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Line 7: + + + + + + + + + + + + + − + − The Puranas have five characteristics (Pancha-Lakshana) viz., history, cosmology (with various symbolical illustrations of philosophical principles), secondary creation, genealogy of kings and of Manvantaras.+ − सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंश्यानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ६५ (Mats. Pura. 53.65)+ − Several Puranas, such as the Matysa Purana,<ref>''Matsya Purana'' 53.65</ref> list "five characteristics" or "five signs" of a Purana. These are called the ''Pancha Lakshana'' (), and are topics covered by a Purana:<ref name="Rao">{{Harvnb|Rao|1993|pp=85–100}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Johnson|2009|p = 248 }}</ref>+ − #''Sarga'': [[cosmogony]] − #''Pratisarga'': cosmogony and [[cosmology]]<ref>Jonathan Edelmann (2013), The Bhagavata Purana: Sacred Text and Living Tradition (Editors: Ravi Gupta and Kenneth Valpey), Columbia University Press, ISBN 978-0231149983, pages 48-62</ref> − #''Vamśa'': [[genealogy]] of the gods, sages and kings<ref>Vayu Purana 1. 31-2.</ref> − #''Manvañtara'': cosmic cycles,<ref>RC Hazra (1987), Studies in the Puranic Records on Hindu Rites and Customs, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120804227, page 4</ref> history of the world during the time of one patriarch − #''Vamśānucaritam'': legends during the times of various kings.<p>A few Puranas, such as the most popular Bhagavata Purana, add five more characteristics to expand this list to ten:<ref name="gregbailey440">Greg Bailey (2001), Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy (Editor: Oliver Leaman), Routledge, ISBN 978-0415172813, pages 440-443</ref> </p> Line 24:
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Line 147: − ==Etymology== − Douglas Harper states that the etymological origins of ''Puranas'' is from Sanskrit ''Puranah'', literally "ancient, former," from ''pura'' "formerly, before," cognate with Greek ''paros'' "before," ''pro'' "before," Avestan ''paro'' "before," Old English fore, from proto-Indo-European ''*pre-'', from root ''*per-''."<ref>Douglas Harper (2015), [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Purana Purana], Etymology Dictionary</ref>
→Lakshanas of Puranas: adding content needs to be edited
All the Puranas belong to the class of Suhrit-Samhitas, while Vedas are Prabhu-Samhitas. Vyasa is the compiler of the Puranas from age to age; and for this age, he is Krishnadvaipayana, the son of Parasara.<ref name=":0">Swami Sivananda, All About Hinduism, Page 41-45</ref>
All the Puranas belong to the class of Suhrit-Samhitas, while Vedas are Prabhu-Samhitas. Vyasa is the compiler of the Puranas from age to age; and for this age, he is Krishnadvaipayana, the son of Parasara.<ref name=":0">Swami Sivananda, All About Hinduism, Page 41-45</ref>
==Etymology==
According to Shabdakalpadruma, the word Purana is used in the sense of पुरा भवमिति । which means "that which existed in the past" and पुरा नीयते इति । which means "that which takes (you) back (in time)"
=== Five Lakshanas of Puranas ===
Amarakosha summarizes the characteristics of Puranas as follows
: व्यासादिमुनिप्रणीत-वेदार्थवर्णित-पञ्चलक्षणान्वित-शास्त्रम् । तत्पर्य्यायः । पञ्चलक्षणम् २ । इत्यमरः । १ । ६ । ५ ॥
Purana is that shastra, which is written by Vyasa, describes the meanings of Vedas and comprised of the panchalakshanas
Several puranas have five characteristics (Pancha-Lakshana) viz., history, cosmology (with various symbolical illustrations of philosophical principles), secondary creation, genealogy of kings and of Manvantaras.<blockquote>सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंश्यानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ६५ (Mats. Pura. 53.65)<ref>Matsya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%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%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A9 Adhyaya 53])</ref></blockquote>
*''Sarga'' : theories of creation
*''Pratisarga'': cosmogony and [[cosmology]]
*''Vamśa'': [[genealogy]] of the gods, sages and kings<ref>Vayu Purana 1. 31-2.</ref>
*''Manvañtara'': cosmic cycles, history of the world during the time of one patriarch
*''Vamśānucaritam'': legends during the times of various kings.
== Lakshanas of Puranas ==
=== Ten Lakshanas of Mahapuranas ===
Shabdakalpadruma further describes the characteristics of a Mahapurana as follows
महापुराणस्य दश लक्षणानि । यथा, सर्गः १ विसर्गः २ वृत्तिः ३ रक्षा ४ अन्तरम् ५ वंशः ६ वंश्यानुचरितम् ७ संस्था ८ हेतुः ९ अपाश्रयः १० ॥<p>Bhagavata Purana, add five more characteristics to expand this list to ten: </p><p>पुराणलक्षणं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मर्षिभिः निरूपितम् । श्रृणुष्व बुद्धिमाश्रित्य वेदशास्त्रानुसारतः ॥ ८ ॥ </p>सर्गोऽस्याथ विसर्गश्च वृत्तिरक्षान्तराणि च । वंशो वंशानुचरितं संस्था हेतुरपाश्रयः ॥ ९ ॥
दशभिः लक्षणैर्युक्तं पुराणं तद्विदो विदुः ।
# 'Utaya'': [[Karma|karmic]] links between the deities, sages, kings and the various living beings''
# 'Utaya'': [[Karma|karmic]] links between the deities, sages, kings and the various living beings''
#''Ishanukatha'': tales about a god
#''Ishanukatha'': tales about a god
#''Mukti'': [[moksha]], spiritual liberation
#''Mukti'': [[moksha]], spiritual liberation
#''Ashraya'': refuge
#''Ashraya'': refuge
The Puranas link gods to men, both generally and in religious [[bhakti]] context.<ref name="gregbailey440" /> Here the Puranic literature follows a general pattern. It starts with introduction, a future devotee is described as ignorant about the god yet curious, the devotee learns about the god and this begins the spiritual realization, the text then describes instances of god's grace which begins to persuade and convert the devotee, the devotee then shows devotion which is rewarded by the god, the reward is appreciated by the devotee and in return performs actions to express further devotion.<ref name="gregbailey440" />
1) Sarga - the elemental creation
2) Visarga - the secondary creation
3) Sthanam - the planetary systems
4) Poshanam - protection by the Lord
5) Utayah - the creative impetus
6) Manvantara - the change of Manus
7) Isha-anukatha - the science of God
8) Nirodha - the dissolution
9) Mukti - liberation
10) Ashraya - the supreme shelter
The Puranas link gods to men, both generally and in religious [[bhakti]] context.<ref name="gregbailey440">Greg Bailey (2001), Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy (Editor: Oliver Leaman), Routledge, ISBN 978-0415172813, pages 440-443</ref> Here the Puranic literature follows a general pattern. It starts with introduction, a future devotee is described as ignorant about the god yet curious, the devotee learns about the god and this begins the spiritual realization, the text then describes instances of god's grace which begins to persuade and convert the devotee, the devotee then shows devotion which is rewarded by the god, the reward is appreciated by the devotee and in return performs actions to express further devotion.<ref name="gregbailey440" />
== Classification of the Puranas ==
== Classification of the Puranas ==
Sanatkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and Hamsa.
Sanatkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and Hamsa.
==Texts==
==Texts==
===Mahapuranas===
===Mahapuranas===