People cannot entirely understand the meaning of the Vedas without the help of Puranas and itihasas. Though very old, the imports of Sri Ramayana and Mahabharatha, the two itihasas, and the 18 Puranas are still relevant even today. The most important part of Sri Ramayana is the surrender of Vibhishana at the divine feet of Sri Rama; of Mahabharata is Sri Bhagavad Gita; of the Vedas is Purusha Sukta; of dharma sastras is Manu dharma and the Vishnu Purana is the gem of all the Puranas. Hence, it is called “Purana Ratnam.”
Velukkudi Sri Krishnan Swamy said in a discourse that in this world, people are influenced by three gunas — Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas — in varied proportions. The 18 Puranas are divided into three parts, six each for Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Sri Vishnu Purana narrates more based on Sattva Guna.
A Purana should deal with five essential aspects: how creation takes place, how the deluge happens, the description of various lineages like the Solar and Lunar dynasties, the details of Manvantaras, and the multiple stories narrating these.
Sage Veda Vyasa wrote the 18 puranas, who is considered as the manifestation of Lord Vishnu. We are struggling in the sea of samsara. The epics and Puranas are like the boats that help us cross the ocean.
The Supreme Being is responsible for creation, protection, and destruction. Creation is compared to a peacock spreading its feathers; destruction is like closing the feathers. Another simile is that creation is like a spider spinning its web, and destruction is like the insect assimilating the same web.
Puranas make a person introspect: who am I ? Where did I come from? Where should I go? What are the ways and means to reach the ultimate destination? How can we overcome the various hurdles and impediments that stand in the way?
Published – March 07, 2025 04:56 am IST
