Puranas are almost like an encyclopedia listing the human achievements in this part of the world till the time they were edited or compiled. In every cycle of time, the master editor called Vedavyas emerges to edit, vet, and compile these records. Their significance is enormous even in the present, as they give a peek into the distant past of Hindus when the world was evolving and the psyche of the race was being formed. These Puranas record the arguments that lead us to decide as to what is holy and what is vile; what is good and what is bad. By going through them, we can compare our present-day jurisprudence vis-à-vis the ancient norms. Apart from that, they are a huge storehouse of information encompassing every subject under the sun. It is with the view of unearthing these gems that the present series of the Puranas has been planned.
'PURANAS' literally mean ancient records. They are almost like an encyclopedia listing the human achievements in this part of the world till the time they were edited or compiled. In every cycle of time (explained ahead), a Vedavyas occurs who edits, vets, compiles, and even writes these Puranas with unbiased objectivity. Everyone is not entitled to do this job. Vedavyas is supposed to be the most learned, experienced, and awakened person of his cycle to do this job. Vedavyas is a position to which a person is appointed by the learned and pious persons' assembly in each cycle. It literally means the one who has fully mastered the Vedas, and his position is graphically described as the one who has fathomed the Veda-knowledge as the diameter (Vyas in Sanskrit) does to a circle. In this Vishnu Purana itself, the last Vedavyas has himself said that the next Vedavyas would be Ashwatthama of the Mahabharata fame. We know from the Mahabharat that this son of Guru Dronacharya is immortal, though immortality is actually a part of the curse that he has to suffer.
In fact, Krishna had never cursed anyone in his entire stay on the earth. He cursed Ashwatthama alone. He was made immortal to suffer the pain and humiliation for his oozing, filthy wounds right in the forehead. And we know that he was cursed because, despite being a Brahman who is supposed to be learned and kind-hearted, he had asked his Brahmastra (in modern context a deadly nuclear-headed missile) to fall on a pregnant lady's womb so that would be born person's whole lineage could be effaced. This meanness of Ashwatthama appeared so henious to Krishna that he said: "You would see Parikshit (the person who was in the embryo form) ruling over the world from Hastinapur (which roaring about like an unwanted existence all over the world, missing your foul smelling and never healing wounds on the forehead created by the extraction of the gem of congenitally embedded these, you will survive immortally."
What is amazing is that the Vedavyas who had created the tome of Mahabharat for posterity's immense benefit brought know will what type of person Ashwatthama had been. How could I suggest his name for such an august post, which he himself describes as above-board? The person holding it cannot be prejudiced, or else he would distant the history. The Puranas are like the 'Time-Capsules' left for posterity. No civilization would like to hoodwink its future by deliberately disturbing history. They were not like Macaulay or the like! Perhaps the Vedavyas suggested Ashwatthama's name for two reasons. First, he is immortal, and naturally, he would witness all that transpires. Secondly, with time purging all his mortal confusion and prejudices, he is, in the estimation of the last Vedavyas, likely to emerge as an impartial observer.
This point has been emphasized to bring home the importance of these Puranas. Normally, there are eighteen of these Puranas in a definite order (explained ahead), but some scholars add a few more or replace a few with different names also. Take, for example, this Vishnu Purana, which is also known as Narada-Vishnu Purana, in which there are many interproducers. Or many this Purana, the Vishnu Purana is a pruned version of Narada-Vishnu Purana! Similarly, there is also a 'Skanda' Purana (different from the well-known Skanda Puranas). It is claimed by some scholars that the famous 'Katha of Bhagwan (god) Satyanarain' Which is recited after completion of every important ceremony like marriage, etc., in the traditional Hindu Household has been taken from 'this Skanda, Purana'.
Maybe it's time. But the point here is that these Puranas have a definite style of narration and recording the facts. There is invariably one speaker and one listener, and their conversation reveals the importance of one particular deity to whom that Purana is dedicated. Our distinct trend is glomming that deity which breathes the other. The Vishnu Purana, in a couple of stories try to lessen the importance of Shiva before Vishnu's Krishna incarnations. This trend had given rise to a kind of violent confrontation between the Vaishnavas and the Shaivas in the 14th-15th centuries. Thanks to Tulasidas' Valiant effort, the bitterness between the two was considerably lessened.
The Vishnu Purana is believed to be one of the most important Puranas, if not the most valuable ancient records of the faith called 'Sanatan Dharma,' which is often erroneously called the Hindu Dharma. It has its value enhanced for two reasons; one, it has a detailed description of how a man should live in the world. Secondly, since its base is devotion to Vishnu, who is held to be the most important deity of this faith, it gathers added significance. Its stories reveal the various exploits of Vishnu in his different incarnations. But surprisingly, it omits certain important incarnations of Vishnu, viz. Rana incarnation and the earlier incarnations. It chiefly centres around the incarnation of Vishnu as Lord Krishna, the most potent of all the incarnations of this deity.
In rendering this holy text into English the attention has been paid to cull only those details that have certain fundamental truths of life. Hence, in this work, those details have been deliberately omitted that may appear rather confusing or uninteresting to the reader, not having the initiation in the sacred lore. The main thrust of the attempt has been to show at least a clear glimpse of our ancient hermitage. No attempt has been made to vary from the text, but at places, to make the content more unambiguous, certain details from other sources, like the Mahabharata, have been added. It is hoped that those who value our cultural heritage will accord it a warm welcome. Lastly, I express my gratitude to Narendra ji of Diamond Publications for giving me this opportunity.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
Vedas (1254)
Upanishads (525)
Puranas (635)
Ramayana (781)
Mahabharata (383)
Dharmasastras (175)
Goddess (539)
Bhakti (252)
Saints (1759)
Gods (1318)
Shiva (416)
Journal (180)
Fiction (71)
Vedanta (388)
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