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The अमरकोश describes a पुराण thus:

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च / वंशानुचरितं चापि पुराणम् पञ्चलक्षणम् //

According to this definition, पुराण is one which describes सर्ग , प्रतिसर्ग , वंश , मन्वन्तर and वंशानुचरित . Among these सर्ग and प्रतिसर्ग are natural creation and renovation (Cosmogony). वंश means history of sages and patriarchs. By मन्वन्तर is meant the period of different Manus. वंशानुचरित means Genealogy of kings. In the पुराणस् which are current now some of these five divisions are wanting.

Statements about पुराणस् are found even in the ब्राह्मणस् . Therefore it is to be surmised that पुराणस् existed even before historic times. महाभारत has used the term पुराण to mean stories about देवस् and सिद्धस् . The उपनिषद्स् say that पुराणस् are इतिहासस् and as such constitute the fifth वेद . स्मृति says that पुराणस् are commentaries on वेदस् . From all these statements it can be gathered that पुराणस् have a hoary past. The great Sanskrit scholar रङ्गाचार्य has defined पुराण as पुरा nava ( पुरा =old; नव =new) meaning things which are as good as new though existing from olden times. Though there are large portions of wide imagination dealing with the human side in the पुराणस् many truths about the universe can be grasped from them. All the पुराणस् contain praises of ब्रह्मा , विष्णु and महेश्वर . In most of the पुराणस् of old, new additions and interpolations are seen. The पुराणस् in original were in existence before Christ.

From the above it can be gathered that it was व्यास who composed all the पुराणस् . बाण who lived in the seventh century A.D. speaks about वायु पुराण . कुमारिल भट्ट who lived in the eighth century and शङ्कराचार्य who lived in the ninth century speak about the पुराणस् . पुराणस् must have therefore taken their present forms before the sixth or seventh century A.D.

There are eighteen major पुराणस् and another eighteen minor ones. The major पुराणस् contain over four lakhs of श्लोकस् . All the पुराणस् are in verses like महाभारत . But none of them is as good as महाभारत as a piece of literature. Still the पुराणस् splendidly reflect the culture of भारत . The पुराणस् are the basis of the bulk of Indian thinking on matters social, cultural, religious and political. Even the Indian art has taken form from the पुराणस् . The पुराणस् are classified into three, those pertaining to ब्रह्मा , those pertaining to विष्णु and those to शिव .

A. विष्णु -based पुरानस्

विष्णु पुराण

This is one of the most important of all the पुराणस् . This contains the five technical divisions of the पुराणस् . This is divided into six अंशस् . This deals with the events of वाराहकल्प and contains twentythree thousand श्लोकस् . The theme is the ten incarnations of महाविष्णु . विष्णु पुराण is the most ancient of all the पुराणस् and has got the name पुराणरत्न (gem of पुराणस् ).

The method of narration is in the form of teaching his disciple मैत्रेय by sage पराशर . Since there is a reference in it to the Maurya dynasty it is to be surmised that this was composed in the first or second century A.D. The narrator himself states thus:-" व्यास an adept in the compositon of पुराणस् composed this पुराणसंहिता with आख्यानस् , उपाख्यानस् , गाथास् and कल्पनिर्णयस् . A सूत named रोमहर्षण was व्यास 's chief disciple. The broad-minded व्यास gave that संहिता to that सूत . रोमहर्षण had six disciples named सुमति , अग्निवर्चस् , मित्रायुस् . शांशपायन , अकृतव्रण , and सावर्णि . Of these अकृतव्रण , सावर्णि and शांशपायन born in the कश्यपगोत्र have composed पुराणसंहितास् . There is yet another संहिता composed by रोमहर्षण which was the basis of the संहितास् of his three disciples. I have composed विष्णुपुराण basing on the above four संहितास् .

If a man gives as gift a book of विष्णु पुराण on the full moon day in the month of आषाढ (July) with जलधेनु he will attain विष्णुपाद .

भागवत पुराण

This is the most popular and widely circulated of all the पुराणस् . It is dear to विष्णु -devotees. Divided into twelve स्कन्धस् this contains eighteen thousand श्लोकस् . All the incarnations of विष्णु are described in this. The most interesting स्कन्ध is the tenth स्कन्ध in which the author has described the life and activities of श्री कृष्ण . There was once a belief that it was Baladeva who lived in the thirteenth century A.D. that had composed this पुराण . But this belief was smashed when it was found that Vallālasena of Bengal who lived in the eleventh century A.D. had made references to this पुराण in some of his works. भागवत accepts Kapila and Buddha as incarnations of विष्णु . This has been translated into all Indian languages. This book has to be given as gift on the fullmoon day in the month of प्रोष्ठपद (September). अग्नि पुराण instructs that this book is to be given along with a golden image of a lion.

नारदीय पुराण

This is in the form of a narration by नारद to सनत्कुमार . In this book of twentyfive thousand verses नारद teaches the dharmas of बृहत्कल्प . If this is given as gift on the full-moon day in the month of आश्विन there will be great prosperity.

गरुड पुराण

This is in the form of instructions to गरुड by विष्णु . This deals with astronomy, medicine, grammar, and with the structure and qualities of diamonds. This पुराण is dear to वैष्णवितेस् . The latter half of this पुराण deals with life after death. The Hindus of north-India generally read this पुराण while cremating the bodies of the dead. This has given great importance to the origin of गरुड . There are eight thousand verses in this book. This book should be given as gift along with an image in gold of a swan to get prosperity.

पद्म पुराण ( पाद्म पुराण )

This book is divided into six खण्डस् comprising fiftyfive thousand verses. The six खण्डस् are सृष्टिखण्ड , भूमिखण्ड , स्वर्गखण्ड , पातालखण्ड , उत्तरखण्ड and क्रियायोगसार . The उत्तरखण्ड describes the importance of all months and also the lotus, the seat of ब्रह्मा . This contains the stories of शकुन्तला and श्री राम as described by कालिदास in his works शाकुन्तल and रघुवंश which has made some believe that this पुराण was written after कालिदास . If this पुराण is given as gift with a cow in the month of ज्येष्ठ (June) it brings prosperity.

वराह पुराण

The mode of narration is in the form of narrating the story by वराह , the third incarnation of विष्णु . The theme is about holy places and mantras. It states that the goddess of earth prayed to महाविष्णु and that prayer took the form of a goddess. This book contains fourteen thousand verses. If one copies down this पुराण and gives it as gift along with a golden image of गरुड on the full-moon day in the month of चैत्र (April) one will attain विष्णुलोक .

B. पुराणस् relating to ब्रह्मा

ब्रह्म पुराण

This is in the form of teachings by ब्रह्मा to दक्ष . This contains twentyfive thousand verses. This is called आदि पुराण also. There is a special treatise in this book on ओरिस्स , an ancient holy region of भारत . There is in this a special annexure explaining the intimacy between शिव and सूर्य which is a deviation from other पुराण s. ब्रह्म पुराण states about a सूर्यक्षेत्र (sun-temple) situated at a place called कोणार्क near the holy place of पुरी , installed there in the year 1241 A.D. If this पुराण along with जलधेनु is given as a gift on the full-moon day in the month of वैशाख (May) the donor will attain heaven.

ब्रह्माण्ड पुराण

This deals with the origin of the universe as told by ब्रह्मा . In the beginning there was a golden egg and the प्रपञ्च ( उनिवेर्से with its activities) was formed out of it. Portions of अध्यात्म रामायण , references to राधा and कृष्ण and the incarnation of परशुराम are included in this. This book contains twelve thousand verses and it is believed to be उत्तम (best) to give this book as a gift to a ब्रह्मिन् .

ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण

This was instructed to सावर्णिक by नारद . The theme is the story of रथन्तर . There are four काण्डस् in this पुराण called ब्रह्मकाण्ड , प्रकृतिकाण्ड , गणेशकाण्ड and कृष्णजन्मकाण्ड . This deals with प्रपञ्चसृष्टि ( च्रेअतिओन् of the universe). It says that प्रपञ्च is nothing but the वैवर्त्त ( त्रन्स्फ़ोर्मतिओन् ) of ब्रह्मन् . It is considered to be holy to give this book containing eighteen thousand verses as a gift on the full-moon day in the month of माघ (February).

मार्कण्डेय पुराण

This is one of the ancient पुराणस् . There are many stories regarding इन्द्र , सूर्य and अग्नि in this. This includes a division called देवीमाहात्म्य containing praises about the goddess दुर्गा . This contains nine thousand verses and it is considered as उत्तम (best) to give this book as a gift to a brahmin on a full-moon day in the month of कार्त्तिक (November).

भविष्य पुराण

This is what is told to मनु by सूर्य (Sun). This contains statements about future events. The book praises the worship of सूर्य (Sun), अग्नि (fire) and नाग (serpent). There is an annexure dealing with the several holy places of भारत and the rights of pilgrims. The book contains fourteen thousand verses and it is considered to be उत्तम (best) to give this book along with treacle as a gift to a ब्रह्मिन् on the full-moon day in the month of पौष (January).

Vāmana पुराण

There is a great similarity between the contents of this पुराण and that of वराह पुराण . All the incarnations of विष्णु from वामन downwards are described in this पुराण . The scene of शिव marrying पार्वती is vividly described in this book. This पुराण contains ten thousand verses and it is considered to be उत्तम (best) to give this book as a gift in the autumn season or at the time of विषुव to a ब्रह्मिन् .

C. पुराणस् relating to शिव

वायु पुराण

This पुराण is told by वायु . बाणभट्ट who lived in the seventh century A.D. makes references to this पुराण in his works. There are many references in this पुराण about the Gupta Kings who ruled भारत in the 4th century A.D. So it is believed that this पुराण must have been written in the fifth or sixth century A.D The book contains plenty of verses in praise of शिव . There are fourteen thousand verses in the वायु पुराण and it is considered to be best to give this book as a gift to a ब्रह्मिन् on the full-moon day in the month of श्रावण (August).

लिङ्ग पुराण

This contains instructions of शिव on Dharma sitting in the form of लिङ्ग (Phallus). The twentyeight different forms of शिव are described in this. This contains twelve thousand verses and if this book is given as a gift to a ब्रह्मिन् with तिलधेनु on the full-moon day in the month of फाल्गुन (March) the donor will attain शिवसायुज्य .

स्कान्द पुराण

This पुराण is narrated by स्कन्द . The theme is the slaughter of the demon तारकासुर by स्कन्द ( सुब्रह्मण्य ). There is a great similarity between this पुराण and the कुमारसम्भव of कालिदास . There are eightyfour thousand verses in this पुराण and giving this book as a gift is thought to be good.

अग्नि पुराण

This पुराण was instructed to the sage वसिष्ठ by अग्निदेव . There are several references in this to शिवलिङ्ग and दुर्गादेवी . The incarnations of राम and कृष्ण are also dealt with in this. Distinct from other पुराणस् this book deals with arts and science like कव्यालङ्कारनाटकस् (Poems, dramas, figures of speech), ज्योतिश्सास्त्र (Astronomy) and शिल्पकला (architecture). This पुराण contains twelve thousand verses and is capable of imparting knowledge on all arts and sciences.

मत्स्य पुराण

This पुराण was taught to मनु by मत्स्य , the incarnation of विष्णु , The incarnation of मत्स्य is dealt in this. Several subjects like जैनमत (religion of Jainism), बुद्धमत (Buddhism), नाट्यशास्त्र (histrionics) and आन्ध्रराजवंस (kingdom and Kings of आन्ध्र ) are discussed in this book. The book contains thirteen thousand verses and this is to be given as gift along with a golden image of a fish at the time of विषुव .

कूर्म पुराण

This पुराण is taught by कूर्ममूर्ति (incarnation of विष्णु as कूर्म (tortoise) while narrating the story of इन्द्रद्युम्न at पाताल . All the seven islands and seven oceans are described in this book. भारत is situated in the centre of all these and is called जम्बूद्वीप . Though it is believed that there were four संहितास् for this, only the ब्राह्मसंहिता is available now. It includes ईश्वरगीता and व्यासगीता . The book contains eight thousand verses and is to be given as gift along with a golden image of tortoise.

उपपुराणस्

There are eighteen minor पुराण s besides the eighteen major ones. They are:--