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Puranas
There are eighteen main Puranas and an
equal number of subsidiary Puranas or Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: Vishnu
Purana, Naradiya Purana, Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Garuda (Suparna) Purana,
Padma Purana, Varaha Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Vaivarta
Purana, Markandeya Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Vamana Purana, Matsya Purana,
Kurma Purana, Linga Purana, Siva Purana, Skanda Purana and Agni Purana. Of
these, six are Sattvic Puranas and glorify Vishnu; six are Rajasic and glorify
Brahma; six are Tamasic and they glorify Siva.
Neophytes or beginners in the spiritual
path are puzzled when they go through Siva Purana and Vishnu Purana. In Siva
Purana, Lord Siva is highly eulogised and an inferior position is given to Lord
Vishnu. Sometimes Vishnu is belittled. In Vishnu Purana, Lord Hari is highly
eulogised and an inferior status is given to Lord Siva. Sometimes Lord Siva is
belittled. This is only to increase the faith of the devotees in their
particular Ishta-Devata. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are one.
The best among the Puranas are the Srimad
Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana. The most popular is the Srimad Bhagavata
Purana. Next comes Vishnu Purana. A portion of the Markandeya Purana is well
known to all Hindus as Chandi, or Devimahatmya. Worship of God as the Divine
Mother is its theme. Chandi is read widely by the Hindus on sacred days and
Navaratri (Durga Puja) days.
Ten Avataras And Their Purpose
The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle
of the various Avataras of Lord Vishnu. There are ten Avataras of Vishnu. The
aim of every Avatara is to save the world from some great danger, to destroy
the wicked and protect the virtuous. The ten Avataras are: Matsya (The Fish),
Kurma (The Tortoise), Varaha (The Boar), Narasimha (The Man-Lion), Vamana (The
Dwarf), Parasurama (Rama with the axe, the destroyer of the Kshatriya race),
Ramachandra (the hero of the Ramayana?the son of Dasaratha, who destroyed
Ravana), Sri Krishna, the teacher of the Gita, Buddha (the prince-ascetic,
founder of Buddhism), and Kalki (the hero riding on a white horse, who is to
come at the end of the Kali-Yuga).
The object of the Matsya Avatara was to
save Vaivasvata Manu from destruction by a deluge. The object of Kurma Avatara
was to enable the world to recover some precious things which were lost in the
deluge. The Kurma gave its back for keeping the churning rod when the Gods and
the Asuras churned the ocean of milk. The purpose of Varaha Avatara was to
rescue, from the waters, the earth which had been dragged down by a demon named
Hiranyaksha. The purpose of Narasimha Avatara, half-lion and half-man, was to
free the world from the oppression of Hiranyakasipu, a demon, the father of
Bhakta Prahlada. The object of Vamana Avatara was to restore the power of the
gods which had been eclipsed by the penance and devotion of King Bali. The
object of Parasurama Avatara was to deliver the country from the oppression of
the Kshatriya rulers. Parasurama destroyed the Kshatriya race twenty-one times.
The object of Rama Avatara was to destroy the wicked Ravana. The object of Sri
Krishna Avatara was to destroy Kamsa and other demons, to deliver His wonderful
message of the Gita in the Mahabharata war, and to become the centre of the
Bhakti schools of India. The object of Buddha Avatara was to prohibit animal
sacrifices and teach piety. The object of the Kalki Avatara is the destruction
of the wicked and the re-establishment of virtue.
Lilas of Lord Siva
Lord Siva incarnated himself in the form
of Dakshinamurti to impart knowledge to the four Kumaras. He took human form to
initiate Sambandhar, Manikkavasagar, Pattinathar. He appeared in flesh and
blood to help his devotees and relieve their sufferings. The divine Lilas or
sports of Lord Siva are recorded in the Tamil Puranas like Siva Purana, Periya
Purana, Siva Parakramam and Tiruvilayadal Purana.
The eighteen Upa-Puranas are: Sanatkumara,
Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna,
Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and
Hamsa.
Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred
recitals of scriptures, describing and expounding of the transcendent Lilas of
the Blessed Lord. These form an important part of Sadhana of the Lord’s
devotees. It is most pleasing to the Lord. Sravana is a part of
Navavidha-Bhakti. Kathas and Upanyasas open the springs of devotion in the
hearts of hearers and develop Prema-Bhakti which confers immortality on the
Jiva.
The language of the Vedas is archaic, and
the subtle philosophy of Vedanta and the Upanishads is extremely difficult to
grasp and assimilate. Hence, the Puranas are of special value as they present
philosophical truths and precious teachings in an easier manner. They give
ready access to the mysteries of life and the key to bliss. Imbibe their
teachings. Start a new life of Dharma-Nishtha and Adhyatmic Sadhana from this
very day, and attain Immortality.
1. Vedic Samhitas and Brahmanas by Vishal Agarwal
2. http://www.answers.com/topic/puranas
3. http://www.answers.com/topic/trimurti
4. The Puranas (http://www.bharatadesam.com/scriptures/puranas.php)
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