The Puranic Repository

Classification of Puranas

The Puranic repository is divided into three categories:

1. Maha-Puranas (Great Puranas):

   • Possess five specific lakshanas (characteristics).
   • Total verses in each can exceed 4 lakhs.
   • There are 18 Maha-Puranas.

2. Upa-Puranas (Subsidiary Puranas):

   • Smaller in scope than Maha-Puranas but share some characteristics.
   • Also numbered at 18.

3. Sthala-Puranas (Local Puranas):

   • Connect specific stories to temples or places.
   • Example: Brihadeshwara Temple (Tamil Nadu), Rameshwaram Temple, Varanasi.
   • Numerous and without a fixed count.

Panchalakshanas (Five Characteristics) of Maha-Puranas

A Purana must have these five characteristics to be classified as a Maha-Purana:

1. Sarga: Creation of the universe.
   • Discussions on the origin of the universe.
   • Description of initial nothingness and gradual development.
   • Account of the emergence of deities and subsequent creations.
2. Prati Sarga: Destruction and recreation of the universe.
   • Cycles of destruction (Pralaya) and re-creation.
   • Narratives explaining the process of destruction and subsequent renewal.
3. Vamsha: Dynasties of kings.
   • Genealogies and histories of royal lineages.
4. Manvantara: Times of different Manus (periods of cosmic time).
   • Explanations of different time cycles.
5. Vamshanucharita: Stories of different dynasties, including stories of rishis and sages.
   • Accounts of lineages and the lives of sages.
   • Focuses on the great personalities within the dynasties.

Contents of Maha-Puranas (Examples)

• Total verses: 4 lakhs.
• 18 Puranas, each with its own set of verses: Agni, Bhagavata, Vamana, Kurma, Garuda, etc.
• Puranas are encyclopedic, covering diverse subjects beyond just religious worship.

Agni Purana

• Rules for worship of deities.
• Installations of images in temples (architecture).
• Astrology
• Architecture
• Sculptures
• Medicine
• Toxicology
• Principles of dramaturgy
• Human psychology
• Figures of speech

Bhagavata Purana

• Deals with the life of Krishna.
• Cosmic form of God.
• Creation of the world.
• Uddhava Gita.
• List of kings who ruled after Krishna.
• Description of Kaliyuga.
  • 12th Skanda of Bhagavata describes the present age (Kaliyuga).

Other Notable Content Found in Puranas

• Speaking about Past, Present and future: All the three times.

• Bhavishya Purana: Deals with future, the whole purana speaks about the future.

  • Explains Sixteen Samskaras from birth to death.

• Rules Concerning Vedas: Studies of Vedas, who can study it, how it should be studied, what are the rules.

  • Varnashrama Dharmas: From student life (Brahmacharya), married life, then retired life, then Sannyasa life (four Ashramas).
    • Varna Dharma: Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra Dharmas.

• Various types of Vratas explained.

• Chapters from Mahabharata in Brahma Purana acts as an additional information on the Mahabharata.