Changes

One certainly would be awed at the collection of such great texts containing over thousands of slokas, (transmitted over generations) all of which have a few unique (common across Puranas) special characteristics in their content. Several puranas have mentioned पञ्चलक्षणम् ॥ five characteristics of puranas

One certainly would be awed at the collection of such great texts containing over thousands of slokas, (transmitted over generations) all of which have a few unique (common across Puranas) special characteristics in their content. Several puranas have mentioned पञ्चलक्षणम् ॥ five characteristics of puranas

#Agni Purana (1.14)

#Agni Purana (1.14)

#Bhavishya Purana (1.2.4 and 5<ref name=":0" />)

#Bhavishya Purana (1.2.4 and 5<ref>Bhavishya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5_%E0%A5%A7_(%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0 Parva 1 (Brahma Parva) Adhyaya 2])</ref>)

#Garuda Purana (1.2.28-29)<ref name=":2" />

#Garuda Purana (1.223.24)<ref>Garuda Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A9 Khanda 1 (Acharakhanda) Adhyaya 223])</ref>

#Matsya Purana (53.65)<ref name=":1" />

#Vishnu Purana(3.6.25)<ref>Vishnu Purana (Amsha 3 Adhyaya 6)</ref>

#Vishnu Purana(3.6.25)<ref>Vishnu Purana (Amsha 3 Adhyaya 6)</ref>

#Kurma Purana (1.12)<ref>Kurma Purana (Purvabhaga Adhyaya 1)</ref>

#Kurma Purana (1.12)<ref>Kurma Purana (Purvabhaga Adhyaya 1)</ref>

#Shiva Purana (Vayuviya samhita 1.41)

#Shiva Purana (Vayuviya samhita 1.41)

#Brahmanda Purana (1.1.37-38)<ref name=":3" />

#Brahmanda Purana (1.1.37-38)<ref name=":3" />

Vishnu Purana largely conforms to having all the five lakshanas whereas few other Puranas barely touch upon them. Apart from these topics Puranas predominantly describe about Danas (gifts), Vratas (religious observances), Tirtha (sacred places), and Shraddha (observances for forefathers). The slokas pertaining to the Panchalakshanas are very similar across the puranas with minor variations. Given below is the sloka and explanation for the Panchalakshanas from Matsya Purana.<blockquote>सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंश्यानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ६५ (Mats. Pura. 53.65)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca । vaṁśyānucaritaṁ caiva purāṇaṁ pañcalakṣaṇam 65</blockquote>

Vishnu Purana largely conforms to having all the five lakshanas whereas few other Puranas barely touch upon them. Apart from these topics Puranas predominantly describe about Danas (gifts), Vratas (religious observances), Tirtha (sacred places), and Shraddha (observances for forefathers). The slokas pertaining to the Panchalakshanas are very similar across the puranas with minor variations. Given below is the sloka and explanation for the Panchalakshanas from Matsya Purana.<blockquote>सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंश्यानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ६५ (Mats. Pura. 53.65)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca । vaṁśyānucaritaṁ caiva purāṇaṁ pañcalakṣaṇam 65</blockquote>

*सर्गः ॥ Sarga : srsti siddhantas (theories of creation) starting from Brahma (primary creation)

*सर्गः ॥ Sarga : srsti siddhantas (theories of creation) starting from Brahma (primary creation)

*मन्वन्तराणि ॥ Manvantaras: Cosmic cycles of time, origin and lineages of people, creatures in the world during the time of one Manu

*मन्वन्तराणि ॥ Manvantaras: Cosmic cycles of time, origin and lineages of people, creatures in the world during the time of one Manu

*वंशानुचरितम् ॥ Vamsanucharitam: Legends and anecdotes of various rajas, maharajas and chakravartis.

*वंशानुचरितम् ॥ Vamsanucharitam: Legends and anecdotes of various rajas, maharajas and chakravartis.

==दशलक्षणानि ॥ Ten Lakshanas of Mahapuranas==

==दशलक्षणानि ॥ Ten Lakshanas of Mahapuranas==

Shabdakalpadruma further describes Dashalakshana or ten characteristics of a Mahapurana as follows<blockquote>महापुराणस्य दश लक्षणानि । यथा, सर्गः १ विसर्गः २ वृत्तिः ३ रक्षा ४ अन्तरम् ५ वंशः ६ वंश्यानुचरितम् ७ संस्था ८ हेतुः ९ अपाश्रयः १० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>mahāpurāṇasya daśa lakṣaṇāni । yathā, sargaḥ 1 visargaḥ 2 vr̥ttiḥ 3 rakṣā 4 antaram 5 vaṁśaḥ 6 vaṁśyānucaritam 7 saṁsthā 8 hetuḥ 9 apāśrayaḥ 10 ॥</blockquote><p>The same list as evidenced in Bhagavata Purana, is translated below</p><blockquote>पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिः निरूपितम् ।  श्रृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारतः ॥ ८ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>purāṇalakṣaṇaṁ brahman brahmarṣibhiḥ nirūpitam । śrr̥ṇuṣva buddhimāśritya vedaśāstrānusārataḥ ॥ 8 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्तिरक्षान्तराणि च ।  वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रयः ॥ ९ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>sargo'syātha visargaśca vr̥ttirakṣāntarāṇi ca । vaṁśo vaṁśānucaritaṁ saṁsthā heturapāśrayaḥ ॥ 9 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>दशभिः लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः । daśabhiḥ lakṣaṇairyuktaṁ purāṇaṁ tadvido viduḥ । (Bhag. Pura. 12.7.8-9)<ref>Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 7])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Listen (O Saunaka!) with complete attention the characteristics of Puranas as described by the Brahmarshis in conformity to Vedas and Shastras. Those who are experts in puranic lore declare that Purana has the following ten lakshanas

 

Shabdakalpadruma also mentions Dashalakshana or ten characteristics of a Mahapurana as follows<blockquote>महापुराणस्य दश लक्षणानि । यथा, सर्गः १ विसर्गः २ वृत्तिः ३ रक्षा ४ अन्तरम् ५ वंशः ६ वंश्यानुचरितम् ७ संस्था ८ हेतुः ९ अपाश्रयः १० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>mahāpurāṇasya daśa lakṣaṇāni । yathā, sargaḥ 1 visargaḥ 2 vr̥ttiḥ 3 rakṣā 4 antaram 5 vaṁśaḥ 6 vaṁśyānucaritam 7 saṁsthā 8 hetuḥ 9 apāśrayaḥ 10 ॥</blockquote><p>The same list as evidenced in Bhagavata Purana, is translated below</p><blockquote>पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिः निरूपितम् ।  श्रृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारतः ॥ ८ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>purāṇalakṣaṇaṁ brahman brahmarṣibhiḥ nirūpitam । śrr̥ṇuṣva buddhimāśritya vedaśāstrānusārataḥ ॥ 8 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्तिरक्षान्तराणि च ।  वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रयः ॥ ९ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>sargo'syātha visargaśca vr̥ttirakṣāntarāṇi ca । vaṁśo vaṁśānucaritaṁ saṁsthā heturapāśrayaḥ ॥ 9 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>दशभिः लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः । daśabhiḥ lakṣaṇairyuktaṁ purāṇaṁ tadvido viduḥ । (Bhag. Pura. 12.7.8-9)<ref>Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 7])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Listen (O Saunaka!) with complete attention the characteristics of Puranas as described by the Brahmarshis in conformity to Vedas and Shastras. Those who are experts in puranic lore declare that Purana has the following ten lakshanas

#सर्गः ॥ Sarga - the elemental primary creation (subtle)

#सर्गः ॥ Sarga - the elemental primary creation (subtle)

#विसर्गः ॥ Visarga - the secondary creation (gross)

#विसर्गः ॥ Visarga - the secondary creation (gross)

== References ==

== References ==