Stories from the Puranas
Introduction
The Puranas are a genre of ancient Indian literature that consist of mythological narratives, historical legends, cosmology, philosophy, and religious instructions. These texts are considered a significant part of Hindu scripture and are written in Sanskrit. The term "Purana" means "ancient" or "old," and the Puranas aim to preserve and transmit traditional knowledge. There are 18 major Puranas and 18 minor Puranas.
Contents
The following are some stories from the Puranas, in no particular order.
The Curse of the Kumaras: Origin of Vishnu's Avatars (Bhagavat Puran)
Hiranyakashyap, Prahlad, and the Man-Lion (Bhagavat Puran)
The Churning of the Ocean of Milk (Vishnu Puran, Bhagavat Puran)
The Third Eye's Fury: How Shiv's Anger Birthed the Mighty Jalandhar (Shiv Puran)
The Births of Lord Krishna and Balaram (Bhagavat Puran)
Krishna and Sudama: A Story of Friendship and Divine Generosity (Bhagavat Puran)
Divine Destiny: The Story of Krishna's Son Pradyumna (Bhagavat Puran)
How Ganesh Got an Elephant's Head (Shiv Puran, Varah Puran)
The Clash of Parashuram and Ganesh: The Tale of the Broken Tusk (Shiv Puran)
The Legend of Goddess Durga and the Buffalo-Demon (Markandey Puran)
Goddess Kali: From Birth to Bloodthirst (Markandey Puran, Kalika Puran)
Mohini's Dance: How Vishnu Outwitted the Ash-Demon (Shiv Puran, Vishnu Puran)
Sources
Vishnu Puran (2000 TV series) by B.R. Chopra
Maa Shakti (2002 TV series) by B.R. Chopra
Om Namah Shivay (1997 TV series) by Dheeraj Kumar
108 पौराणिक कथाएँ (book) by Maple Kids
प्रसिद्ध सचित्र पौराणिक कथाएँ (Kindle ebook) by Maple Kids