The Kurma Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas and a Hindu Vaishnavism text from the medieval era. The Purana has taken its name from the tortoise avatar of Lord Vishnu. This Purana was initially delivered to Narad by Lord Vishnu in his Kurma Avatar (tortoise incarnation). Narad, in turn, narrated it to Sutji, who then narrated it to an assembly of great sages.
Although Kurma Purana is named after one of the avatars of Vishnu, it contains a mixture of Vishnu and Shiva-related stories, mythology, Tirtha (pilgrimage), and theology. Although the stories are similar to those found in other Puranas, neither Vishnu nor Shiva dominates the text. The text is a tour guide to medieval Varanasi (also known as the holy city of Banaras or Kashi), but it focuses mostly on Shaiva sites, whereas elsewhere in the Pancaratra stories, Vishnu is prominent, but Sri is the Supreme Shakti, the energy and power of all gods, including Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma.
The Kurma Purana is divided into two parts: the Purva-vibhaga (ancient part) and the Upari-vibhaga (newer section) (upper part). The number of chapters in each text varies. In Purva-vibhaga, there are 51 chapters and in Upari-vibhaga, there are 44 chapters in the critical edition.
Product Details
- Publisher: Gita Press, Gorakhpur
- Language: Sanskrit Text with Hindi translation
- Pages: 488
- Cover: Hardcover
- Product Type: Religious Books
- Weight: 900gram
Size: 11inchX7.5inch