In the previous blog, we discussed the Puranas being a smriti text. There are two important types of texts in Hindu tradition. Shruti and Smruti. Let’s learn what they are!
Shruti: “That which is heard”
Shruti texts are considered very special because people believe they come straight from the gods. According to tradition, these divine messages were heard by ancient sages (Rishis), deeply connected to spirituality. These sages then passed on what they heard to others. So, Shruti texts are believed to come directly from the divine origin, directly revealed to ancient sages and seers when they were in deep meditation. Imagine downloading the higher knowledge directly from the cosmos while meditating!! 🧘
Smriti: “That which is remembered.”
Smriti texts are created based on what people remember and have passed down through generations. They include traditions and stories that people have told each other over time. These texts also involve human interpretations, meaning they explain and expand on ideas from Shruti texts in a way that makes sense for everyday life. So, while Shruti texts come from divine sources, Smriti texts are shaped by human experiences and understanding.
While Vyasa is often called the main writer and organiser of the Puranas, experts believe different people have added to them over time.
For instance, the Vishnu Purana mentioned that Sage Parasara, who was Vyasa’s father, was the original author of the Vishnu Purana. Vyasa is credited with compiling and writing the Vishnu Purana in its present form.
So, you can imagine how vast and detailed it is when I say it contains a hundred crore verses (Shlokas)! It’s said that this “single” Purana still exists in the abode of gods (Deva Loka) today. 🫢
For a text to be classified as a purana, it must possess five attributes or topics (Pancha Lakshmana):
- Sarga: The original or primary creation of the universe
- Pratisarga: Secondary creation after periodic universal destruction and dissolution (pralaya)
- Vamsha: Genealogies, especially of the solar (Suryavamsha) and lunar (Chandravamsha) dynasties
- Manvantara: The cosmic cycles and history during the time of each Manu (a key figure who is considered the ancestor of all humans).
- Vamshanucharita: The legends and conduct of the kings belonging to these solar (Suryavamsha) and lunar (Chandravamsha) dynasties
Let us understand this better.
There are two main dynasties in ancient texts: the Solar Dynasty (Surya Vamsha) and the Lunar Dynasty (Chandra Vamsha). Famous kings belonged to these dynasties, and their stories are covered in the Vamshanucharita, which details their lineages and actions.
Not only kings but also gods and sages (rishis) are described in these texts, though not always born in the usual way. Their lineages fall under the category of Vamsha.
Pratisarga refers to the smaller cycles of creation and destruction that happen within the larger, overall cycle of the universe. While sarga, the primary cycle, covers the grand, all-encompassing process of creation and destruction, pratisarga focuses on the smaller, repeated cycles that occur within that bigger picture.
The Vishnu Purana follows this five-topic classification very closely.
Types of Puranas
Maha-Puranas (Major Puranas):
It is widely agreed that there are 18 Maha-Puranas, although the exact number may have changed over time. These 18 Maha-Puranas are:
- Agni (15,400 verses)
- Bhagavata (18,000)
- Brahma (10,000)
- Brahmanda (12,000)
- Brahma Vaivarta (18,000)
- Garuda (19,000)
- Kurma (17,000)
- Linga (11,000)
- Markandeya (9,000)
- Matsya (14,000)
- Narada (25,000)
- Padma (55,000)
- Shiva (24,000)
- Skanda (81,100)
- Vamana (10,000)
- Varaha (24,000)
- Vayu (24,000)
- Vishnu (23,000)
Upa-Puranas (Minor Puranas):
Different regions have their own lists of Upa-Puranas, and there’s no single, agreed-upon list for the whole country. However, it’s commonly accepted that there are 18 Upa-Puranas.
Sthala Puranas:
These describe the greatness and holiness of specific geographical places of Bharatavarsha (ancient India).
Together, they’ve got more than 400,000 verses. These were all written between the 3rd and 10th centuries.
From what I’ve picked up, the Shiva Purana is one of the top 18 major Puranas in Hinduism.
Classifications of the Puranas
Based on the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva):
- Brahma Puranas: Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, and Markandeya
- Vishnu Puranas: Bhagavata, Garuda, Kurma, Matsya, Narada, Padma, Vamana, Varaha, Vishnu
- Shiva Puranas: Agni, Linga, Shiva, Skanda, Vayu
Based on the three gunas (qualities):
- Sattva (purity): Bhagavata, Garuda, Narada, Padma, Varaha, Vishnu
- Rajas (passion): Bhavishya, Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Vamana
- Tamas (ignorance): Agni, Kurma, Linga, Matsya, Skanda, Shiva
However, these classifications are not definitive, as all three deities (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) are important in every Purana, and the gunas are not the primary basis for categorization. Stay tuned for such amazing information.