4 Hindu Puranams · 4.1 Hindu Puranams
4.1.2 Deities, sages and lineages in the Puranas
The Puranas arrange the gods in families: the Trimurti and their consorts, Brahma's mind-born Prajapatis, Kashyapa's wives whose sons became gods, demons, serpents and birds, and the Sun and Moon dynasties of kings.
- APPSC Paper I
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Core facts
Trimurti
| God | Role | Consort | Vahana / abode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahma | creator | Saraswati | swan (hamsa) / Satyaloka |
| Vishnu | preserver | Lakshmi (Sri) | Garuda / Vaikuntha |
| Shiva | destroyer | Parvati (earlier Sati) | Nandi (Nandiswara) / Kailasa |
Vahanas (vehicles)
| Deity | Vahana | Deity | Vahana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganesha | mouse (mushika) | Indra | Airavata (elephant) |
| Kartikeya (Subrahmanya) | peacock | Agni | ram |
| Durga | lion | Yama | buffalo |
| Lakshmi | owl (also elephant) | Varuna | makara |
| Saraswati | swan (also peacock) | Vayu | deer (antelope) |
| Surya | chariot of 7 horses, Aruna driver | Kubera | man (nara) |
| Shani | crow | Ganga | makara |
| Kama | parrot | Bhairava | dog |
Prajapatis and sages
- Brahma's mind-born sons (manasa putras) include Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, with Bhrigu, Daksha and Narada. The four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanatkumara) are also mind-born.
- The Kurma Purana names nine sons of Brahma: Marichi, Bhrigu, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksha, Atri, Vasishtha. Kashyapa is not one of them; he is Marichi's son.
- Vyasa's line (Linga Purana): Vasishtha → Shakti → Parashara → Vyasa. So Vasishtha is Vyasa's great-grandfather. When Parashara set out in anger to destroy all rakshasas (they had killed his father Shakti), Vasishtha calmed him; Parashara then won Shiva's grace by worshipping a clay linga.
- From Brahma came the first couple, Svayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa (the 2023 key's answer to "the mind-born sons of Brahma were"; strictly, Shatarupa came from Brahma's body).
- Daksha Prajapati held a sacrifice (the Brihaspati-sava; the 2023 paper spells it Brihaspatistava) and did not invite Shiva and Sati; Sati gave up her body there; Virabhadra destroyed the sacrifice.
- Kashyapa (son of Marichi) married many daughters of Daksha. His sons by them:
| Wife | Children | Famous names |
|---|---|---|
| Aditi | Adityas (devas) | Indra, Surya (Vivasvan), Vamana |
| Diti | Daityas | Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu |
| Danu | Danavas | Vritra (in some versions), Viprachitti |
| Kadru | Nagas (serpents) | Shesha, Vasuki, Takshaka |
| Vinata | birds | Aruna, Garuda |
- Kadru is the mother of snakes; Diti is the mother of Hiranyaksha.
- Brihaspati: son of Angiras, Deva Guru (teacher of the gods), planet Jupiter (Guru).
- Shukracharya: son of (or descended from) Bhrigu, teacher of the demons (asuras), planet Venus, knows the Mritasanjivani (reviving) vidya.
- Narada: mind-born son of Brahma, carries the veena Mahati, wanders the three worlds. In the Bhagavata Mahatmya he meets the grieving Bhakti Devi and tells her to sing Keshava's praise (Kesavakirtanam, as the 2026 paper spells it); the key's answer is Narada.
- Vishwakarma: architect of the gods. Maya: architect of the asuras.
Explained
The Kadru-Vinata story (Mahabharata Adi Parva; Puranas)
- The two sisters bet on the colour of the tail of Uchchaihshravas, the white horse from the churning.
- Kadru made her serpent sons hang on the tail so it looked black; Vinata lost and became her slave.
- Vinata broke her first egg too early: Aruna came out half-formed, cursed her, and became Surya's charioteer.
- Garuda fetched the amrita from the gods to free his mother. Vishnu made him his vahana, and Indra won the nectar back. Hence the enmity of eagles and serpents.
Diti's line and the three births of Jaya-Vijaya
- Jaya and Vijaya, Vishnu's door-keepers, stopped the Sanaka Kumaras at Vaikuntha and were cursed to be born three times as Vishnu's enemies.
| Birth | Enemies | Killed by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Satya yuga) | Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu | Varaha, Narasimha |
| 2 (Treta yuga) | Ravana, Kumbhakarna | Rama |
| 3 (Dvapara yuga) | Shishupala, Dantavakra | Krishna |
- Line: Hiranyakashipu → Prahlada → Virochana → Bali → Bana. Bali's wife: Vindhyavali (spelt Vindhyawali in the 2026 paper). Vamana asked Bali Chakravarti for three steps of land; Shukracharya warned Bali against giving it.
- Diti later wanted a son to kill Indra; Indra cut the unborn child into pieces, who became the 49 Maruts.
Brihaspati and Shukra
| Brihaspati | Shukracharya | |
|---|---|---|
| Father / line | Angiras | Bhrigu (Bhargava) |
| Pupils | devas | asuras (daityas, danavas) |
| Planet | Jupiter (Guru) | Venus (Shukra) |
| Other names | Vachaspati, Guru | Ushanas, Kavya, Bhargava |
- Kacha, Brihaspati's son, became Shukra's pupil to learn the Sanjivani vidya. Shukra's daughter Devayani loved him and cursed him when he left. Devayani later married King Yayati, with Sharmishtha (daughter of the asura king Vrishaparva) as her maid.
- Tara, Brihaspati's wife, was taken by Chandra; their son was Budha (Mercury).
Surya's family
- Surya (son of Kashyapa and Aditi) married Sanjna (Saranyu), daughter of Vishwakarma.
- Children of Sanjna: Vaivasvata Manu, Yama, Yamuna; later the Ashvins. Of Chhaya (Sanjna's shadow): Shani, Savarni Manu, Tapati.
Daksha's daughters (Bhagavata count): 10 to Dharma, 13 to Kashyapa, 27 to Chandra (the nakshatras), and others. Sati, Svaha (Agni's wife) and Svadha (wife of the Pitris) are also counted as Daksha's daughters in the Vishnu Purana.
The two royal lines
- Surya vamsha: Vivasvan → Vaivasvata Manu → Ikshvaku (Ayodhya) → … Harishchandra, Sagara, Bhagiratha, Raghu, Dasharatha → Rama.
- Chandra vamsha: Atri → Chandra (Soma) → Budha (married Ila) → Pururavas (married Urvashi) → Ayu → Nahusha → Yayati. Yayati's sons: Yadu (Yadavas, Krishna's line) and Puru (Pauravas → Bharata → Kuru → Kauravas and Pandavas), with Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu.
Manus: 14 Manus rule in one kalpa. The first is Svayambhuva; the present (seventh) is Vaivasvata.
Weapons and treasures of Vishnu: Sudarshana (discus), Panchajanya (conch), Kaumodaki (mace), Sharnga (bow), Nandaka (sword), Kaustubha (jewel). Shiva: trishula, Pinaka (bow), damaru. Indra: vajra, made by Vishwakarma from the bones of sage Dadhichi.
Who's who in the Purana stories
| Person | Story | Purana |
|---|---|---|
| Kandu | the apsaras Pramlocha, sent by Indra to break his penance, held him for years; he repented and served Jagannatha at Puri | Brahma |
| Chandra | married Daksha's 27 daughters (the nakshatras) but loved Rohini most; Daksha's curse, softened, explains the waxing and waning of the Moon | Brahma; told fully in the Mahabharata's Shalya Parva |
| Kartaviryarjuna | Haihaya king of Mahishmati, strong by Dattatreya's grace; killed by Parashurama | Brahma, Markandeya |
| Indradyumna | sought the Jagannatha kshetra on Narada's advice | Brahma, Skanda |
| Dhruva | son of King Uttanapada; unshaken devotion | Vishnu |
| Prithu | the ideal king; the Earth is called Prithvi after him | Vishnu |
| Jadabharata | a king reborn as a deer through attachment, then lived detached | Vishnu, Bhagavata |
| Markandeya | short-lived boy who clung to the linga; Shiva saved him from Yama | Shiva |
| Kama | burnt by the fire of Shiva's third eye; revived as a favour to Rati | Shiva |
| Arjuna | tested by Shiva in the form of a Kirata (hunter) | Shiva |
| Rukmangada | king whose Ekadashi vow was tested by Mohini | Narada |
| Madalasa | queen of Ritudhvaja; taught her sons self-knowledge; only Alarka became king | Markandeya |
| Dharma birds | four learned birds who answered Jaimini; sage Shamika saved their eggs | Markandeya |
| Durga | born from the combined tejas of the devas; killed Mahishasura, Shumbha–Nishumbha, Chanda–Munda and Raktabija (each drop of his blood became a new asura) | Markandeya (Devi Mahatmya) |
| Durjaya | Lunar king infatuated with Urvashi; repented and took refuge with sage Kanva | Kurma |
| Shvetamuni | Shiva devotee who prayed with Namaka–Chamaka; Shiva saved him from Yama | Linga |
| King Shveta | taught the worth of annadana by Vasishtha | Varaha |
| Samba | Krishna's son, cured of leprosy by Sun worship; Garutman brought Sun-priests from Shakadvipa | Bhavishya |
| Narada | cursed by Brahma to be born as the Gandharva Upabarhana | Brahma Vaivarta |
| Astika | son of Manasa Devi; stopped Janamejaya's snake sacrifice | Brahma Vaivarta |
| Kuja (Mars) | son of Bhudevi | Brahma Vaivarta |
| Yajnavalkya | received a boon from Saraswati | Brahma Vaivarta |
| Vedavati | daughter of Kushadhvaja; insulted by Ravana on Gandhamadana, cursed him and was reborn as Sita (this Purana adds Draupadi) | Brahma Vaivarta |
| Nachiketa | son of Uddalaka; went to Yamaloka by his father's curse | Varaha |
| Nishakara | proud scholar who suffered many births, then did penance at Badarikashrama | Vamana |
| Jamadagni | killed by Kartaviryarjuna and revived by the Sanjivani vidya | Brahmanda |
| Parashurama | took refuge with Agastya; his mountain is Mahendra; visited Gokarna | Brahmanda |
| Priyavrata | son of Svayambhuva Manu; his line ruled the seven dvipas | Brahmanda, Bhagavata |
| Kubera | ruled Lanka before Ravana took it, with the Pushpaka | Ramayana, Puranas |
Other story facts asked
- Shiva Purana: Parvati is the daughter of Himavan and Menadevi; Hanuman is born of Shiva's amsha.
- Linga Purana: 28 avatars of Shiva; he is Tripurantaka because he destroyed Tripurasura's three cities.
- Brahmanda Purana: the birth of the Saptarshis is told in its Upodghata pada.
- Skanda (Kartikeya): born to destroy Tarakasura; nursed by the six Krittikas (hence Karttikeya, six-faced Shanmukha); commander of the gods' army; consorts Devasena and Valli.
- Bhagiratha's penance brought the Ganga down to earth; he was of Sagara's Solar line.
- The churning: Durvasa's curse made Indra lose his splendour, so the devas churned the ocean with the asuras. Halahala poison came first (Shiva drank it: Nilakantha); then Kamadhenu, Uchchaihshravas, Airavata, Parijata, Kaustubha, Lakshmi and others; Dhanvantari rose last, carrying the amrita.
- War survivors (Agni Purana): 10 lived: Kritavarma, Kripa and Ashvatthama on the Kaurava side; the five Pandavas, Krishna and Satyaki on the Pandava side.
- Four forms of Vishnu (Markandeya Purana, the vyuhas): Vasudeva, Sankarshana (Shesha), Pradyumna, Aniruddha.
- Moral models: Dhruva, determination; Prahlada, devotion; Gajendra, surrender (sharanagati); Ambarisha, steady dharma; Shibi, charity; Harishchandra, truth.
Ashta Dikpalakas (guardians of the eight directions)
| Direction | Guardian | Direction | Guardian |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Indra | West | Varuna |
| South-east | Agni | North-west | Vayu |
| South | Yama | North | Kubera |
| South-west | Nirriti | North-east | Ishana |
AP angle
- Tirumala: Garudadri is one of the seven hills (Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri, Venkatadri). The Garuda Seva is the high point of the Brahmotsavam.
- Tirumala legend figures: sage Bhrigu kicked Vishnu's chest while testing the Trimurtis; Brahma and Shiva became a cow and calf to feed Srinivasa in the anthill; Vakula Devi, his foster mother, was Yashoda reborn; he borrowed from Kubera for his wedding with Padmavati.
- Ahobilam and Simhachalam are Narasimha kshetras, tied to Prahlada and Hiranyakashipu; Simhachalam's deity is Varaha-Lakshmi Narasimha.
- Draksharamam (Konaseema) is taken in local tradition as the site of Daksha's sacrifice (Daksha-aramam); it is one of the Pancharama kshetras.
- Srisailam: Mallikarjuna (jyotirlinga) and Bhramaramba (a Shakti Peetha, from the story of Sati's body).
- Arasavalli (Srikakulam) is an old Surya temple; Mopidevi is a Subrahmanya kshetra (worshipped as a serpent); Kanipakam is a self-manifest Vinayaka.
Common traps
- ✗ "Vinata is the mother of snakes." ✓ Kadru is mother of snakes; Vinata is mother of Garuda and Aruna.
- ✗ "Aditi is the mother of Hiranyaksha." ✓ Diti (Daityas); Aditi is mother of the Adityas.
- ✗ "Shukracharya is the guru of the gods." ✓ Brihaspati is Deva Guru; Shukra teaches the asuras.
- ✗ "Diti's husband was Marichi or Pulastya." ✓ Kashyapa, who is Marichi's son.
- ✗ "Aruna is Indra's charioteer." ✓ Aruna drives Surya's chariot (Matali drives Indra's).
- ✗ "Shani is Sanjna's son." ✓ Shani is the son of Chhaya; Yama and Yamuna are Sanjna's.
- ✗ "Kubera guards the south." ✓ Kubera: north; Yama: south.
- ✗ "Kashyapa is one of Brahma's nine sons." ✓ The Kurma list: Marichi, Bhrigu, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksha, Atri, Vasishtha; Kashyapa is Marichi's son.
- ✗ "Krishna Dvaipayana is the 26th Vyasa." ✓ He is the 28th (Vishnu Purana); some guide books print 26.
- ✗ "Madalasa's sons: Vikranta, Subahu, Shatamardana, Alarka." ✓ The third is Shatrumardana; the ruler was Alarka.
- ✗ "The Dharma birds were Pingaksha, Virata, Vrita, Sumukha." ✓ The Markandeya Purana names Pingaksha, Vibodha, Suputra, Sumukha.
- ✗ "Vishnu's four forms are Vasudeva, Shesha, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, with Hayagriva." ✓ Vasudeva, Sankarshana (Shesha), Pradyumna, Aniruddha; Hayagriva is not one.
- ✗ "Satyaki fought for the Kauravas." ✓ Satyaki was a Pandava-side survivor.
- ✗ "Bali was Hiranyakashipu's son." ✓ Bali is Prahlada's grandson (son of Virochana).
Quick revision
- Brahma-Saraswati-swan; Vishnu-Lakshmi-Garuda; Shiva-Parvati-Nandi.
- Ganesha mouse, Kartikeya peacock, Durga lion, Yama buffalo, Agni ram, Indra Airavata.
- Mind-born: Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha (+ Bhrigu, Daksha, Narada).
- Kashyapa: Aditi-devas, Diti-daityas, Danu-danavas, Kadru-snakes, Vinata-Garuda and Aruna.
- Vasishtha → Shakti → Parashara → Vyasa (the 28th Vyasa); Kurma's 9 sons of Brahma exclude Kashyapa.
- Brihaspati (Angiras): devas, Jupiter. Shukra (Bhrigu): asuras, Venus, Sanjivani.
- Kandu–Pramlocha; Chandra–Rohini; Kartaviryarjuna–Mahishmati–Dattatreya; Nachiketa son of Uddalaka.
- Prahlada → Virochana → Bali → Bana; Vamana took three steps from Bali.
- Surya vamsha from Ikshvaku; Chandra vamsha: Budha → Pururavas → Nahusha → Yayati.
- Dikpalakas: Indra E, Agni SE, Yama S, Nirriti SW, Varuna W, Vayu NW, Kubera N, Ishana NE.
Go deeper: Deeper (beyond what APPSC Paper I usually asks)
Deeper Advanced
- Lists differ. The number of Prajapatis is seven, ten or more in different texts, and their order differs; APPSC deleted its 2023 question on Pulastya's place in the list. Learn the names, not a position number.
- Kashyapa's other wives (Arishta, Surasa, Ira, Krodhavasha, Tamra, Muni and others) vary between the Vishnu, Bhagavata and Mahabharata lists. Exams stay with Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kadru and Vinata.
- How many Vyasas? The Vishnu Purana counts 28 Vyasas, one per Dvapara age; Krishna Dvaipayana is the 28th (Ashvatthama is to be the next).
- Ganesha is the scribe who wrote down the Mahabharata as Vyasa dictated.
- Two Dakshas. The Bhagavata has Daksha reborn as a son of the Prachetas after the sacrifice was destroyed; he then had 60 daughters. Counts of his daughters differ because of this.
- Mohini is Vishnu's female form at the churning; she gave the amrita to the devas only. Rahu, who slipped in, was beheaded by the Sudarshana and became Rahu and Ketu.
Practise this topic. Questions on Deities, sages and lineages, with answers explained.
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