Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita Git ...

Including:

• Puranas - List of Puranas
• Puranas - Heaven Hell and other worlds in the Puranas

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Puranas - the eighteen historical supplements to the Vedas.

(See also: Puranas, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Puranas

The histories of the universe, supplements to the Vedas. There are eighteen major Puranas and many secondary ones. The major Puranas are divided into three groups of six, meant for readers in each of the three modes of material nature.

(See also: Puranas, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

The puranas are among the most widely read religious scriptures in India. The word purana literally means "narrative of ancient times". The puranas are said to be contemporaneous with the Vedas . The Chandogya Upanishad calls them the fifth veda . Eighteen major ( maha ) and eighteen subsidiary ( upa ) puranas are recognised.

The authorship of all the puranas is attributed to rishi Vedvyasa, who also compiled the four Vedas, the Mahabharata and the Vedanta Sutras . The puranas deal with a variety of Gods, mainly Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti, catering to the diverse human temperaments and their varied approaches to spirituality.|

(See also: Puranas, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred recitals of scriptures, describing and expounding of the transcendent Lilas of the Blessed Lord�these form an important part of Sadhana of the Lords devotees. It is most pleasing to the Lord. Sravana is a part of Navavidha-Bhakti. Kathas and Upanyasas open the springs of devotion in the hearts of hearers and develop Prema-Bhakti which confers immortality on the Jiva.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Puranas: The Puranas in the Hindu Scriptures

The Puranas are of the same class as the Itihasas. They have five characteristics (Pancha-Lakshana) viz., history, cosmology (with various symbolical illustrations of philosophical principles), secondary creation, genealogy of kings and of Manvantaras. All the Puranas belong to the class of Suhrit-Samhitas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Puranas: The Puranas in the Hindu Scriptures

The Eighteen Puranas: There are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary Puranas or Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: Vishnu Purana, Naradiya Purana, Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Garuda (Suparna) Purana, Padma Purana, Varaha Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Markandeya Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Vamana Purana, Matsya Purana, Kurma Purana, Linga Purana, Siva Purana, Skanda Purana and Agni Purana.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Eighteen Puranas: The Eighteen Puranas: in the Hindu Scriptures

The Bhagavata Purana and other works tell us stories of how the divine is always trying to break away from its divine fetters. When you are pervasive and omnipresent, how can you have the freedom to play? Being omnipresent, you are constantly watched by those who adore you, worship you and serve you. You need a disguise.

(See also: Bhagavata Purana, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The Tamil Puranas: Lord Siva incarnated himself in the form of Dakshinamurti to impart knowledge to the four Kumaras. He took human form to initiate Sambandhar, Manikkavasagar, Pattinathar. He appeared in flesh and blood to help his devotees and relieve their sufferings. The divine Lilas of Lord Siva are recorded in the Tamil Puranas like Siva Purana, Periya Purana, Siva Parakramam and Tiruvilayadal Purana.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Tamil Puranas: The Tamil Puranas in the Hindu Scriptures

The Upa-Puranas : The eighteen Upa-Puranas are: Sanatkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and Hamsa.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten Avataras

The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle of the various Avataras of Lord Vishnu. There are ten Avataras of Vishnu. The aim of every Avatara is to save the world from some great danger, to destroy the wicked and protect the virtuous.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Srimad Bhagavata Purana: The Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten Avataras in the Hindu Scriptures

The Bhavishya Purana is an ancient Sanskrit text authored by Sri Vyasa Muni, the compiler of the Vedic texts. It is one of the 18 major Puranas, and its title comes from the words bhavishya meaning "future" and purana meaning "history": it is a book of predictions, written as if the events have already taken place, a common practice in Sanskrit poetry. The history of the Bhavishya Purana is unclear. The earliest references to it can be found in the Apastambha Dharmasutra, dated not later than the 3rd Century B.C.E., but the Purana contains references to later figures, includi ...

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The Vishnu Purana is one of the oldest of the Puranas (dating to maybe the 5th century), containing some 23,000 shlokas, presented as a dialogue between Parasara with his disciple Maitreya. It is divided in six parts. The third part treats the Maha Avatara of Vishnu. ...

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It’s the sixteenth purana. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya avatar (fish incarnation) to save the seeds of all lives and Manu. Matsya Purana contains a comprehensive description of Manu and Matsya avatar. General contents of this Purana are the following: Description of the greatness of Narasimha incarnation. Description of all the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Greatness of fasting like Anant Tritiya and the places of pilgrimage like Prayag. Tales of Chandra ...

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Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra GitaIncluding:

• Bhagavata purana - Significance
• Bhagavata purana - History
• Bhagavata purana - Translations

Read more here: » Bhagavata purana: Encyclopedia - Bhagavata purana

Garuda Purana is one of the great puranas of India. This scripture contains details of the various punishments given to a person after death for the sins commited in life. These include Khumbipakam (burned in oil) and Kirimibhojanam (given as prey to leeches). The scripture describes about 24 types of death. Some western scolars see this script as analogous to the judgement day of Christanity. Other related archivesChristanity, India, judgement day, puranas

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The Vayu Purana is a Shaiva Purana, dedicated to Vayu (the wind), containing some 24,000 shlokas. It is divided into four parts (padas), Prakriya Upodghata Anusanga Upasamhara Other related archivesPurana, Shaiva, Vayu, padas, shlokas

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Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita Gita Govinda Hatha Yoga Pradipika Brahmastra is an arrow created by Brahma. One of the deadliest of weapons that a person can possess (as in Hindu Puranas), it is ofte ...

Read more here: » Brahmastra: Encyclopedia - Brahmastra

Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita ...

Including:

• Hindu scripture - The Vedas
• Hindu scripture - The Upanishads
• Hindu scripture - Post-Vedic Hindu scriptures
• Hindu scripture - The Bhagavad Gita
• Hindu scripture - The Puranas
• Hindu scripture - Other Hindu texts

Read more here: » Hindu scripture: Encyclopedia - Hindu scripture

Vyasa (Vyāsa in IAST transliteration) is an important and much revered figure in the Hindu tradition and its literature. He is considered to be an ideal Brahmarishi- omniscient, truthful, purest of the pure and possessor of knowledge of the essence of Brahman. Vyasa - The legend of Vyasa. Vyasa appears for the first time as the author and an important character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The epic, whilst having its roots in historical events centuries before the common era, is an extraordinarily long c ...

Including:

• Vyasa - The legend of Vyasa
• Vyasa - 'Veda' Vyasa
• Vyasa - Author of Mahabharata
• Vyasa - Author of Puranas
• Vyasa - Vyasa in Buddhism
• Vyasa - In the Arthashastra
• Vyasa - Author of Brahma Sutra
• Vyasa - Author of Yoga Bhashya

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