Puranas
മഹാപുരാണങ്ങൾ
The eighteen Mahapuranas — cosmology, genealogies, legends and devotional traditions.
The Puranas preserve the tradition’s cosmological narratives, genealogies of kings and sages, temple and pilgrimage lore, and devotional material. The eighteen Mahapuranas are commonly grouped by the deity they chiefly honour.
Scriptures in this collection
Brahma Purana
ബ്രഹ്മപുരാണം
A Purana with cosmology, genealogies and material on sacred places, including Purushottama Kshet...
Padma Purana
പദ്മപുരാണം
A large Vaishnava Purana with sections on cosmology, devotion and sacred geography.
Vishnu Purana
വിഷ്ണുപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana with cosmology, genealogies and the avatars of Vishnu.
Shiva Purana
ശിവപുരാണം
A Shaiva Purana on Shiva, cosmology and the Jyotirlinga traditions.
Bhagavata Purana
ഭാഗവതപുരാണം
The most widely read Purana, centred on Krishna and devotion, in twelve skandhas.
Narada Purana
നാരദപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana with teaching on devotion, sacred places and dharma in the form of a dialogue...
Markandeya Purana
മാർകണ്ഡേയപുരാണം
A Purana containing the Devi Mahatmyam, the central text of Goddess worship.
Agni Purana
അഗ്നിപുരാണം
An encyclopaedic Purana covering ritual, iconography, law, astrology and kingship.
Bhavishya Purana
ഭവിഷ്യപുരാണം
A Purana presented as prophetic, with material on ritual, kings and sacred places.
Brahmavaivarta Purana
ബ്രഹ്മവൈവർത്തപുരാണം
A devotional Purana centred on Krishna, Radha and the goddess traditions.
Linga Purana
ലിംഗപുരാണം
A Shaiva Purana on the linga, Shiva’s manifestations and the sacred sites of Shiva.
Varaha Purana
വരാഹപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana in the form of a dialogue between Varaha and the earth.
Skanda Purana
സ്കന്ദപുരാണം
The largest Purana, with extensive material on Shiva, Kartikeya, temples and pilgrimage.
Vamana Purana
വാമനപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana centred on the Vamana avatar and sacred geography.
Kurma Purana
കൂർമപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana in the form of a dialogue with the tortoise avatar of Vishnu.
Matsya Purana
മത്സ്യപുരാണം
A Purana in the form of a dialogue with the fish avatar, with early temple architecture material...
Garuda Purana
ഗരുഡപുരാണം
A Vaishnava Purana in dialogue with Garuda, including the afterlife and funeral rites.
Brahmanda Purana
ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡപുരാണം
A Purana on the cosmic egg (brahmanda), cosmology and the Lalita Sahasranama tradition.