Any of a number of collections of ancient legends and lore embodying the principles of the universal, eternal religion and ethics. There are 18 Puranas, the most famous being the Maha-Bhagavatam and the Devi Bhagavatam. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

‘Puranam pranjali kshanam’. That is to say that the Puranas deal with historical incidents, of creation and evolution. The incidents are so chosen and narrated that they provide illustrations of basic philosophic truths. The Puranas were composed to expound the teachings of the Vedas and Vedanta to the common man through interesting mythological and legendary tales.

The Puranas have as their subject matter historical narratives of divine personages, great rulers and dynasties and the fortunes of kingdoms and communities. Through them all can be seen shining examples of Dharma and exposition of spiritual principles. (BPV, pp. 82-83)

The works of Vyasa and Valmiki are very ancient. Such writings of past ages are aptly called Puranas. (SSVahini, p. 121)

Suka said to the King Parikshit: There is no Purana higher than this (Bhagavatam). Of its characteristics:

1. the first one is Sarga. When the three Gunas, Sattva, Raja and Tamas are in equilibrium, it is called Prakriti, the Primeval Substance, Mula. By the disturbance in the equilibrium, the five elements are produced; Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky. Also, the subtle attributes of these five; smell, taste, form; touch and sound, creating also as the subtle senses that can cognise each, the nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin and the ear. The mind and the ego arise from the same principle. The process of creation is called Sarga.

1. The second mark of a Purana is Visarga, that is to say, Sarga or creation in a special sense. The proliferation into manifold varieties of beings through the interaction of various oddities and peculiarities in activity is what is described as Visarga.

1. Sthanam is the third chief content of a Purana. Everything that is originated in the universe must have some bounds, so that it may serve some purpose. The fixation of these limits, and the processes by which the limits are honoured are all described in the section entitled Sthanam, or State.

1. The next distinguishing mark of a Purana is the inclusion in it of a section on Poshana: Fostering, Guarding, Preservation from harm. All these are included in Divine Grace.

1. The next is Manvantara; the chronology of Manu, which every Purana The day is composed of 8 yamas, 30 such days make a month; 12 months are called a year. One year for this world is just a day for the gods. 360 such days, form a year, for them. The Kali Yuga is composed of 1,000 such years. The previous Dwapara Yuga had 2,000 such years, while Treta Yuga, which preceded it had 3,000 and Krita, which was the first of the four, had 4,000 such years. Each Yuga has 200, 400, 600 or 800 contact periods or Sandhya periods. 12,000 such years comprise a Mahayuga. 1000 such Mahayugas form a single day for Brahma! Every day of Brahma sees 14 Manus, lording the universe. So each Manu is master for more than 70 Mahayugas. The story of the Manus and their lineage is named Manvantara.

1. uti is the next sign of the Purana. Uti, means the consequence of the activity, its impact on one’s nature and career. The nature of life is determined by the impact of the activities of the entity in previous lives. God treats all alike; men forge their fates differently, through their own waywardness and wilfulness. Oothi deals with this aspect.

1. Ishanukatha is another subject which means, the glories of Isha, or God, and the manifold ways in which men have experienced the might and majesty, the sweetness and light that the glory represents.

1. The Lakshana deals with Nirodha or Absorption. The Lord absorbs within Himself all the glory that He makes manifest. He then goes into the sleep of Yoga until the Divine Impulse to manifest again disturbs the Divine Equipoise.

1. Mukti is another subject, meaning the liberation of man from the bonds of ignorance, or Ajnana, which keeps him encased. He has to be liberated through the realisation that he is not the body, but the Atma, the Soul, which is his Reality.

1. Asraya is the final aspect. It means, the help, the support, the prop. Without help, liberation cannot be attained. The Absolute is the Prop for the universe. The Absolute (Paramatma) from which all this emanated, in which all this exists, into which all this merges, is the prop for achieving liberation. He who knows the Adhi-bhautika, the Adhi-daivika and the Adhi-atma, by that very knowledge, knows the Asraya, or the Paramatma (Bhag Vahini, pp. 172-175)