Chapter 2 - Merit in Gifting Purāṇa Texts

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: This religious incentive to gift Purāṇa manuscripts has resulted in the preservation and spread of these ancient texts.

The sages said:

1. Describe the characteristic features of Kathā (story) and its good merits and demerits in detail. How should one assess the distinctive characteristics of the composition of sages and those of ordinary persons? How should it be understood, O highly intelligent one? We wish to hear.

Sūta said:

2. Now I shall succinctly describe the due order of the Purāṇas, their characteristic features, number and the differences mentioned.

3. Formerly the Grandfather of Amaras (Devas) performed a severe penance. Then the Vedas along with the six Aṅgas, Padas (words) and Kramas (special manners in the recitation of Vedic passages) manifested themselves.

4-5a. Then the entire range of the Purāṇas containing all the sacred texts and extending to a hundred crores (of verses) manifested themselves. The Purāṇa constituted of eternal sounds and words is meritorious. They (the Purāṇas) came out of the mouth of Brahmā.

5b-7.^[1] They are: (1) Brahmapurāṇa, (2) Viṣṇu Purāṇa, (3) Śiva Purāṇa, (4) Bhāgavata Purāṇa, (5) Bhaviṣya Purāṇa, (6) Nāradīya Purāṇa, (7) Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, (8) Āgneya Purāṇa, (9) Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, (10) Liṅga Purāṇa, (11) Varāha Purāṇa, (12) Skanda Purāṇa, (13) Vāmana Purāṇa, (14) Kūrma Purāṇa, (15) Matsya Purāṇa, (16) Garuḍa Purāṇa, (17) Vāyavīya Purāṇa, and then (Padma Purāṇa) is called the eighteenth Purāṇa that is destructive of all sins.

8-9. Formerly there was only one Brahmāṇḍa (?Purāṇa) consisting of a hundred crores (of verses). In every Yuga, Vedavyāsa, the direct partial incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, divides it into eighteen Purāṇas and propounds it to the world.

10. Others, Upapurāṇas^[2], also were narrated by that sage. I shall mention them briefly to you. May they be listened to and understood.

[List of Upapurāṇas]

11-15. The first one is that narrated by Sanatkumāra. Thereafter is the Narasiṃha. The third one is indicated as Skanda (or Nanda) which is recounted by Kumāra (Skanda). The fourth one is called Śivadharma directly proclaimed by Nandīśa. Then the wonderful one narrated by Durvāsas. Thereafter what is narrated by Nārada. Then Kāpila and Mānava. Then what is narrated by Uśanas. Then Brahmāṇḍa.^[3] The next one is Varuṇa. Then the other one called Kālikā. Then Māheśvara, Sāṃba and Saura having the collection of all topics. What is narrated by Parāśara is great. Then Mārīca. Then what is called Bhārgava. These are the Upapurāṇas mentioned, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

The sages said:

16. O Sūta, kindly mention the number of the Purāṇas in detail and due order, O Sūta, O knower of distinct features of Dāna and Dharma.

Suta said:

17. That immanent soul of the universe narrated to Manu this alone. The ancient Puruṣa mentioned this in this Purāṇa. Understand what he said:

18. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa is the most ancient of all scriptural texts. Thereafter the Vedas came out of his mouth.

19. There was only one Purāṇa in that Kalpāntara. It was the means of achieving the three aims (i.e. Virtue, Wealth and Love). It is meritorious and extended to a hundred crore (of verses).

20-23. When all the worlds were completely burned, at the time of Pralaya, Kṛṣṇa, in the form of the infinite one, collected together the four Vedas along with their Aṅgas, the Purāṇas, the detailed texts of Nyāya, Mīmāṃsās and Dharmaśāstra and retained them within himself. At the beginning of the next Kalpa, he, assuming the form of a fish in the vast ocean, told the entire tract of lores to Brahmā, endowed with divine vision. Brahmā endowed with the knowledge and vision of the three divisions of time (past, present and future) narrated it to all sages. Thereafter, all the scriptures and Purāṇas became current.

24. Then in due course, Hari in the form of Vyāsa, will summarize and propagate the eighteen Purāṇas.

25. Always in every Dvāpara Yuga, the Purāṇas extended to four hundred thousand (verses). Kṛṣṇa expounds them in eighteen different forms (texts) on the earth.

26. Even today, in the celestial world, it extends to a hundred crores (of verses). The essence thereof is summarized into four hundred thousand (verses) (in this world).

[Mahāpurāṇas: Extent, Contents]

27. Now these are the eighteen Purāṇas, O excellent sages. I shall mention their names and the number (of verses)^[4] too.

28. The entire thing mentioned earlier to Marīci by Brahmā is called Brahma Purāṇa. It contains ten thousand (verses).

29. He who copies it in writing and makes a gift of it along with Jaladhenu on the Full-Moon day in the month of Vaiśākha is honoured in the world of Brahmā.

30. When this universe was a golden lotus, the incidents therein were collected together and that Purāṇa is called Padma Purāṇa by learned men.

31. The Padma Purāṇa contains fifty-five thousand verses. He who makes a gift of it along with a golden lotus and gingelly seeds in the month of Jyeṣṭha, obtains the merit of a horse-sacrifice.

32. Based on the incidents of the Vārāhakalpa^[5], the Lord, greater than the greatest, recounted all the virtues and holy rites. They know that Purāṇa as Vaiṣṇava (Viṣṇu) Purāṇa.

33. This Purāṇa is beautified through the activities of Viṣṇu. This is proclaimed as the Purāṇa consisting of twenty-three thousand verses.

54. He who makes a gift of it along with Ghṛtadhenu on the bright full-moon day in Āṣāḍha attains the region of Viṣṇu.

35. Vāyu recounted the holy rites and virtues in the context of Śrutakalpa as the background. This Purāṇa is Vāyavīya Purāṇa. It contains Rudramāhātmya also.

36. It consists of twenty-four thousand verses and many events are recounted in it. Virtue, wealth, love and salvation are dealt with along with the good conduct of the well-behaved.

37. He who makes a gift of it on the Full-Moon day in the month of Śrāvaṇa along with Guḍadhenu and curd to a Brāhmaṇa burdened with a large family, shall become a purified soul and he will live in Śivaloka for the period of a Kalpa.

38. He is reborn as a man once again. He will be a Brāhmaṇa, the most excellent one among those conversant with the Vedas. He will be an expert in the Vedic lore and the principles and meanings thereof and be the foremost among scholars of the themes and principles of writing glosses.

39. That Purāṇa is called Bhāgavata where Dharma is described on the basis of Gāyatrī.^[6] The killing of the demon Vṛtra is also contained in it.

40. It also contains the events about men and Devas who live in the Sārasvata Kalpa. It is holy and there is meritorious description of marriages too.

41. He who copies it and makes a gift of it on the Full-Moon day in the month of Bhādrapada along with a gold replica of a lion attains the greatest goal.

42. It is glorified as a Purāṇa containing eighteen thousand verses.

43. That is Nāradīya Purāṇa in which Nārada expounds Dharma as current in Bṛhatkalpa. It consists of twenty-five thousand verses.

44. He who copies it and makes a gift of it on the Full-Moon day in the month of Àśvina along with a cow attains the highest Siddhi in this world and in the next. He obtains all his cherished desires. No doubt need be entertained in this respect.

45. That which contains discussion about Dharma and Adharma with reference to (and in consultation with) birds^[7] is called the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. It contains nine thousand verses.

46. He who copies it and makes a gift of it along with a gold replica of an elephant on the full-moon day of the month of Kārttika, attains the merit of the Pauṇḍarīka Yajña.

47. What is narrated to Vasiṣṭha by Agni taking into account (and with reference to) the events of Īśānakalpa is called Āgneya Purāṇa.

48. He who copeis it and makes a gift of it along with a golden lotus and Tiladhenu (cow made of gingelly seeds) in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa in accordance with the injunctions, obtains the merit of all Kratus. It (the Purāṇa) contains sixteen thousand verses.

49-50. In the context of the events of Aghorakalpa, the Four-faced Lord of the universe explained to Manu the characteristics of all the Bhūtas (living beings, elements, spirits) on the basis of the greatness of Āditya. It is called Bhaviṣya Purāṇa because mostly future events are described. It contains fourteen thousand five hundred verses.

51. He who is free from jealousy and makes a gift of the Purāṇa on the full-moon day in the month of Pauṣa along with a pot of jaggery, shall obtain the merit of Agniṣṭoma.

52-53. With reference to the events of the Rathantara Kalpa, the story of Brahma-Varāha along with the greatness of Kṛṣṇa was narrated by Sāvarṇi to Nārada. It is called Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa. It contains eighteen thousand verses. He who makes a gift of Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa to an excellent Brāhmaṇa on the full-moon day in the month of Māgha, is honoured in the world of Brahmā.

54-55. Lord Maheśvara staying in the middle of a. fiery Liṅga expounds (the Puruṣārthas) Virtue, Wealth, Love and Salvation in the context of Āgneya Kalpa. It is called Liṅga Purāṇa by Brahmā himself.

56. It contains eleven thousand verses. He who makes a gift of it on the full-moon day in the month of Phālguna along with Tiladhenu attains identity with Śiva.

57. With reference to the greatness of Mahāvarāha Viṣṇu expounds (virtue etc.) to the Earth. It is called Varāhapurāṇa.

58. O excellent sages, it is in the context of Dhanya (a blessed one), the son of Manu. That Purāṇa contains twenty-five thousand verses.

59. A devotee should make a gold replica of Garuḍa and give it along with Tiladhenu to a Brāhmaṇa of a large family. He attains the region of Viṣṇu with the favour of Varāha.

60-61. It is with reference to the religious practices of (the followers) of Maheśvara and with special reference to the Six-faced Lord. It describes in details the events which happened in Tatpuruṣa Kalpa. That Purāṇa called Skanda is said to consist of eighty-one thousand one hundred verses. It is thus recited among mortals (people).

62. He who copies it and makes a gift of it along with a trident made of gold when the Sun enters Capricorn, attains the region of Śiva.

63. With reference to the greatness of Trivikrama as the basis, the Four-faced Lord expounds the three aims of life. It is glorified as Vāmana Purāṇa.

64. This Purāṇa contains ten thousand verses. It is a Śaiva Purāṇa consisting of (the events of) Kaurmakalpa.

65. He who makes a gift of it on the autumnal equinox along with gold and garments, covered with a silk cloth and accompanied by a cow, attains the region of Viṣṇu.

66-68. In Rasātala, in the presence of Indra and sages, Janārdana, in the form of a Tortoise expounded the greatness of (the Puruṣārthas, viz.) Virtue, Wealth, Love and Liberation, in the Lakṣmīkalpa in the context of the interlude of Indradyumna. It (Kūrma Purāṇa) consists of seventeen thousand verses. He who makes the gift of the Kūrma Purāṇa along with a gold replica of tortoise, shall obtain the merit of gifting a thousand cows.

69-70. For the propagation of the Vedas at the beginning of a Kalpa, Janārdana assumed the form of a Fish and expounded to Manu the events of seven Kalpas in the course of the description of Narasiṃha. O sage of holy rites, know this as the Matsya Purāṇa. It contains fourteen thousand verses.

71. If anyone makes the gift (of this Purāṇa) covered with a silk cloth on the day of equinox along with a gold replica of a fish and a cow, it is as though the entire earth has been gifted by him.

72. In Garuḍa Kalpa, Garuḍa came out of Viśvāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg). Kṛṣṇa expounded this Purāṇa on that as the basis. It is called Garuḍa Purāṇa.

73. It is recited in (i.e. consists of) nineteen thousand verses. He who makes a gift of it along with a gold replica of a swan in the latter Ayana (i.e. Southern transit) [If pare is taken to mean “the great”, then the Ayana will be the Northern] one achieves the principal Siddhi and a stay in Śiva Loka.

74. Brahmā again expounded the greatness of the Cosmic Egg. That is Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa containing twelve thousand two hundred verses.

75. A detailed description of the future Kalpas is found therein. That Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa is narrated by Brahmā.

76-77a. A man who makes the gift of that Purāṇa along with two woollen cloths, attains the merit of a thousand Rājasūyas. If the gift is accompanied by a gold replica of a cow, it bestows the region of Brahmā.

77b-78. Thus (the whole range of Purāṇas) was spoken by Vyāsa of miraculous deeds in four hundred thousand verses briefly in Dvāpara, O Brāhmaṇas, for the sake of the benefit of all the worlds.

79. The same tract of literature called Purāṇa among the celestial beings extends to a hundred crores.

[Upapurāṇas: Extent and Contents]

Now I shall narrate the different Upapurāṇas that have been established in the world.

80. The description of Narasiṃha has been included in Padma Purāṇa. It contains eighteen thousand verses. It is called Nārasiṃha (Upa) Purāṇa.

81. (The text) wherein the greatness (of the Lord) has been described by Kārttikeya to Nandin has become well-known in the world as Nandi Purāṇa, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

82. O Brāhmaṇas of holy Vratas, that Upapurāṇa of Sāṃba is famous in the world and the story therein pertains to Sāṃba.

83. Thus the Āditya Upapurāṇa is mentioned there itself. It is seen as separate from the eighteen Upapurāṇas, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, know that it has been taken out of these.

84. There are Five Aṅgas (limbs or sections) of the Purāṇa. They are: Sarga (creation), Pratisarga (subsidiary creation), Vaṃśa (the royal lineage), Manvantaras (the periods of the rule of Manus), Vaṃśānuvaṃśa Carita (the description of the dynasties of Sages etc.). Thus a Purāṇa has five characteristics.

85. Another interpretation: the five characteristics are the description of the greatness of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Arka (the Sun god) and Rudra and the annihilation of the universe. All these five are seen in a Purāṇa.

86. In all the Purāṇas virtue, wealth, love and salvation as well as the benefit contained in them have been explained.

87. In the Sāttvika Kalpas the greatness of Hari is supreme. They know that the greatness of Brahmā reigns supreme in the Rājasa Kalpas.

88. Similarly the greatness of Śiva is to be found in the Tāmasa Kalpas. In a Purāṇa of a mixed nature, the greatness of Sarasvatī and Pitṛs is narrated.

89. Among the eighteen Purāṇas, Lord Viṣṇu is extolled in four (Purāṇas), Brahmā and Ravi each in two and Lord Śiva in the remaining ones.

90. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, I think that Purāṇa is steady (unchangeable) like the Vedas. All the Vedas are established in the Purāṇas. There is no doubt about it.

91. The Veda is afraid of the men of insufficient knowledge of the lore and feels: “Oh! This man will move and dislodge me.” It (Veda) has been rendered firm and steady formerly by means of Itihāsas and Purāṇas.

92. What is not seen in the Vedas, O Brāhmaṇas, what is not seen in the Smṛtis and what is not seen in both of them is being sung about in the Purāṇas.

93. A Brāhmaṇa who knows all the four Vedas along with their Aṅgas and the Upaniṣads, but who does not know the Purāṇa is not learned.

94. After composing the eighteen Purāṇas, the son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa) wrote the narrative (epic) of Bhārata rendering it strengthened through the topics of the Vedas.

95-97. It was propounded by the noble soul by means a hundred thousand verses at the end of Dvāpara.

Brahmā composed the story of Rāma in a hundred crores of verses. He spoke (transmitted) it unto Nārada and through him to Vālmīki and Vālmīki narrated the excellent story of Rāma that enables one to achieve virtue, wealth and love in this world in one-fourth of a Lakṣa of verses i.e. in twenty-five thousand verses.

98. Thus these twenty-five thousand verses are glorified as meritorious. Learned men understood everything about the ancient Kalpas from the Purāṇa.

99-100. In accordance with the demands of the age (Kāla) the Itihāsas and Purāṇas differ, O leading Brāhmaṇas. Different versions of the Purāṇas, Skanda, Brahmāṇḍa and Liṅga are current in the Vārāha Kalpa. Indeed Brahmāṇḍa is different in eighteen ways.

101. Therefore, the Purāṇas came to be eighteen in the world. The splendid Liṅga Purāṇa was divided into eleven different sections in Dvāpara.

[Khaṇḍas of the Skanda Purāṇa]

102. The intelligent Vedavyāsa has divided the Skanda Purāṇa into seven Khaṇḍas. The number of verses in the Skanda is eighty-one thousand one hundred.

103. The first Book or Khaṇḍa is called Māheśvara Khaṇḍa. It contains the greatness of Skanda. The second one is remembered as Vaiṣṇava Khaṇḍa.

104. The third one is mentioned as Brahma Khaṇḍa. It briefly expounds the creation (of the universe). The fourth one is cited as one containing the greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī Khaṇḍa).

105. The fifth one is glorified as describing the greatness of Revā along with that of Ujjayinī. The sixth one is Nāgara Kalpa (Khaṇḍa). It indicates the greatness of the Tīrthas.

106. O Brāhmaṇas, this seventh book is remembered as Prābhāsika (Khaṇḍa). Each of these Books is glorified as containing twelve thousand verses (approximately).

107. In this Prābhāsika Khaṇḍa all the details of holy spots, greatness of the Tīrthas and greatness of Śaṅkara are explained.

108. Of course the greatness of the other Devas too is mentioned.

Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, the different Purāṇas are succinctly told.

109. One who reads this enumeration of the eighteen Purāṇas at the time of the offering of Havyas and Kavyas goes to the abode of Hari.

110. This is indeed the storehouse of renown. This is a favourite of the Pitṛs. This gives satisfaction to the Devas always, like nectar. This destroys great sins of men.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This list of Mahāpurāṇas includes both Śiva and Vāyu Purāṇas which are otherwise disjunctively mentioned. The inclusion of both led to the exclusion of Padma Purāṇa which is always included as a Mahāpurāṇa elsewhere.

[2]:

Traditionally 18 Upapurāṇas are mentioned and their relation with a particular Mahāpurāṇa is (many times wrongly) presumed. The lists of Upapurāṇas in Devībhāgavata, Kūrma Purāṇa etc. differ inter se. Hazra records a list of 100 Upapurāṇas (Studies in Upapurāṇas). Some Mahāpurāṇas e.g. Matsya (53.59-62,) mention Upapurāṇas like Narasiṃha, Nandī, Āditya and Sāmba. Some Upapurāṇas have the same names as the Mahāpurāṇas as found in the list here in this text.

It is a complex problem as many of the Upapurāṇas are unpublished.

[3]:

This is different from the Mahāpurāṇa called Brahmāṇḍa.

[4]:

P.V. Kane in HD.V.ii. pp.831-832 gives a comparative Table of number of verses in each Purāṇa as stated in Mahāpurāṇas.The tabular statement shows that there is no consensus in this matter. Thus according to MtP and VāP and SkP here Brahma Purāṇa has 10,000 verses, also according to Nārada P. 92.31, Agni P. 272.1 gives 25,000 as the number of verses in Brahma Purāṇa. Presumably the authors of these Purāṇas had different versions of Brahma Purāṇa before them.

[5]:

This Purāṇa indicates that different Mahāpurāṇas describe events that took place in different Kalpas. Thus Vaiṣṇava or Viṣṇu Purāṇa refers to Vārāha Kalpa, Vāyu Purāṇa to Śruta Kalpa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa to Sārasvata Kalpa.

[6]:

It appears that the author of this Purāṇa has not seen or read the Bhāgavata Purāṇa or had a very different version containing no reference to Kṛṣṇa’s life. The ruse of claiming Sārasvata Kalpa for such glaring differences comes in handy to the author.

[7]:

This reference to birds is given in the Nārada Purāṇa which also gives the list of contents of this Purāṇa.