The List of Hindu Puranas

Puran means the story of past ages. They are not History in the real sense but they are the repositories of old stories and collections of multiple subjects. Puranas are helpful to know past and supplementary to know Dharma. Nonetheless, Vedas are the only source of Valid Knowledge in connection with Sabda Pramana. Vedas are the only Holy and sacred books of the Sanatan Dharma. Manu Samhita supports this view.

The Puranas which we get in the present forms are not devoid of interpolation or fraudulent change of Slokas, and it appears that corruption was inserted into the Text by Western Indologists. For example, in the case of Ramayana, Sage Valmiki wrote only six Kandam(Parts) and some unknown persons wrote Uttar kandam (seventh part). Western Indologists put these together as one Book to prove that Lord Rama was against Dalits and Women. The story of Rama finished with the coronation of Ram. Bhavishya Purāṇam has been completely changed and so many obscure stories have been placed, including the story of Akbar and Muhammad in some low-quality Edition. They are inserted not more than 200years.

Having said so in the foregoing paragraphs, now we don’t have any original Purana written by Vyasa Deva or recited by his disciple Vaisampayana. Vishnu Puran maintains some originality otherwise all Texts available to us in the name of Purana are Fake documents. Till we can use them as much as the support a rational interpretation but with caution, we must not use them for the interpretation of Sanatan Dharma or the interpretation Holy Vedas.

The place of Purans in Sanatan Dharma

Principle Hindu Puranas Authored by Sage Vaisampayana, a disciple of Vyasa Deva

1. Brahma Purāṇam

2. Padma Purāṇam

1. Svarga Khaṇḍam
2. Bhūmi Khaṇḍam
3. Sṛisthi Khaṇḍam
4. Brahma Khaṇḍam
5. Pātāla Khaṇḍam
6. Uttara Khaṇḍam
7. Kriyā Khaṇḍam

3. Vishṇu Purāṇam

4. Shiva Purāṇam

5. Bhāgavata Purāṇam

6. Nārada Purāṇam

1. Pūrva Bhāgam
2. Uttara Bhāgam

7. Markandeya Purāṇam

8. Agni Purāṇam

9. Bhavishya Purāṇam

10. Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇam

11. Varāha Purāṇam

12. Linga Purāṇam

13. Skanda Purāṇam

14. Vāmana Purāṇam

15. Matsya Purāṇam

16. Garuda Purāṇam

17. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇam

18. Kūrma Purāṇam

Upapurāṇas

1. Narasiṁha Purāṇa
2. Viṣṇudharma Purāṇa
3. Nāndī Purāṇa
4. Saura Purāṇa
5. Kapila Purāṇa
6. Nīlamata Purāṇa
7. Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa
8. Parāśaropa Purāṇa
9. Sāmba Purāṇa
10. Śivadharma Purāṇa
11. Śivadharmottara Purāṇa
12. Vāruṇa Purāṇa

Number of Purana as per Srimad Bhagavatam

Vyasa- Krishna Dvypayan Vyasa

• Father- Sage Parashara
• Mother- Satyavati , who later became queen of King Santanu of Hastinapur