| They are grouped
together in the well-known formula of Dasavathara, which brings together all the four great
sources of popular belief-myth, legend, history and prophecy. Thus the aim of the
Puranas is to impress on the minds of the populace the teachings of the Veda, especially
the power, and the loving-kindness of God by means of concrete examples. Moreover many of
the beautiful stories, like those of Prahlada and Dhruva, with which every Hindu child is
acquainted, come from these popular scriptures. According
to tradition there are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary
Puranas. But the most popular of them are the Visnu Purana and the Bhagavatha
Purana. In fact, the latter is
so popular that it is often placed on a level with the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. |
