Matsyapurana 53.7

53.7

aśeṣam etatkathitam udakāntargatena ca
śrutvā jagāda ca munīn prati devāṃścaturmukhaḥ //

When all the regions perished by fire at the Great Dissolution, then I recited the four Vedas, with their six Aṅgas as well as the Purâṇas, the manifold Nyâyas, the Mîmâmsâs and the Dharmaśâstra. In the beginning of the new age, I immersed myself in the furious waters, at the time of dissolution of the universe and explained them fully to Brahmâ, Who in His turn revealed them to the Devas and the sages, after which they spread all over the world. Therefore, the Purâṇas became the source of all other Sâstras. Later on, seeing the neglect of the Purâṇa under the changed circumstances, I repromulgated them in every yuga, through my partial incarnation of Vyâsa. In every Dwâpara yuga I compiled the Purâṇas to the extent of 4 lacs of ślokas, and spread them in the world after dividing them into eighteen. Even now the bulk of the Purâṇa extends to a hundred crore verses in the Deva Loka. On the universe, however, its bulk is abridged only to 4 lacs of ślokas, and is divided into eighteen Purâṇas.—5-11.