The Purana is a class of literature that treats of ancient religion, philosophy, history, sociology, politics and other subjects. It is an encyclopaedia of various branches of knowledge and ancient wisdom. It has been defined as a class of literature that contains material on the topics of Creation, Dis-solution of Manus, Ages of Manus, Genealogies and the History of glorious kings. For dealing primarily with these subjects it has been called Pancalaksana-a title that was incorporated in the Puranas themselves and had become popular by the Fifth Century A.D., for it was included by Amarasimha in his lexicon 'Amarakosa'. But as the process of interpolation continued, the Pancalaksana definition was found inadequate. The Puranic redactors adopted a Dasalaksana definition that suited the contemporary text. Still, the dynamic forces were at work and the process of insertion, modification and abridgement went on and it was soon discovered that the Dasa-laksana definition too fell short of an actual fact. It was found that the Puranas contained certain aspects that were not covered by any five or ten characteristics. The Puranas are divided into two classes-the Maha-puranas and the Upapuranas. Each class consists of eighteen Puranas. Thus the number of the Puranas is thirty-six. Mahapuranas are classified into different categories-Vaisnava, Brahma, Saiva etc. Sivapurana has all the characteristics of a Mahapurana. According to the ancients, a Mahapurana contained five main characteristics that concerned either early religion or traditional history. Sivapurana possesses the conventional characteristics of a Mahapurana in common with its other colleagues. These entitle it to the status of a great Purana. But its real greatness lies in expounding the philosophical background of the Siva ritual. The Purana conceives Siva as the eternal principle, the supreme god, the cosmic soul, the support of all existence. But the ignorant aspirant bound in the meshes of illusion goes in quest for knowledge and imagines that his lord has a personal form possessed of attributes distinct from his self, who in moments of distress responds to his prayers and bestows grace.

The Purana is a class of literature that treats of ancient religion, philosophy, history, sociology, politics and other subjects. It is an encyclopedia of various branches of knowledge and ancient wisdom. It has been defined as a class of literature that contains material on the topics of Creation, Dis-solution of Manus, Ages of Manus, Genealogies and the History of glorious kings. For dealing primarily with these subjects it has been called Pancalaksana-a title that was incorporated in the Puranas themselves and had become popular by the Fifth Century A.D., for it was included by Amarasimha in his lexicon 'Amarakosa'. But as the process of interpolation continued, the Pancalaksana definition was found inadequate. The Puranic redactors adopted a Dasalaksana definition that suited the contemporary text. Still the dynamic forces were at work and the process of insertion, modification and abridgment went on and it was soon discovered that the Dasa-laksana definition too fell short of an actual fact. It was found that the puranas contained certain aspects that were not covered by any five or ten characteristics. The Puranas are divided into two classes-the Maha-puranas and the Upapuranas. Each class consists of eighteen puranas. Thus the number of the Puranas is thirtysix. Mahapuranas are classified into different categories-Vaisnava, Brahma, Saiva etc. Sivapurana has all the characteristics of a Mahapurana. According to the ancients, a Mahapurana contained five main characteristics that concerned either early religion or traditional history. Sivapurana possesses the conventional characteristics of a Mahapurana in common with its other colleagues. These entitle it to the status of a great Purana. But its real greatness lies in expounding the philosophical background of Siva ritual. The Purana conceives Siva as the eternal principle, the supreme god, the cosmic soul, the support of all existence. But the ignorant aspirant bound in the meshes of illusion goes in quest for knowledge and imagines that his lord has a personal form possessed of attributes distinct from his self, who in moments of distress responds to his prayers and bestows grace.

The Purana is a class of literature that treats ancient religion, philosophy, history, sociology, politics and other subjects. It is an encyclopaedia of various branches of knowledge and ancient wisdom. It has been defined as a class of literature that contains material on the topics of Creation, Dis-solution of Manus, Ages of Manus, Genealogies and the History of glorious kings. For dealing primarily with these subjects it has been called Pancalaksana-a title that was incorporated in the Puranas themselves and had become popular by the Fifth Century A.D., for it was included by Amarasimha in his lexicon 'Amarakosa'. But as the process of interpolation continued, the Pancalaksana definition was found inadequate. The Puranic redactors adopted a Dasalaksana definition that suited the contemporary text. Still, the dynamic forces were at work and the process of insertion, modification and abridgement went on and it was soon discovered that the Dasa-laksana definition too fell short of an actual fact. It was found that the Puranas contained certain aspects that were not covered by any five or ten characteristics. The Puranas are divided into two classes-the Maha-puranas and the Upapuranas. Each class consists of eighteen Puranas. Thus the number of the Puranas is thirty-six. Mahapuranas are classified into different categories-Vaisnava, Brahma, Saiva etc. Sivapurana has all the characteristics of a Mahapurana. According to the ancients, a Mahapurana contained five main characteristics that concerned either early religion or traditional history. Sivapurana possesses the conventional characteristics of a Mahapurana in common with its other colleagues. These entitle it to the status of a great Purana. But its real greatness lies in expounding the philosophical background of the Siva ritual. The Purana conceives Siva as the eternal principle, the supreme god, the cosmic soul, the support of all existence. But the ignorant aspirant bound in the meshes of illusion goes in quest for knowledge and imagines that his lord has a personal form possessed of attributes distinct from his self, who in moments of distress responds to his prayers and bestows grace.

The Purana is a class of literature that treats of ancient religion, philosophy, history, sociology, politics and other subjects. It is an encyclopedia of various branches of knowledge and ancient wisdom. It has been defined as a class of literature that contains material on the topics of Creation, Dis-solution of Manus, Ages of Manus, Genealogies and the History of glorious kings. For dealing primarily with these subjects it has been called Pancalaksana-a title that was incorporated in the Puranas themselves and had become popular by the Fifth Century A.D., for it was included by Amarasimha in his lexicon 'Amarakosa'. But as the process of interpolation continued, the Pancalaksana definition was found inadequate. The Puranic redactors adopted a Dasalaksana definition that suited the contemporary text. Still the dynamic forces were at work and the process of insertion, modification and abridgment went on and it was soon discovered that the Dasa-laksana definition too fell short of an actual fact. It was found that the puranas contained certain aspects that were not covered by any five or ten characteristics. The Puranas are divided into two classes-the Maha-puranas and the Upapuranas. Each class consists of eighteen puranas. Thus the number of the Puranas is thirtysix. Mahapuranas are classified into different categories-Vaisnava, Brahma, Saiva etc. Sivapurana has all the characteristics of a Mahapurana. According to the ancients, a Mahapurana contained five main characteristics that concerned either early religion or traditional history. Sivapurana possesses the conventional characteristics of a Mahapurana in common with its other colleagues. These entitle it to the status of a great Purana. But its real greatness lies in expounding the philosophical background of Siva ritual. The Purana conceives Siva as the eternal principle, the supreme god, the cosmic soul, the support of all existence. But the ignorant aspirant bound in the meshes of illusion goes in quest for knowledge and imagines that his lord has a personal form possessed of attributes distinct from his self, who in moments of distress responds to his prayers and bestows grace.

The Stri? Dharma Paddhati? unveils the Vaidika s?dhan? m?rg which is customised for a woman’s body and mind. As the English translation and interpretation of the 18th-century Sa?sk?tam compilation titled "Stri?dharmapaddhati?" by Tryambakayajvan, this book stands as a reliable authority on the religious and spiritual practices of Hindu women according to the Veda-s and ??stra-s. This book takes a scientific approach to interpreting the Sa?sk?tam verses, using the language of the subtle science of tridos?a-s, n?d?i?-s, pañcapr??a-s, marma-s and cakra-s to help us comprehend how the ? ? i-s perceived reality. It draws on ancient sciences such as ?yurveda, Tantra, V?stu and Jyotis?a ??stra, as well as modern research studies, offering a comprehensive understanding of the advanced science behind Hindu rituals and traditions. Part 1 of this book explains the daily rituals called A?hnika Dharma, which includes Dehali? pu?ja?, Svastika & Ran?gavalli? (sanctifying the entrance), ?auca?ca?ra (purificatory rites), ?camana (ritual sipping of water), Dantadha?vanam (cleaning the teeth), Goseva (taking care of cows), Sn?nam (bathing), Vastra dharana (wearing clothes), ?ayana and Sam?yog?cara (sleeping and sexual intercourse) and a few others. Additionally, Part 1 provides details on women’s role in daily rituals such as Agnikriy?, Arghyad?nam?, Deva pu?ja?, Vai?vadeva, Athiti pu?ja?, and Bali. Scientific explanations of the various practices that are part of ?r?n?ga?ram?, such as the use of tilak, kun?kuma, sindu?r, mangals?tra, nose and ear ornaments, toe rings and anklets, etc. are also included in Part 1.

In India: A Sacred Geography, renowned Harvard scholar Diana Eck offers an extraordinary spiritual journey through the pilgrimage places of the world's most religiously vibrant culture and reveals that it is, in fact, through these sacred pilgrimages that India’s very sense of nation has emerged. No matter where one goes in India, one will find a landscape in which mountains, rivers, forests, and villages are elaborately linked to the stories of the gods and heroes of Indian culture. Every place in this vast landscape has its story, and conversely, every story of Hindu myth and legend has its place. Likewise, these places are inextricably tied to one another—not simply in the past, but in the present—through the local, regional, and transregional practices of pilgrimage. India: A Sacred Geography tells the story of the pilgrim’s India. In these pages, Diana Eck takes the reader on an extraordinary spiritual journey through the living landscape of this fascinating country –its mountains, rivers, and seacoasts, its ancient and powerful temples and shrines. Seeking to fully understand the sacred places of pilgrimage from the ground up, with their stories, connections and layers of meaning, she acutely examines Hindu religious ideas and narratives and shows how they have been deeply inscribed in the land itself. Ultimately, Eck shows us that from these networks of pilgrimage places, India’s very sense of region and nation has emerged. This is the astonishing and fascinating picture of a land linked for centuries not by the power of kings and governments, but by the footsteps of pilgrims. India: A Sacred Geography offers a unique perspective on India, both as a complex religious culture and as a nation. Based on her extensive knowledge and her many decades of wide-ranging travel and research, Eck's piercing insights and a sweeping grasp of history ensure that this work will be in demand for many years to come.

Hinduism is ancient. Considered as one religion, it is the oldest religion on Earth. Modern scientific understanding, in contrast, is relatively very recent. It is only in this very recent mode of understanding that we have come to understand the basic material structure of the human brain is that of a supremely complex network. We don't find anything in the Hindu corpus that refers to this, or to the modern scientific fact that our experience of self and world as human beings, is a construct of the functioning of this supremely complex network. And yet Hinduism itself contains, expressed through a cultural fabric, the representation of a supreme understanding, through which the most fundamental fact of modern brain science comes into focus. The point of Hinduism, like that of any of the great religions, is the discovery of God, whether as Brahman or Krishna, and not merely the provision of entertaining stories about our origins. With this in mind, this book contains a steep but fast shortcut into the core content behind the cultural fabric, in such a way that is compatible with Western inquiry, whilst giving full due regard to the profound and spiritual nature of the corpus. It is all too easy to regard the pantheon of Hinduism as proof of its estrangement and disconnection from a religion such as Christianity, which amongst the religions predominates in the West. But such a judgement would be to overlook the one thing that all cultures and all religions have in common, and on which they depend for their expression, in the first place. Which is none other than human brain function. In these pages the deeper content of the Hindu corpus and the single most fundamental fact of modern neuroscience, come together. They are exposed together, for anyone who is interested, to show how in a very 21st-century way, as well as in an ancient Hindu way, we are what Hinduism may might regard as Śiva's brainchild.

‘Among the eighteen classic Hindu texts called the Puranas, the Brahmanda Purana recounts the stories and lores associated with Brahma, the creator and one of the trinities of the supreme divinity along with Vishnu and Shiva. A relatively early Purana, its composition can be traced back to approximately 400 to 600 BCE, predating many other Hindu texts. Volume 1 of the two-volume set tells stories on creation, cosmology, and geography, with lineages of rishis and shraddha rites, ending with Parashurama's story. Translated and annotated from the original Sanskrit by Bibek Debroy, this edition of the Brahmanda Purana is a precious and rare volume for the lovers of Hindu mythology and religion. This is the sixth volume in the Purana series; the others include the Bhagavata Purana, the Markandeya Purana, the Brahma Purana, Vishnu Purana, and the Shiva Purana.’

Other People's Myths celebrates the universal art of storytelling, and the rich diversity of stories that people live by. Drawing on Biblical parables, Greek myths, Hindu epics, and the modern mythologies of Woody Allen and soap operas, Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty encourages us to feel anew the force of myth and tradition in our lives, and in the lives of other cultures. She shows how the stories of mythology—whether of Greek gods, Chinese sages, or Polish rabbis—enable all cultures to define themselves. She raises critical questions about the way we interpret mythical stories, especially the way different cultures make use of central texts and traditions. And she offers a sophisticated way of looking at the roles myths play in all cultures.

The Shiva Purana is the fifth book in an eighteen-part series on the sacred Hindu texts known collectively as the Puranas. Translated with great rigor and precision, Bibek Debroy recounts the tales of creation and the many myths that surround Lord Shiva in twenty-four thousand shlokas and an introduction that simplifies the myth and history of the Puranas. Brimming with insight and clarity, this translation presents readers with an opportunity to truly understand classical Indian texts. Previous translations by Bibek Debroy include the Bhagavata Purana, the Markandeya Purana, the Brahma Purana, and the Vishnu Purana.