What Are Puranas? Read Stories of Their Creation

As mentioned in previous blog, even though I went to the Shiva temple almost daily, I never thought about picking up the Shiv Purana. But now, I’ve realised that Lord Shiva’s favour made me want to read it! I’m certain you’re familiar with the stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, narrated by B.R. Chopra and Ramanand Sagar, and the legends of Lord Krishna from them as well. 🪈 However, the Shiv Purana has always seemed distant to me.

I am sure you have come across the term “Purana,” right? It’s a term that’s deeply connected to Hindu mythology and literature. But what does it mean? Or how did they come up with it?

                                                                                             

What’s the story behind a name?

In Sanskrit, “Purana” (पुराण) means “ancient, old” or “ancient narratives.” It’s like a time capsule that holds the secrets of the past. Trust me, it’s not just ancient history; it’s like opening a magical time capsule, packed with amazing stories and secrets from ancient times.

What’s inside the Puranas?

The Puranas are a huge collection of Hindu texts that cover a lot of topics. They’re like old-school encyclopaedias, but with their own special twist.

Indeed, these Puranas cover everything, ranging from the origin of the universe to the grand stories of the gods and goddesses. It’s as if you’ve found a final destination for everything related to Hindu mythology. Want to know how our world began? The Puranas have got you covered. Are you curious about the adventures of Lord Vishnu or the dance of Lord Shiva? Dive right into the Puranic pages and prepare to be amazed! 😇 

Here’s a cool tidbit: while we usually look to the Vedas for ancient wisdom, the Puranas play a big role in shaping our cultural traditions, laws, rituals, and even art.

It also covers 

🔰 Family trees of important figures like kings and sages
🔰 Folk tales
🔰 Trips to holy places
🔰 Details about temples
🔰 Information on medicine
🔰 Facts about stars and planets
🔰 Grammar rules
🔰 Details about minerals
🔰 Funny stories
🔰 Love stories
🔰 Discussions about religious ideas and ways of thinking

The Puranas also cover the four goals of human life—dharma (duty), artha (prosperity), kama (desire), and moksha (liberation)—and how society was structured with its four classes and life stages. They’re kind of like the ultimate guide to living a balanced life.

These stories are all mixed like a colourful mosaic. You’ll find tales of mythological creatures, legendary heroes, and even the secrets of the universe!

But how did these Puranas come into existence?

The Trimurti is a fundamental concept in Hinduism, showing the three main forces of the universe. With his four heads and four faces, Brahma is said to be able to see everywhere in all directions, making him the perfect god to watch over creation. Vishnu, the one who keeps things in balance, is in charge of maintaining the universe. And Shiva, the transformer, is known for destroying and transforming the universe.

In Hindu stories, Brahma is believed to be the first to create the Puranas.

The “sutas” were a special group of priests who played a key role in preserving ancient stories and family trees from the Puranas. They kept track of the genealogies of gods, wise sages, kings, and other famous people from long ago. By passing down these stories by narrating them, genealogies, and ballads (a type of narrative poem or song that tells a story), the “sutas” ensured that important traditions and histories were remembered and shared with future generations.

Now, using these tales, anecdotes, songs, and lore that had come down from the ages, Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa, also known as “Vyasa,” is believed to have ‘composed’ the Puranas. They were originally written in Sanskrit, an old Indian language, and some even in other Indian languages like Tamil. 

The word ‘composed’ shows that the Puranas are “Smriti” texts.

When exploring ancient Indian scriptures, you’ll often encounter the terms shruti and smriti. These two key types of texts hold different roles in Hindu tradition.

Intrigued? Read what Shruti and Smriti texts are in my next blog! Happy reading 😀