What are the Puranas?
The Puranas are a vast collection of ancient Hindu texts that explain spiritual truths through stories, symbolism, and history. They preserve mythology, cosmology, genealogies of gods and sages, and moral teachings for everyday life.
Key Themes of the Puranas
- Creation, preservation, and dissolution of the universe
- Stories of Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, and other deities
- Dharma (righteous living) and Karma
- Bhakti (devotion) as a path to Moksha
The 18 Major Puranas
Traditionally, there are eighteen Mahāpurāṇas. Some of the most well-known include:
Bhagavata Purana
Vishnu Purana
Shiva Purana
Markandeya Purana