There
are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary Puranas or
Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: Vishnu Purana, Naradiya Purana, Srimad
Bhagavata Purana, Garuda (Suparna) Purana, Padma Purana, Varaha Purana, Brahma
Purana, Brahmanda Purana, BrahmaVaivarta Purana, Markandeya Purana, Bhavishya Purana,
Vamana Purana, Matsya Purana, Kurma Purana, Linga Purana, Siva Purana, Skanda
Purana and Agni Purana. Of these, six are Sattvic Puranas and glorify Vishnu;
six are Rajasic and glorify Brahma; six are Tamasic and they glorify Siva.
Neophytes
or beginners in the spiritual Path are puzzled when they go through Siva Purana
and Vishnu Purana. In Siva Purana, Lord Siva is highly eulogised and an
inferior position is given to Lord Vishnu. Sometimes Vishnu is be littled. In Vishnu
Purana, Lord Hari is highly eulogized and an inferior status is given to Lord
Siva. Sometimes Lord Siva is belittled. This is only to increase the faith of
the devotees in their particular Ishta-Devata. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are
one.
The
best among the Puranas are the Srimad Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana. The most
popular is the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. Next comes Vishnu Purana. A portion of
the Markandeya Purana is well known to all Hindus as Chandi, or Devimahatmya.
Worship of God as the Divine Mother is its theme. Chandi is read widely by the
Hindus on sacred days and Navaratri (Durga Puja) days.
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