A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.1418.3

c5.1418.3

These are Vaishnava Purānas, in which the god Vishnu holds the pre-eminence. The Purānas in which Tamas, the quality of gloom or ignorance, predominates are—(1.) Matsya, (2.) Kūrma, (3.) Linga, (4.) Siva, (5.) Skanda, (6.) Agni. These are devoted to the god Siva. Those in which Rajas or passion prevails relate chiefly to the god Brahmā. They are—(1.) Brahma, (2.) Brahmanda, (3.) Brahma-vaivarta, (4.) Mārkandeya, (5.) Bhavishya, (6.) Vāmana. The works themselves do not fully justify this classification. None of them are devoted exclusively to one god, but Vishnu and his incarnations fill the largest space. One called the Vāyu Purāna is in some of the Purānas substituted for the Agni, and in others for the Siva. This Vāyu is apparently the oldest of them, and may date as far back as the sixth century, and it is considered that some of the others may be as late as the thirteenth or even the sixteenth century. One fact appears certain: they must all have received a supplementary revision, because each one of them enumerates the whole eighteen. The Mārkandeya is the least sectarian of the Purānas; and the Bhāgavata, which deals at length with the incarnations of Vishnu, and particularly with his form Krishna, is the most popular. The most perfect and the best known is the Vishnu, which has been entirely translated into English by Professor Wilson, and a second edition, with many valuable notes, has been edited by Dr. F. E. Hall.