1.5: Divisions of the Purāṇas

The scholars classify the Purāṇas in different way. The modern scholars divide the Purāṇas into two classes, ancient and later. These divisions are based on the fivefold characteristics of the Purāṇas. Those Purāṇas which are faithful to the pañcalakṣaṇa definition are regarded as ancient and on the other hand, those which are not loyal to pañcalakṣaṇa definition are regarded as of later time.

The renowned Purāṇic scholar Dr. Harprasad Shastri divided the Purāṇas into six classes, viz.

1. Encyclopaedic Purāṇas (Garuḍa, Agni, Nārada),
2. Those mainly deal with tirthas and vartas (Padma, Skanda, Bhaviṣya),
3. Those which apparently underwent two revisions (Brahma, Bhāgavata, Brahmavaivarta),
4. The historical Purāṇas (Brahmāṇḍa and Vāyu),
5. The sectarian Purāṇas (Linga, Vāmana and Mārkaṇḍeya),
6. The old Purāṇas revised out of existence (Varāha, Kūrma and Matsya).^[1]

Some Purāṇas give their classification in different way. Purāṇas themselves declare that, these are divided into three classes, viz. sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika in accordance with the three guṇas namely satta, rajas and tamas found in the Indian philosophical system. In the Matsyapurāṇa, it is stated that the Purāṇas glorifying Hari are styled as sāttvikas, those glorifying Brahmā as rājasikas and those glorifying Agni and Śiva both as tāmasikas^[2].

The eighteen Purāṇas, relating to those three guṇas are divided as follows^[3]

1. Sāttvikapurāṇa—Viṣṇu, Bhāgavata, Nārada, Garuḍa, Padma, Varāha,
2. Rājasikapurāṇa—Brahmāṇḍa, Brahmavaivarta, Mārkaṇḍeya, Brahma, Vāmana, Bhaviṣya,
3. Tāmasikapurāṇa—Matsya, Kūrma, Liṅga, Śiva, Agni, Skanda.

We notice some differences in the inclusion of the names of the Purāṇas of these three classes in some Purāṇas. The list of the Garuḍapurāṇa is different from that of the Padmapurāṇa. The Garuḍapurāṇa inserts the Matsyapurāṇa, the Kūrmapurāṇa and the Vāyupurāṇa in place of the Nāradīyapurāṇa, the Padmapurāṇa and the Varāhapurāṇa in the list of sāttvikapurāṇa.^[4] Similarly, the Garuḍapurāṇa substitutes the Liṅgapurāṇa and the Ādityapurāṇa in place of the Vāmanapurāṇ and the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa.^[5] The Skandapurāṇa counts ten Purāṇas as describing the greatness of Śiva, four of Brahmā and two each of Devī and Hari^[6] However, these division of the Purāṇas according to the deities like Viṣṇu, Śiva etc. seems not to be appropriate. Because it is revealed from the study of the Purāṇas that Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa is the most prominent of all the deities of the Purāṇas. Even, lord Viṣṇu is found to be eulogised in large portions of the Śaivite Purāṇas. Another noteworthy aspect of the Purāṇas is that the ten avatāras of Viṣṇu appear in most of the Purāṇas. Again the Brāhma or Rājasikapurāṇas are mostly of a miscellaneous character and extol different deities. Viewing from the Devī-māhātmya portion of the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa and the Rādhākhaṇḍa of the Brahmavaivartapurāṇa, H. H. Wilson remarks about the Rājasikapurāṇas that these Purāṇas actually lean to the śakti cult.^[7]

Again the Purāṇas are classified into five groups, connecting these with the five gods like Brahmā, Sūrya, Agni, Śiva, Viṣṇu thus-

1. Brahmā—Brahma and Padma, 
2. Sūrya—Brahmavaivarta, 
3. Agni—Agni , 
4. Śiva—Śiva, Skanda, Liṅga, Kūrma, Vāmana, Varāha, Bhaviṣya, Matsya, Mārkaṇḍeya and Brahmāṇḍa, 
5. Viṣṇu—Nārada, Bhāgavata, Garuḍa.^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Padmapurāṇa, Introduction, p. XVII; cf. H. Shastri, The Mahāpurāṇas, JBORS, XIV, p.330-337

[2]:

sāttvikeṣu purāṇeṣu māhātmyam adhikaṃ hareḥ /
rājaseṣu ca māhātmyam adhikaṃ brahmaṇo viduḥ //
tadvadagneśca māhātmyaṃ tāmaseṣu śivasya ca / Matsyapurāṇa, 53.68-69 a

[3]:

matsyaṃ kaurmaṃ tathā laiṅgaṃ śaivaṃ skāndaṃ tathaiva ca /
āgneyaṃ ca saḍetāni tāmasāni nibodha me //
vaiṣṇavaṃ nāradīyaṃ ca tathā bhāgavataṃ śubham /
garuḍaṃ ca tathā padmaṃ varāhaṃ śubhadarśane //
sāttvikāni purāṇāni vijñeyāśubhāni vai /
brahmāṇḍaṃ brahmavaivartaṃ mārkaṇḍeyaṃ tathaiva ca //
bhaviṣyaṃ vāmanaṃ brahmaṃ rājasāni nibodha me / Padmapurāṇa, Uttarakhaṇḍa, 263.18-21; The Viṣṇupurāṇa, preface, p.XII

[4]:

Garuḍapurāṇa, 3.1.43-51

[5]:

brahmāṇḍa laingye brahma-vaivartakaṃ vai mārkaṇḍeyaṃ brāhmamādityakaṃ ca /
etānyāhustāmasānīti viprāstatraikadeśaḥ sāttviko rājasaś ca // Ibid., 3.1.55

[6]:

aṣṭādaśapurāṇeṣu daśabhir gīyate śivaḥ /
caturbhiḥ bhagavān brahmā dvābhyāṃ devī tathā hariḥ// Skandapurāṇa, Kedārakhaṇḍa,1

[7]:

H. H.Wilson, The Viṣṇupurāṇa, Preface, p.XII

[8]:

A. D. Pusalker, Studies in Epics and Purāṇas, p.XIIX