The Vishnu, Narada, Bhagavata, Garuda, Padma, Varaha, Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Shiva, Skanda, Agni, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, Vamana, and Brahma are included in the Standard list of the 18 Mahapuranas.
- The Sanskrit term purana means “ancient.” Legend has it that Sage Veda-Vyasa was the one who originally authored the Puranas.
- There are numerous Upapuranas (secondary puranas) and eighteen Mahapuranas (great puranas).
- Although the Puranas were written between the fourth and fifth centuries CE, and in some cases much later, there may have been some overlap between their earliest periods and the Vedas.
- Although some were written during the early medieval era, the puranas were primarily composed during the Gupta period.
- Two examples are the Skanda Purana (14th century) and the Bhagavata Purana (10th century).
- The encyclopedic Puranic literature addresses a wide range of subjects, such as cosmogony, cosmology, folk tales, pilgrimages, temples, medicine, astronomy, grammar, mineralogy, comedy, love stories, theology, and philosophy. It also includes a genealogy of gods, goddesses, kings, heroes, sages, and demigods.
- Vyasa, the Mahabharata’s narrator, is credited with compiling the Puranas, according to legend.
- Legend has it that there was originally only one Purana. According to the Vishnu Purana, Vyasa left his Purana Samhita to his student Lomaharshana, who then gave it to his followers, three of whom produced their own Samhitas.
- The following eighteen Puranas are derived from the Mulasamhita, which contains these three and Lomaharshana.
- It is impossible to pinpoint the exact date of origin of any Purana; the date of the development of the written records is not the same as the date of the Puranas’ creation.
- They were oral before they were recorded in writing.
Significance of Puranas:-
- Sharing of knowledge contained in Vedas to other sections of people.
- Influence more people with divine knowledge.
- Not for scholars but for ordinary people like Shudras, women, and lower sections of
society. - They contained stories about gods and goddesses.
- Arthshastra talked about officials like Sutas and Magadhas who were responsible for
promoting and popularising puranas. - Bhagwat Puranas popularised stories of various avatars of Vishnu.
- As Banabhatta suggested, “Puranas were recited in temples by the priest and people
used to listen to them.” - Description of Yugas suggests knowledge and explanation of cyclic time and
awareness regarding chronology.
Historical Values of Puranas:-
- Sarga means Creation
- Pratisarga means Recreation
- Manvantara means Time(Yuga-Maha yuga)
- Vasma means genealogy
- Vamsanucarita – describes royal history Ex. Suryavanshi ruler and Chandravanshi
ruler
4 Yugas:-
- Satya Yuga: During this period, people were extraordinarily strong and long-lived, and they were also skilled at meditation. According to the Vedic texts, people lived up to 100,000 years during the Satya Yuga, also known as the Golden Age.
- Treta Yuga: During the Silver Age, or Treta Yuga, people offer nonviolent sacrifices to the gods in order to appease them and, in the end, please the Supreme Being. Vishnu
- Dvapara Yuga: Humans started to stray from the path of dharma, or the religious way of life, even before the beginning of Dvapara Yuga, by the end of Treta Yuga.
- The Kali Yuga As long as Sri Krishna was still on Earth, Kali Yuga could not start. The explanation is that ignorance and irreligion are kept at bay by the existence of the Supreme Person.
Limitations of Puranas:-
- Brahminical domination
- Not the work of one person or one age.
- Mythological stories.
- Different puranas describe different details which do not match hence it is difficult to conclude any aspect.
- Written in future tense hence difficult to understand its chronology.
Buddhist literature:-
There are two categories of Buddhist writings. Canonical texts are the works of Buddhism that are exclusively religious. Non-Canonical texts are the works that are not religious.
Canonical Literature:-
Tripitaka:- Buddhist scriptures are traditionally referred to by their traditional name, Tripitaka, or Pali Canon in English. Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka, and Vinaya Pitaka are the three Pitakas.
Sutta Pitaka : About ten thousand sutras about the Buddha and his close companions can be found in the Sutta Pitaka. It also covers the first Buddhist council, which took place not long after the Buddha passed away.
Sutta Pitaka is separated into the subsequent parts :
- The numerical is composed of Anguttara Nikaya.
- Digha Nikaya, which includes the lengthy talks.
- Khuddaka Nikaya, which makes up the small library.
- The middle length is comprised of Majjhima Nikaya.
- The Samyutta Nikaya is a compilation of the related teachings of Buddha.
Non-Canonical Literature:- Non-Canonical Literature is present in Pali and Sanskrit
also.
- Pali literature : Pali-Milindapanho , Nettigandha , Nidanakatha.
- Sanskrit literature : Lalit vistara, Mahavastu, Avadana literature.
- Jain literature:- We have two parts of Jain Literature. Canonical literature and noncanonical literature.
- Canonical literature:- There are a total of 12 Angas and 12 Upangas, 10 Prakiranas, and 4 mulasutras.
12 Angas are as following :
- Acharanga Sutra: Oldest agama.
- Sutrakritanga: describes code of conduct for Jain monks,
- metaphysics etc
- Sthananga Sutra.
- Samavayanga Sutra: discussion on essence of Jainism,
- Astronomy, mathematics, etc.
- Vyakhya Prajnapti or Bhagavati Sūtra:
- Jnat Dharma Katha.
- Upasakadasa
- Antardasha
- Anuttaraupapatikadasah.
- Prasnavyakaranani: Description of sins.
Non-canonical literature:-
Non-Agam literature consists of independent works put together by ascetics and intellectuals, as well as commentary and explanations on Agam literature.
Parisista Parvan holds great significance for Jainism.
Advantages and significance of Buddhist and Jaina literature:-
- Supported by a rising class, Jainism and Buddhism emerged to meet the demands of a changing society and left a lasting impression on Indian philosophy, architecture, culture, and way of life.
- Over the course of their lengthy relationship, Hinduism has absorbed some of this religion’s beliefs and made them a part of society.
- These faiths also spread to nearby nations and assisted India in establishing itself there, opening the door for a cultural exchange that continues to this day.
- Upinder Singh: “They provide a window into Ancient India that is not Brahmanical.”
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