The Five Characteristics of a Purana
Vishnu Purana · 1 · Verse 1.4
puranadefinitionlakshanacosmology
Sanskrit Original
सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च। वंशानुचरितं चेति पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम्॥
sargaś ca pratisargaś ca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca vaṁśānucaritaṁ ceti purāṇaṁ pañca-lakṣaṇam
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A Purāṇa is defined by five characteristics: sarga (primary creation), pratisarga (secondary or repeated creations), vaṃśa (genealogies), manvantara (epochs of Manus), and vaṃśānucarita (histories of royal dynasties).