Changes

=== In Vedas and Vedangas ===

=== In Vedas and Vedangas ===

In Taittriya Aranyaka (2.10) of Krishna Yajurveda and Shatapatha Brahmana (11.5.6-8) we find a mention of Brahmanas, Itihasas, Puranas, and Narasamshi gathas that are part of svadhyaya.<blockquote>मध्वाहुतयो ह वा एता देवानाम्। यदनुशासनानि विद्या वाकोवाक्यमितिहासपुराणं गाथा नाराशंस्यः स य एवं विद्वाननुशासनानि विद्या वाकोवाक्यमितिहासपुराणं गाथा नाराशंसीरित्यहरहः स्वाध्यायमधीते.... (Shat. Brah. 11.5.6)<ref>Shatapatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A Kanda 11, Adhyaya 5, Brahmana 6])</ref></blockquote>Puranas find a mention in the Atharva veda along with Itihasas in the singular; where it is said that the rks, the samans, the chandas, puranas, yajus originated from the residue (ucchista) of the yajnas.<blockquote>ऋचः सामानि छन्दांसि पुराणं यजुषा सह । उच्छिष्टाज्जज्ञिरे सर्वे दिवि देवा दिविश्रितः ॥२४॥ (Athar. Veda. 11.9.24)<ref>Atharva Veda (Kanda 11, Sukta 9)</ref> </blockquote>Brhdaranyanka Upanishad ascribes the origin of the four vedas, Itihas and Puranas, Vidyas, Upanishad shlokas, sutras, their commentaries to the breath of the Mahabhuta (Virat Purusha).<blockquote>वा अरेऽस्य महतो भूतस्य निःश्वसितमेतद्यदृग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्वाङ्गिरस इतिहासः पुराणं विद्या उपनिषदः श्लोकाः सूत्राण्यनुव्याख्यानानि व्याख्याननीष्टं (Brhd. Upan. 4.5.11)</blockquote>Brhadaranyaka (4.1.2) also we find reference to Itihasa and Purana terms.

In '''Taittriya Aranyaka''' (2.10) of Krishna Yajurveda and Shatapatha Brahmana (11.5.6-8) we find a mention of Brahmanas, Itihasas, Puranas, and Narasamshi gathas that are part of svadhyaya.<blockquote>मध्वाहुतयो ह वा एता देवानाम्। यदनुशासनानि विद्या वाकोवाक्यमितिहासपुराणं गाथा नाराशंस्यः स य एवं विद्वाननुशासनानि विद्या वाकोवाक्यमितिहासपुराणं गाथा नाराशंसीरित्यहरहः स्वाध्यायमधीते.... (Shat. Brah. 11.5.6)<ref>Shatapatha Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A Kanda 11, Adhyaya 5, Brahmana 6])</ref></blockquote>Puranas find a mention in the '''Atharva veda''' along with Itihasas in the singular; where it is said that the rks, the samans, the chandas, puranas, yajus originated from the residue (ucchista) of the yajnas.<blockquote>ऋचः सामानि छन्दांसि पुराणं यजुषा सह । उच्छिष्टाज्जज्ञिरे सर्वे दिवि देवा दिविश्रितः ॥२४॥ (Athar. Veda. 11.9.24)<ref>Atharva Veda (Kanda 11, Sukta 9)</ref> </blockquote>'''Brhdaranyanka Upanishad''' (4.1.2 and 4.5.11) ascribes the origin of the four vedas, Itihas and Puranas, Vidyas, Upanishad shlokas, sutras, their commentaries to the breath of the Mahabhuta (Virat Purusha).<blockquote>वा अरेऽस्य महतो भूतस्य निःश्वसितमेतद्यदृग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्वाङ्गिरस इतिहासः पुराणं विद्या उपनिषदः श्लोकाः सूत्राण्यनुव्याख्यानानि व्याख्याननीष्टं (Brhd. Upan. 4.5.11)</blockquote>'''Gautama Dharmasutras''' in the context of explaining that the inanimates, animate beings, birds, reptiles, trees - all depend on two classes of people namely the Rajas and Brahmanas who are vedavidvans (बहुश्रुत-ब्राह्मणः). In this context Gautama sutras explain the nature of an educated vedavidvan. <blockquote>स एव बहुश्रुतो भवति ॥ 4 ॥ लोकवेदवेदाङ्गवित् ॥ 5 ॥ वाकोवाक्येतिहासपुराणकुशलः ॥ 6 ॥ (Gaut. Dhar. Sutr. 1.8.4-6)<ref name=":3">Dr. Umesh Chandra Pandey. (1966) ''Gautama Dharmasutra with Mitakshari Sanskrit Commentary of Haradatta.'' Varanasi : Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office ([https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.429882/page/n135 See Prashna 1, Adhyaya 8])</ref></blockquote>Bahusthruta Brahmana is that person who has jnana in the four vedas, the six vedangas and is a learned in veda-shastra related tarka or arguments, itihasa and puranas. He not only has faith in them but also actively performs the acharas in accordance with them.<ref name=":3" />

Gautama Dharmasutras (

'''Gautama Dharmasutras''' (2.2.19) further state that the main instruments of conduct of activities (vyavahara) for a Raja include Vedas, Dharmashastras, Vedangas, Upavedas, and Puranas.

 

=== Panchamaveda ===

=== Panchamaveda ===

According to a few scholars<ref>Pt. Giridhar Sharma Chaturvedi (1998) ''Purana Parishilan (Hindi).'' Patna : Bihar Rashtrabhasha Parishad. (Pages 2-3)</ref> the explanation of how Puranas get an equal place as Vedas, forming the Panchama veda is given in the following way. In the Vratyakanda of Atharvaveda we find the following mantras<blockquote>तमितिहासश्च पुराणं च गाथाश्च नाराशंसीश्चानुव्यचलन् । [११]</blockquote><blockquote>इतिहासस्य च वै स पुराणस्य च गाथानां च नाराशंसीनां च प्रियं धाम भवति य एवं वेद।। (Athar. Veda. 15.6.11-12)<ref>Atharva Veda (Kanda 15, Sukta 6)</ref></blockquote>In Vratyakanda (15th Kanda of Atharvaveda) mantras we find the explanation that Vratyas (also called Kesins (Rig Veda 10.136.1-7) - a group of wandering ascetic people following Vrata) were a preraka (inducers) for prajapati also. Vratyas worshipped elements of nature and Rudra is said to be Vratyapati as described by the Shatarudriya of Yajurveda. We find in the present context that the Vratyas spread to different directions and along with the devatas, pitrs etc who go along with them. In the fifth and sixth suktas of the Vratyakanda it is mentioned that the four vedas, Itihasa, Puranas, Gathas including the Narasamshi, spread with them. Here it suffices to mention that Itihasa and Puranas have the same significance along with the four vedas and thus they form the Fifth Vedas. More details of Vratyas is dealt with separately.  

According to a few scholars<ref>Pt. Giridhar Sharma Chaturvedi (1998) ''Purana Parishilan (Hindi).'' Patna : Bihar Rashtrabhasha Parishad. (Pages 2-3)</ref> the explanation of how Puranas get an equal place as Vedas, forming the Panchamaveda is given in the following way. In the Vratyakanda of Atharvaveda we find the following mantras<blockquote>तमितिहासश्च पुराणं च गाथाश्च नाराशंसीश्चानुव्यचलन् । [११] इतिहासस्य च वै स पुराणस्य च गाथानां च नाराशंसीनां च प्रियं धाम भवति य एवं वेद।। (Athar. Veda. 15.6.11-12)<ref>Atharva Veda (Kanda 15, Sukta 6)</ref></blockquote>In Vratyakanda (15th Kanda of Atharvaveda) mantras we find the explanation that Vratyas (also called Kesins (Rig Veda 10.136.1-7) - a group of wandering ascetic people following Vrata) were a preraka (inducers) for prajapati also. Vratyas worshipped elements of nature and Rudra is said to be Vratyapati as described by the Shatarudriya of Yajurveda. We find in the present context that the Vratyas spread to different directions and along with the devatas, pitrs etc who go along with them. In the fifth and sixth suktas of the Vratyakanda it is mentioned that the four vedas, Itihasa, Puranas, Gathas including the Narasamshi, spread with them. Here it suffices to mention that Itihasa and Puranas have the same significance along with the four vedas and thus they form the Fifth Vedas. More details of Vratyas is dealt with separately.  

Chandogya Upanishad (7.1.2 and 4), Skanda Purana (5.3.1.18)<ref name=":1222">Skanda Puranam ([http://vedicreserve.mum.edu/puranas/skanda_purana/skanda_purana_05avanti_03reva.pdf Reva Khanda])</ref> and Bhagavata Purana (1.4.20)<ref name=":02">Shrimad Bhagavata Puranam ([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%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AA Skanda 1 Adhyaya 4])</ref> mention that Puranas are the texts collectively as Panchamaveda.  

Chandogya Upanishad (7.1.2 and 4), Skanda Purana (5.3.1.18)<ref name=":1222">Skanda Puranam ([http://vedicreserve.mum.edu/puranas/skanda_purana/skanda_purana_05avanti_03reva.pdf Reva Khanda])</ref> and Bhagavata Purana (1.4.20)<ref name=":02">Shrimad Bhagavata Puranam ([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%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AA Skanda 1 Adhyaya 4])</ref> mention that Puranas are the texts collectively as Panchamaveda.  

== Purana List ==

== Purana List ==

Devi Bhagavata enumerates the puranas in a nutshell in the following sloka taking their initial letter.  

Devi Bhagavata enumerates the puranas in a nutshell in the following sloka taking their initial letter. <blockquote>मद्वयं भद्वयं चैव ब्रत्रयं वचतुष्टयम् । अनाप-लिंग-कूस्कानि पुराणानि पृथक्पृथक् ॥ २ ॥ (Devi. Bhag. 1.3.2)<ref>Devi Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80%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%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5 Skanda 1 Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote>

 

The list of Puranas is given in many puranas such as Padmapurana, Vishnupurana (3.6), Skanda purana, Agni Purana (10.8.3), however, they differ widely in names of the puranas included and the number of slokas mentioned.

The list of Puranas is given in many puranas such as Padmapurana, Vishnupurana (3.6), Skanda purana, Agni Purana (10.8.3), however, they differ widely in names of the puranas included and the number of slokas mentioned.