Puranas

Puranas

 
The Puranas contain the essence of the Vedas. They were written to impress
the teachings of the Vedas onto the masses and to generate devotion to God in
them. They have five characteristics: history, cosmology (with symbolical
illustrations of philosophical principles), secondary creation, genealogy of
kings, and Manvantaras (the period of Manu's rule consisting of 71 celestial
yugas).
The Puranas were meant, not for the scholars, but for ordinary people who
could not understand high philosophy and could not study the Vedas. There is an
emphasis on the worship of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), Shiva
(the destroyer), Surya (the Sun God), Ganesha (the elephant headed god known to
be the remover of obstructions ), and Shakti (the goddess). All the Puranas
belong to the class of Suhrit-Sammitas, or the Friendly Treatises, while the
Vedas are called Prabhu-Sammitas or Commanding Treatises with great authority.
There are 18 Puranas : Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Vishnu Purana, Vayu
Purana or Siva Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Narada Purana, Markandeya Purana, Agni
Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Linga Purana, Varaha Purana,
Skanda Purana, Vamana Purana, Kurma Purana, Matsya Purana, Garuda Purana and
Brahmanda Purana.
Of these, six are Sattvic Puranas glorifying Vishnu; six are Rajasic,
glorifying Brahma; six are Tamasic, glorifying Siva. Vyasa, the son of Rishi
Parasara, is said to be the author of them all.