The Sanskrit word purana means “ancient” and
refers to a genre of sacred Hindu scripture describing
the mythological history of India. There are 18
mahapurana, or major puranas, and 18 upapurana,
or minor puranas. Each purana celebrates a different
aspect of the Hindu trinity, or Trimurti: Brahama,
Vishnu, or Shiva. Devotees of Sakti, the
Divine Mother, sometimes include the Devi Bhagavata
as a major purana.
According to tradition, all the purana were
composed by the sage Vyasa, to whom is attributed
the epic of Indian literature, the MAHABHARATA. The
puranas were compiled and recited over centuries,
perhaps from as early as the first century to as late
as 1400. Each purana is essentially a long poem
composed in two-line stanzas called slokas. In content,
they use short stories and dialogue between
gurus and students to explain concepts contained
in the Vedas, the oldest and most sacred Hindu
scriptures. Strictly speaking, a purana should address
five subjects: the first stage of the creation of
the universe (sarga), the second stage of creation
(pratisarga, or visarga), genealogies of kings and
gods (vamsa), the reigns of the Manus (manvantaras),
and the histories of the solar and lunar dynasties.
In practice, each purana is structurally unique
and the content varies widely, covering a breathtaking
scope of theology and philosophy.None are
brief, though the lengths also vary. The Vishnu Purana,
sometimes thought to be the oldest of the
puranas, is called the Puranatna, or Gem of the Puranas,
as it most conforms to the specified subjects.
It contains 23,000 verses or slokas. The Bhagavata
Purana, sometimes called the Srimad Bhagavatam,
contains perhaps the most widely translated and
the most-quoted writings on Hindu spirituality.
Also dedicated to Vishnu, this purana most likely
took shape between the first half of the sixth century
and the second half of the eighth. It contains
18,000 verses.
Like the BHAGAVAD GITA, the purana are concerned
with devotion to God but, due to their narrative
style and poetic beauty, are accessible to
laypeople. Together they form a substantial contribution
to the development of Hindu thought.
An English Version of the Purana
Bhagavata Purana. Translated by G. V. Tagare. Columbia,
Mo.: South Asia Books, 1989.
Works about the Purana
Brown, Cheever MacKenzie. The Triumph of the Goddess.
New York: State University of New York
Press, 1990.
Winternitz,Maurice. History of Indian Literature: Introduction,
Veda, Epics, Puranas and Tantras. Columbia,
Mo.: South Asia Books, 1981.