4.1.1 The 18 Mahapuranas and the Upapuranas

Explained

Divisions and size (verse counts as listed in the Bhagavata; chapter counts of the usual printed text, which differ between editions)

What each Purana is remembered for

• Brahma: the first Purana. Purushottama kshetra (Puri Jagannatha) and King Indradyumna; the Konark Sun shrine; Gautami (the Godavari); sage Kandu and the apsaras Pramlocha; Sagara, Bhagiratha and the descent of the Ganga; Varaha offering shraddha to the Pitris (2026 key).
• Padma: named after the lotus from Vishnu's navel in which Brahma appeared. "All is Hari"; the Kartika month, Ekadashi, Tulasi and the amla tree (dhatri); the mother is all tirthas, the father all gods.
• Vishnu: Vishnu as the ground of creation, preservation and dissolution. Dhruva, Prithu (the Earth is called Prithvi after him), Jadabharata (detachment), Prahlada; Shiva and Keshava are one.
• Shiva: Sati and Daksha's sacrifice, Parvati's penance, the burning of Kama, Markandeya saved from Yama, Nilakantha, Ardhanarishvara, Lingodbhava, the 12 Jyotirlingas, Shiva as a Kirata testing Arjuna.
• Vayu: Gaya and the rites for the Pitris; Pashupata yoga.
• Bhagavata: Vyasa wrote it on Narada's advice; the 10th Skandha is Krishna's life; Kapila, son of Kardama and Devahuti, teaches Samkhya.
• Narada: called the Mantra Shastra Sangraha (mantras, kavachas, astrology). King Rukmangada's Ekadashi vow tested by Mohini; the Sapta Mokshapuris (Maya = Haridwar); Gaya for pinda-dana.
• Markandeya: opens with Jaimini's doubts on the Mahabharata (why avatars; Draupadi's five husbands; Balarama's pilgrimage; the death of the Upapandavas), answered by Markandeya and then by four learned Dharma birds, whose eggs sage Shamika had saved. Queen Madalasa and her son Alarka; Harishchandra; the Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati: 13 chapters, 700 verses), read at Navaratri.
• Agni: the encyclopaedia among the Puranas: temple building, Vastu, images, grammar, prosody, poetics, Ayurveda, gem testing, polity. Ramayana summary in chapters 5 to 11; its Mahabharata summary says 10 warriors survived the war.
• Bhavishya: "of the future". Sun worship; Krishna's son Samba cured of leprosy; Garuda brought Sun-priests from Shakadvipa; Rathasaptami; 16 samskaras, 8 forms of marriage; annadana (the giver of food equals the giver of life); Kalki.
• Brahma Vaivarta: Krishna as Parabrahma and a high place for Radha; vaivarta means transformation (the world unfolding from Brahman); Tulasi and Shankhachuda; Ganesha's birth; Shashti Devi.
• Linga: Lingodbhava; Pashu–Pasha–Pashupati (the bound soul, its bonds, the Lord who frees it); 28 avatars of Shiva; Tripurantaka; Kashi as Avimukta kshetra.
• Varaha: twelve monthly Dvadashi vows linked with twelve forms of Vishnu; annadana; Nachiketa's visit to Yama; temple service by cleaning, singing and dance.
• Skanda: khandas Maheshvara, Vaishnava, Brahma, Kashi, Avanti (Ujjayini; the Reva Khanda on the Narmada is usually placed here), Nagara, Prabhasa. Mahatmyas of tirthas; restoring old temples (jirnoddharana) praised as great merit.
• Vamana: ingratitude has no expiation; a disciple ranks above a son; Kurukshetra's tirthas; 25 stotras.
• Kurma: Vishnu as a tortoise bears Mount Mandara at the churning; Shiva and Keshava are one; the Ishvara Gita; Ashtanga yoga; King Durjaya's fall over Urvashi.
• Matsya: the fish-Vishnu saves Vaivasvata Manu (King Satyavrata), the seeds and the seven sages in the flood and recovers the stolen Vedas; names 18 teachers of Vastu, from Bhrigu to Brihaspati; temple building and iconography; Savitri and Satyavan.
• Garuda: Vishnu answers Garuda's questions on death and the after-life; the goal of human birth is moksha. Its Preta Kalpa (Yamaloka, the river Vaitarani, the hells, shraddha) is read in homes after a death; it also covers gems and Ayurveda.
• Brahmanda: the cosmos, the seven dvipas and time; the Saptarshis' birth in the Upodghata pada; Lalita and Kamakshi in the Upasamhara pada; 1 Mahayuga = 43,20,000 human years; the Adhyatma Ramayana is attributed to it.

Ten lakshanas of the Bhagavata: sarga, visarga, sthana, poshana, uti, manvantara, ishanukatha, nirodha, mukti, ashraya.

A memory verse. A traditional verse counts the eighteen by first syllable: two "ma" (Matsya, Markandeya), two "bha" (Bhagavata, Bhavishya), three "bra" (Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahma Vaivarta), four "va" (Vishnu, Vayu or Shiva, Varaha, Vamana), then A (Agni), Na (Narada), Pa (Padma), Linga, Ga (Garuda), Ku (Kurma), Ska (Skanda).

Upapuranas asked: the Samba Purana is named after Krishna's son, cured of leprosy by worshipping Surya. Shaktas count the Devi Bhagavata as the "real" Bhagavata; most lists put it among the Upapuranas.