Garuda-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Puranas of ancient India, relating principally to the birth of Garuda from Vinata.

(See also: Garuda-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Skanda-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Hindu Puranas consisting of several samhitas and khandas.

The most celebrated of the latter is the Kasi-khanda, in which the temples of Kasi (Benares) are exalted, and legends concerning Kasi are related. In this Purana Skanda (Karttikeya, the god of war) narrates the events of the Tatpurusha Kalpa, embroidered with many tales.

(See also: Skanda-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Matsya-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Hindu Puranas, said to have been communicated to the seventh manu, Vaivasvata, by Vishnu in the form of a fish (matsya). It consists of over 14,000 slokas, but many of its chapters duplicate the Vishnu- and Padma-Puranas, and much of its material is drawn from the Mahabharata.

(See also: Matsya-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Markandeya-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Puranas of ancient India, named from its supposed author Markandeya. It expounds the nature of Krishna and explains some of the incidents of the Mahabharata. It differs from many of the other Puranas in that its 9000 verses are largely narrative, rather than containing arguments of a sectarian character.

(See also: Markandeya-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Padma-Purana (Sanskrit) The Lotus-Purana; one of the Hindu Puranas which contains an account of the period when the world was "as a golden lotus (padma).

The scripture, considered to be the second in importance of the 18 principle Puranas, consists of 55,000 slokas, and is divided into five books (khandas) treating of the creation, the earth, heaven (svarga), and patala, while the fifth book is a supplementary section.

(See also: Padma-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Linga-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Puranas, in which Siva, supposed to be present in the Agni-linga (great fiery phallus) gives an account of the formation of the worlds and the objects of life. It also contains mythologic accounts of Siva's incarnations as avataras.

(See also: Linga-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brahmanda-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Hindu Puranas, so named because it contains an account of Brahmanda (the Egg of Brahma), and therefore of future cosmic ages as revealed by Brahma. It consists of 12,200 slokas.

(See also: Brahmanda-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Devi Bhagavata Purana: (Sanskrit) A subsidiary text of the Siva Puranas.

(See also: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Bhagavata Purana

It is the fifth purana in length but is the most popular and influencial among the puranas. It is primarily a vaishnava text and is later to and influenced by the Visnupurana. As the name indicates, it describes some of the incarnations of Visnu and particularly that of Krsna. It is a marvellous bhakti work and includes the story of bhagavathas or devotees of the Lord.

"The metaphysical and spiritual legacy of the Vedas and the upanishads is ably synthesized with the agamic tradition of the pancaratras and embraced even non-aryan tribes in its fold."

-- G V Tagare, Ancient Indian Traditions and Mythology, Vol. 7

(See also: Bhagavata Purana, Hinduism, Vedic Scriptures, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Bhagavata-Purana:

Bhagavata-Purana ("Ancient [Tradition] of the Bhagavatas"): a voluminous tenth-century scripture held sacred by the devotees of the Divine in the form of Vishnu, especially in his incarnate form as Krishna; also called Shrimad-Bhagavata

(See also: Bhagavata-Purana, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Kurma-Purana (Sanskrit) (from kurma tortoise)

One of the 18 principal Hindu Puranas, so named because it deals with the avataric incarnation of Vishnu in the form of a tortoise. The scripture was recited by Janardana (Vishnu) in the regions under the earth to Indradyumna and the rishis in the proximity of Sakra. It tells about the Lakshmi Kalpa, and treats of the objects of life: duty, wealth, pleasure, and liberation.

(See also: Kurma-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bhagavata Purana (Sanskrit) One of the most celebrated and popular of the 18 principal Puranas, especially dedicated to the glorification of Vishnu-Krishna, whose history is given in the tenth book. It consists of 12 books or skandhas, of 18,000 slokas, and is narrated by Suka, the son of Vyasa, to King Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers and hero of the Bhagavad-Gita.

(See also: Bhagavata Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Siva Purana:

Siva Purana (Shiva Puurana). One of the Puranas.

(See also: Siva Purana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Linga Purana (Sanskrit). A scripture of the Saivas or worshippers of Siva. Therein Maheswara, "the great Lord", concealed in the Agni Linga explains the ethics of life - duty, virtue, self-sacrifice and finally liberation by and through ascetic life at the end of the Agni Kalpa (the Seventh Round). As Professor Wilson justly observed "the Spirit of the worship (phallic) is as little influenced by the character of the type as can well be imagined. There is nothing like the phallic orgies of antiquity; it is all mystical and spiritual."

(See also: Linga Purana, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Purana Purusha:

Purana Purusha (Puraana Purusha). The Primal Person.

(See also: Purana Purusha, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Skanda Purana:

Skanda Purana (Skaandha Puraana). One of the eighteen Puranas, the epic story of Skanda.

(See also: Skanda Purana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Devi Bhagavata Purana: Composed around the 15th century, one of the major Puranas of Bhakti Hinduism which focuses on the Goddess Devi, they mythological wife of Shiva; the text is central to proponents of Shaktsm

 (See also: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

In later literature like Puranas, the Uttarakurus are sometimes described as mythical people and at other times their description seems indeed to belong to real world. Puranic cosmography divides our earth into seven concentric islands, viz. Jambudvipa, Plakasadvipa, Salmalidvipa, Kushadvipa, Krounchadvipa, Shakadvipa, and Pushkaradvipa, separated by the seven encircling seas. Insular continent Jambudvipa forms the innermost concentric island in the above scheme of continents. Jambudvipa includes nine varsa and nine mountains. Varsa o ...

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Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Vedic Literature and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Puranas and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Mahabharata and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Ramayana and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Buddhist Texts and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Rajatrangini of Kalhana and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Foreign Sources on Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Geographical Location of Uttarakuru

Read more here: » Uttarakuru: Encyclopedia II - Uttarakuru - Puranas and Uttarakuru

Devi Bhagavata Purana. See BHAGAVATA PURANA

(See also: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Though slightly varying verisons occur in the Puranas, they broadly follow the same pattern. (By this period, the identification of Shiva/Rudra with Agni, that can be traced back to the Vedas and Brahmanas, had clerealy made Kartikeya the son of Shiva.) The universe is said to be terrorised by the Asura Taraka. The Devas are assured that only a son of Shiva can destroy the demon. The Devas manage to get Shiva married to Parvati and yet no child is born for a long time. Finally, Shiva hands over his effulgence to Agni, as he alone is c ...

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Kartikeya, Kartikeya - Origins, Kartikeya - In the Hindu epics, Kartikeya - In the Hindu Puranas, Kartikeya - In Sanskrit Kavya/Poetry, Kartikeya - The adoration of Kartikeya, Kartikeya - In the Tamil land, Kartikeya - Differences in Northern and Southern traditions, Kartikeya - Related Links, Kartikeya - Related Links

Read more here: » Kartikeya: Encyclopedia II - Kartikeya - In the Hindu Puranas

In the south of India, it is a different story. Kartikeya, known as Murukan, has enjoyed continuos popularity with all classes of society right from the Sangam age. This lead to the more elaborate accounts of his mythology in Tamil. The most popular and eruduite, the Kanda-Puranam (Sanskrit Skanda-Puranam), is by Kacchiappa SivachariyAr(1350-1420 A.D.). A scholar in Tamil and Sanskrit he was votary of Shaiva Siddhanta. Based mainly on the Sanskrit Skanda-purana, this Tamil epic, makes Kartikeya the destroyer of Taraka but also of his ...

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Kartikeya, Kartikeya - Origins, Kartikeya - In the Hindu epics, Kartikeya - In the Hindu Puranas, Kartikeya - In Sanskrit Kavya/Poetry, Kartikeya - The adoration of Kartikeya, Kartikeya - In the Tamil land, Kartikeya - Differences in Northern and Southern traditions, Kartikeya - Related Links, Kartikeya - Related Links

Read more here: » Kartikeya: Encyclopedia II - Kartikeya - In the Tamil land

Puranas list twenty-five avataras of Vishnu. A description of these is found in the Bhagavata Purana, Canto 1. 1) Catursana 2) Narada 3) Varaha 4) Matsya 5) Yajna 6) Nara-Narayana 7) Kapila 8) Dattatreya 9) Hayasirsa 10) Hamsa 11) Prsnigarbha 12) Rsabha 13) Prithu 14) Narasimha 15) Kurma 16) Dhanvantari 17) Mohini 18) Vamana 19) Parasurama 20) Raghavendra (Rama) 21) Vyasa 22) Balarama 23) Krishna 24) Kalki ...

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Avatar, Avatar - Teachings and significance, Avatar - The ten Avatars or Dasavatara, Avatar - The 24 Avatars of the Puranas, Avatar - Types of avatars, Avatar - The Ninth Avatar: Balarama or Buddha?, Avatar - Symbolism, Avatar - List of other people considered to be avatars, Avatar - Other Uses

Read more here: » Avatar: Encyclopedia II - Avatar - The 24 Avatars of the Puranas