn of the fish. Post the deluge, Manu's boat was safely
seated on top of the Malaya Mountains.
This is why Manu is considered the progenitor of mankind and the
Brahmin king to rule the Earth. This story is also similar to the story
of Noah's Ark from Judeo-Christianity.
The Varaha Purana describes in detail
the Varaha avatara, the third manifestation, of Sri Maha Vishnu. It
also narrates the story about how Prithvi was rescued by the Lord.
According to the Narada Purana, this particular Purana has 217 or 218
adhyayas or chapters and is divided into the Poorvabhaga and the
Uttarabhaga. The Uttarabhaga is described in the Narada Purana and
Pulastya is supposedly the main interlocutor.
However, according to some other experts, this text has four sections,
each with different characteristics and interlocutors. In the first
section, Suta narrates tales from the Purana and Prithvi and Varaha are
the interlocutors. The second section deals with Suta narrating
Prithvi's tale to Sanathkumara. In the third section, also called the
Dharma samhita, Suta relates the conversation between Janamejaya and
Vaishampayana. In the fourth and final section, Suta talks about the
dialogue between Sanathkumara and Brahma.
This Purana also deals with the types of Vratas (ritual fasts) to be
undertaken and several aspects of the Shradha ritual, that is, paying
respects to one's ancestors in an annual function every year. It talks
about calculating the right time for the Shrardha, Pujavidhis, the type
of Brahmin Pandits to invite and so on and so forth.
The Vamana Purana - yet another
Vaishnava Purana - talks about the Vamana Avatara of Vishnu. This
Purana
has a eulogy praising both Vishnu and Shiva. It has 96 chapters, which
deal with the avatara of Vishnu, detailed account of the Tirthas and
also the forests of the Kurukshetra region. It also talks about Bhakta
Prahlada's story.
King Mahabali, a wise king who ruled
Kerala, was also the grandson of Prahlada. He once conducted a grand
Yajna, where he gave food, clothing and other gifts to all Brahmins who
visited the site of the Yajna. Vishnu took the form of a dwarf, Vamana,
and proceeded towards the king. Spying the short Brahmin, Mahabali
rushed to him and respectfully, cleaned and wiped his feet. Seating him
comfortably, the king requested Vamana to demand his Dakshina (gift).
Vamana asked for just a measure of land as covered by three of his tiny
steps. Bali, knowing well that this was the Lord Vishnu himself, gladly
accepted to fulfil his demand.
Vamana immediately assumed his gigantic Vishwaroopa, his body spanning
the entire Universe. His first step covered the entire Earth and his
second one engulfed the heavens. Looking down, Vamana asked Bali where
he should keep his third foot. Extremely humbled and honoured, Mahabali
immediately offered Vamana his own head.
Vamana smiled and blessing him, placed his foot on the king's head,
pushing him down to Patala or the Netherworld.
There is an explanation for Mahabali
meeting his end in this fashion. Legend has it that he once questioned
his grandfather, Prahlada, about why he was always chanting the name of
Hari (another name for Vishnu) and what was so special about him that
even demons never dared to fight his power. Enraged by his grandson's
apparent lack of devotion towards Vishnu, Prahlada cursed him that he
would one day lose all his power and prosperity.
Thereafter, Prahlada relented and consoled Bali that though he would be
now forced to endure the curse, he would also go on to be referred to
as one of the most important devotees of Vishnu and that the Lord would
protect him and grant him Moksha or liberation.
The Markandeya Purana is essentially
written in the form of a dialogue between sage Markandeya and Jaimini,
one of the disciples of Veda Vyasa.
There are different printed editions of this text, giving different
details. But generally, this text begins with four questions being
asked by Jaimini to Markandeya, which had arisen in his mind after
having studied the Mahabharata. His doubt was about the four aspects of
Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, which sometimes seemed inseparable from
each other, yet at other times, seemed to be very removed from each
other as well. Jaimini told Markandeya that since the entire essence of
the four Vedas was contained in the Mahabharata, he was desirous of
learning and understanding the epic in all its glory.
Markandeya, however, was engaged in evening worship at the time and
could not oblige Jaimini. He directed him to visit four particular
enlightened birds - Pingaksha, Vibodha, Suputra and Sumukha - in the
hills of Vindhyachal, and they would clarify all his doubts.
The Markandeya Purana, which is divided into five sections, is quite
different from the other texts. The first part relates how Jaimini
approached the great, wise birds and they proceeded to enlighten him.
The second section shows that though the birds seem to expound concepts
to Jaimini, the real speakers are Sumati and his father.
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana is divided
into four parts. The first section, called the Brahma Khanda, deals
with the Unvierse and all living beings and also talks about Brahma and
his son, Narada. The second part, called the Prakriti Khanda, describes
the history of the various Shaktis or Goddesses of Hinduism. The third
part, the Ganesha Khanda, talks about Ganesha, the elephant-headed son
of Shiva and Parvati. The last part, Krishna Janma Khanda, focuses on
the deeds of Krishna.
This Purana is believed to have been originally written in Banga, or
the ancient Bengal, as recited by Suta to the sages in the forest of
Naimisharanya.
Brahmanda literally, "Brahma's Cosmic
Egg", is another term for the Universe, that was all created by Brahma,
according to Hindu mythology. As the name suggests, this Purana deals
with the origin of the Universe as related by Brahma, from the time it
was created to the various Yugas it went through, to the present day
Universe as we know it. This Purana relates that there was this Anda or
egg at the very beginning. The Prapancha or Universe slowly evolved
from this.
The Brahmanda Purana also includes small portions of the Adhyatma
Ramayana and the story of Radha and Krishna and Parashurama, one of
Vishnu's avataras. This Purana, containing 12,000 verses and divided
into two parts, is believed to be the Uttama (best) one to give in Dana
(as a gift) to a Brahmin.
The first section comprises two parts, the Poorvabhaga and the
Madhyabhaga, whereas, the second section actually contains the third
part, the Uttarabhaga. The Poorvabhaga contains the Prakriya and
Anusanga Padas, while the Madhyabhaga and Uttarabhaga have one Pada
each, namely, Upodghata and Upasamhara respectively.
In this Purana, the Uttarabhaga, referred to as Lalitopakhyana,
contains details about the Tantric worship rites of Devi Lalita, one of
the Dasa Maha Vidyas. This part appears as a dialogue between Hayagriva
and Rishi Agastya.
The Kurma Purana is believed to have
been narrated by Vishnu to Narada and contains details about the Kurma
Avatara of the Lord. Narada in turn gave these details to Suta, who
related these stories to an assembly of great sages.
This Purana is again divided into two parts, the Poorvabhaga and the
Uttarabhaga. Originally, this work contained four main samhitas,
namely, Brahmi samhita, Bhagawati samhita, Sauri samhita and Vaishnavi
samhita.
The first part, comprising 6,000 slokas, relates details about the
Kurma avatara and the second, comprising 4,000 slokas, deals with the
duties of people of all four classes of the society, namely, the
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. The third part, containing
2,000 slokas, deals with the six magic arts of Shanti, Vasheekarana,
Stambhana, Vidveshana, Ucchatana and Maarana. The final part,
containing 5,000 slokas, deals with Moksha Dharma.
Bhavishya Purana, as the name
suggests, contains prophecies regarding the future. It is attributed to
Rishi Vyasa. Though the "purana" actually implies "stories of ancient
times", this is the only Purana which lists out a few of the "past"
rulers and talks more about kings who would rule in the future.
The text in existence today gives some details of the law book of Manu
and also an account of the creation of the Universe. This Purana is one
of the ten Shaiva Puranas and is classified as being in the Rajas
category, which has Brahma as its central character.
There is no clear dating for this particular Purana. Though some
experts believe that it dates back to the 5th Century BCE, many others
do not agree with this viewpoint.
This Purana consists of four main parts, which are as follows:
The Brahmaparvan largely deals with Brahminical ceremonies, rituals,
feasts and duties of all the castes of society. It also covers the
duties of women, some snake myths, snake worship and some signs of good
and bad people. A lot of this section also deals with Sun worship and
the methods of worshipping Ganesha, Brahma and Skanda.
The Madhyamaparvan talks about Tantric elements and worship of Tantric
deities.
The Pratisargaparvan, interestingly enough, relates stories about Adam,
Noah, Taimurlong, Takuta, Nadir Shah, Emperor Akbar and many others. It
even talks about the British Raj in India and the Indian Parliament.
Not only that, this Purana also mentions Zarathustra, Nishkubha and
Mihira, popular characters from Iranian mythology, as also prophet
Muhammad as originating from Arabia.
The Uttaraparvan, generally considered an independent work by some
scholars, is also referred to as the Bhavishyottara Purana. It is also
sometimes included among the Upapuranas or the lesser Puranas. This
does not contains sections as Puranas usually do, but it does collect
materials from the many external sources to give an interesting account
of festivals, vratas, vows and Danas from the socio-religious angle of
Indian society and culture.
Apart from the 18 Mahapuranas, there
are also 18 Upapuranas, which are broadly classified under Devi Purana
(also Devi Bhagavatam) and Ganesha Purana. These Puranas include the
Kalki, Santhkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Shivarahasya, Durvasa,
Kapila,
Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parashara,
Vasishtha, Devi Bhagavatam, Ganesha and Hamsa Puranas. There are also
some other Puranas such as the Vayu Purana, which did not find any
place among the Mahapuranas.
The Puranas have, over the ages,
influenced and shaped the outlook of Hindu society - often being the
basis of most Hindu social rules. Through tales of Gods and demons,
they have been greatly instrumental in ritualizing Hinduism, and
possibly also in catalyzing sectarian tendencies in Hinduism. However,
they remain a valuable repertoire of Hindu mythology and reflect the
growth and shaping of the Hindu society.
This article was written by:
Priya Viswanathan, a teacher/performer of Bharata Natyam, Classical Music and Classical Instrumental Veena. A recipient of several awards for both music and dance, Priya is also a freelance writer online. She currently writes for About.com, a subsidiary of IAC - the parent company of Ask.com. (http://mobiledevices.about.com)