Subject matter of the Purāṇas

It is important to know about some general information about the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas . In every Purāṇas there are mentioned about their short identity. So here describes very short description about the Mahā-Purāṇas .

A. Brahma Purāṇa : Brahma Purāṇa is one of the important Purāṇa among the 18th Mahā-Purāṇa . Brahma Purāṇa divided into two parts–Purva Bhāga and Uttar Bhāga. There are 14000 verses and 245 chapters in this Purāṇa . This text has described the destruction of the foundation of the world.

B. Padma Purāṇa : Padma Purāṇa , also called the ‘Gitāmāhātmya ’ is one of the major of the eighteenth Mahāpurāṇas . It is divided into five parts and 50000 verses. This Purāṇa contains the descriptions of the creation.

C. Viṣṇu Purāṇa : The Viṣṇu Purāṇa is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteenth Mahāpurāṇas . Viṣṇu Purāṇa divided into six parts. It has 23000 verses. This text also describes the description of the foundation of the world.

D. Vāyu Purāṇa : The Vāyu Purāṇa , also called the Śiva Purāṇa (mentioned in many text), is one of the Purāṇas , dedicated to god Śiva. According to tradition the Purāṇa originally consisted of 11000 ślokas (verse) and 4 Khandas which is called ‘Pāda’. After the reconstruction and the abridgment by Vedavyāsa the extant text comprises 24000 verses, which he taught to his disciple Lomaharshana.

E. Bhāgavata Purāṇa : The Bhāgavata Purāṇa , also known as Śrīmadbhāgavata MahāPurāṇa , or Śrīmad Bhāgavata , is divided into 335 chapters. It has 18000 verses. Bhāgavata Purāṇa describes the many stories of Lord Viṣṇu.

F. Nāradīya Purāṇa : The Nāradīya or Nārada Purāṇa is one of the major Purāṇa among the eighteenth MahāPurāṇas . It is divided into two parts and two hundred and seven chapters. It has 25000 verses. Nārada Purāṇa contains the theory of Mokṣa.

G. Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa : The Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa is one of the important major Purāṇa among the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas . It is a genre of Hindu religious text. It has 9000 verses and 137 chapters. It is written in the style of a dialogue between the ancient sage Mārkaṇḍeya and Jaimini.

H. Agni Purāṇa : The Agni Purāṇa also a valuable Purāṇa among the MahāPurāṇas , a genre of Hindu religious text, contains description and details of various incarnation (Avatars) of Lord Viṣṇu. It also has details account about, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Pṛthivī and the Stars. The text is divided into 383 chapters. It has 16000 ślokas.

G. Bhaviṣya Purāṇa : The Bhaviṣya Purāṇa is a major among the eighteenth MahāPurāṇas . It is written in Sanskrit and attributed to Ṛṣi Vyāsa, the compiler of the Vedas. It has 1450 verses. This text contains the various types of worship of Gods.

J. Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa : Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa is a major Purāṇa . It is a Hindu religious text of the 10th century A.D., divided into four parts. It has 274 chapters and 18000 verses. This text narrates the details of life and deeds of Lord Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

K. Varāha Purāṇa : The Varāha Purāṇa is one of the most important Purāṇa among the eighteenth MahāPurāṇas . It describes in details about the Varāha incarnation (avatar) of Viṣṇu, and narrates about the rescue of the Pṛthivī. This text is divided into 218 chapters. It has 24000 verses.

L. Liṅga Purāṇa : The Liṅga Purāṇa is one of the main Purāṇa of Hindu religious text about Lord Śiva. The extant text is divided into two parts and 133 chapters respectively. In this Purāṇa , Lord Śiva directly tells sometimes the importance of worship of Liṅga and the correct rituals to be followed during the worship of the Liṅga. It has 11000 verses.

M. Skanda Purāṇa : The Skanda Purāṇa is the largest Purāṇa. Skanda is the son of Lord Śiva, also known as Kārtikeya. This text has 81000 slokas. It described about Lord Śiva.

N. Vāmana Purāṇa : The Vāmana Purāṇa is one of the most important Mahāpurāṇa . This Hindu religious text is devoted to the Vāmana avatar of Lord Viṣṇu. This text is divided into ninety-five chapters, and it has 10000 verses.

O. Matsya Purāṇa : Matsya Purāṇa is one of the oldest among the eighteen Mahā-Purāṇas , post-Vedic Hindu scriptures. It narrates the story of Matsya, the first of ten major avatars of the Hindu god Viṣṇu. This text has 291 chapters and 15000 verses.

P. Garuḍa Purāṇa : The Garuḍa Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā-Purāṇas , which are part of the Hindu body of texts known as Smṛti. It has 18000 ślokas. This is divided into 264 chapters. There is the description of making world in this Purāṇa .

Q. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa : The Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā-Purāṇas , a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts and has been assigned the eighteenth place in almost all the lists of the Purāṇas . In Sanskrit ‘Brahma’ means biggest or the Universe and ‘Anda’ or ‘Andam’ means egg. So Brahmāṇḍa means the biggest egg signifying the life from which universe is born. It has two parts and 12000 verses.

R. Kūrma Purāṇa : The Kūrma Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇa , a genre of Hindu religious texts. It is believed to have been directly narrated by the Lord Viṣṇu to the sage Nārada, and it contains the details about the Kūrma avatar. This text is divided into four Saṃhitās . It has 6000 ślokas. But according to the Bhāgavata and Matsya Purāṇa it has 18000 verses.