Description of the Collection of Puranas

Verse 1 (skanda.5.156.1)

श्रीगणेशाय नमः॥

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ||

Salutation to Sri Ganesha.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.156.2)

ओं नमः श्रीपुरुषोत्तमाय। ओं नमः श्रीनर्मदायै। ओं नमो हरिहरहिरण्यगर्भेभ्यो नमो व्यासवाल्मीकिशुकपराशरेभ्यो नमो गुरुगोब्राह्मणेभ्यः। ओं मज्जन्मातङ्गगण्डच्युतमदमदिरामोदमत्तालिमालं स्नानैः सिद्धाङ्गनानां कुचयुगविगलत्कुङ्कुमासङ्गपिङ्गम्। सायं प्रातर्मुनीनां कुसुमचयसमाच्छन्नतीरस्थवृक्षं पायाद्वो नर्मदाम्भः करिमकरकराक्रान्तरहंस्तरंगम्॥

oṁ namaḥ śrīpuruṣottamāya| oṁ namaḥ śrīnarmadāyai| oṁ namo hariharahiraṇyagarbhebhyo namo vyāsavālmīkiśukaparāśarebhyo namo gurugobrāhmaṇebhyaḥ| oṁ majjanmātaṅgagaṇḍacyutamadamadirāmodamattālimālaṁ snānaiḥ siddhāṅganānāṁ kucayugavigalatkuṅkumāsaṅgapiṅgam| sāyaṁ prātarmunīnāṁ kusumacayasamācchannatīrasthavṛkṣaṁ pāyādvo narmadāmbhaḥ karimakarakarākrāntarahaṁstaraṁgam||

Om, salutation to Sri Purushottama; Om, salutation to Sri Narmada; salutation to Hari, Hara, and Hiranyagarbha, to Vyasa, Valmiki, Shuka, and Parashara, and to the guru, the cow, and the brahmins. May the waters of Narmada ever protect you — waters thronged with bees drunk on the fragrant rut-fluid streaming from elephants' temples, tawny with the saffron paste that slides from the breasts of celestial maidens as they bathe, their bankside trees heaped morning and evening with sages' flower-offerings, their swan-ripples seized by the trunks of crocodiles and makaras.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.156.3)

उभयतटपुण्यतीर्था प्रक्षालितसकलललोकदुरितौघा। देवमुनिमनुजवन्द्या हरतु सदा नर्मदा दुरितम्॥

ubhayataṭapuṇyatīrthā prakṣālitasakalalalokaduritaughā| devamunimanujavandyā haratu sadā narmadā duritam||

Narmada, holy with sacred fords on both her banks, who washes away the entire flood of the world's sins, worshipped by gods, sages, and men — may she ever remove all sin.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.156.4)

नाशयतु दुरितमखिलं भूतं भव्यं भवच्च भुवि भविनाम्। सकलपवित्रि तव सुधा पुण्यजला नर्मदा भवति॥

nāśayatu duritamakhilaṁ bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhavacca bhuvi bhavinām| sakalapavitri tava sudhā puṇyajalā narmadā bhavati||

May she destroy all the sin of creatures — past, future, and present; O all-purifying one, your nectar-like, holy water is Narmada.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.156.5)

तटपुलिनं शिवदेवा यस्या यतयोऽपि कामयन्ते वा। मुनिनिवहविहितसेवा शिवाय मम जायतां रेवा॥

taṭapulinaṁ śivadevā yasyā yatayo'pi kāmayante vā| muninivahavihitasevā śivāya mama jāyatāṁ revā||

Whose sandy banks even Shiva and the gods, even ascetics, long for; served by throngs of sages — may Reva arise for my welfare.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.156.6)

नारायणं नमस्कृत्वा नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्॥

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtvā naraṁ caiva narottamam| devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayamudīrayet||

Having bowed to Narayana, and to Nara, best of men, to the goddess Sarasvati, and to Vyasa, one should then recite the Jaya.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.156.7)

नैमिषे पुण्यनिलये नानाऋषिनिषेविते। शौनकः सत्रमासीनः सूत पप्रच्छ विस्तरात्॥

naimiṣe puṇyanilaye nānāṛṣiniṣevite| śaunakaḥ satramāsīnaḥ sūta papraccha vistarāt||

In the holy abode of Naimisha forest, frequented by many sages, Shaunaka, seated in the sacrificial session, asked Suta at length:

Verse 8 (skanda.5.156.8)

मन्येऽहं धर्मनैपुण्यं त्वयि सूत सदार्चितम्। पुण्यामृतकथावक्ता व्याससशिष्यस्त्वमेव हि॥

manye'haṁ dharmanaipuṇyaṁ tvayi sūta sadārcitam| puṇyāmṛtakathāvaktā vyāsasaśiṣyastvameva hi||

O Suta, I hold that skill in dharma is ever established in you; you alone, disciple of Vyasa, are the teller of holy, nectar-like tales.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.156.9)

अतस्त्वां परिपृच्छामि धर्मतीर्थाश्रयं कवे। बहूनि सन्ति तीर्थानि बहुशो मे श्रुतानि च॥

atastvāṁ paripṛcchāmi dharmatīrthāśrayaṁ kave| bahūni santi tīrthāni bahuśo me śrutāni ca||

Therefore, O sage-poet, I ask you about the abode of the sacred fords of dharma. There are many tirthas, and I have often heard of them.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.156.10)

श्रुता दिव्यनदी ब्राह्मी तथा विष्णुनदी मया। तृतीया न मया क्वापि श्रुता रौद्री सरिद्वरा॥

śrutā divyanadī brāhmī tathā viṣṇunadī mayā| tṛtīyā na mayā kvāpi śrutā raudrī saridvarā||

I have heard of the divine river of Brahma, and likewise the river of Vishnu; but nowhere have I heard of the third, the excellent river belonging to Rudra.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.156.11)

तां वेदगर्भां विख्यातां विबुधौघाभिवन्दिताम्। वद मे त्वं महाप्राज्ञ तीर्थपूगपरिष्कृताम्॥

tāṁ vedagarbhāṁ vikhyātāṁ vibudhaughābhivanditām| vada me tvaṁ mahāprājña tīrthapūgapariṣkṛtām||

Tell me of her, O greatly wise one — renowned as the very womb of the Veda, honored by hosts of gods, adorned with clusters of holy fords.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.156.12)

कं देशमाश्रिता रेवा कथं श्रीरुद्रसंभवा। तत्संश्रितानि तीर्थानि यानि तानि वदस्व मे॥

kaṁ deśamāśritā revā kathaṁ śrīrudrasaṁbhavā| tatsaṁśritāni tīrthāni yāni tāni vadasva me||

What land does the Reva inhabit? How did she arise from glorious Rudra? Tell me too of the tirthas that rest upon her.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.156.13)

सूत उवाच। साधु पृष्टं कुलपते चरित्रं नर्मदाश्रितम्। चित्रं पवित्रं दोषघ्नं श्रुतमुक्तं च सत्तम॥

sūta uvāca| sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ kulapate caritraṁ narmadāśritam| citraṁ pavitraṁ doṣaghnaṁ śrutamuktaṁ ca sattama||

Suta said: Well asked, O head of the clan! This story concerning Narmada is wondrous, purifying, sin-destroying, and, O most virtuous one, well worth both hearing and telling.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.156.14)

वेदोपवेदवेदाङ्गादीन्यभिव्यस्य पूरितः। अष्टादशपुराणानां वक्ता सत्यवतीसुतः॥

vedopavedavedāṅgādīnyabhivyasya pūritaḥ| aṣṭādaśapurāṇānāṁ vaktā satyavatīsutaḥ||

Having expounded the Vedas, the Upavedas, the Vedangas, and so on, and having fulfilled his task, the son of Satyavati is the narrator of the eighteen Puranas.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.156.15)

तं नमस्कृत्य वक्ष्यामि पुराणानि यथाक्रमम्। येषामभिव्याहरणादभिवृद्धिर्वृषायुषोः॥

taṁ namaskṛtya vakṣyāmi purāṇāni yathākramam| yeṣāmabhivyāharaṇādabhivṛddhirvṛṣāyuṣoḥ||

Having bowed to him, I shall now recount the Puranas in their proper order — by whose recitation come the increase of dharma and of life.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.156.16)

श्रुतिः स्मृतिश्च विप्राणां चक्षुषी परिकीर्तिते। काणस्तत्रैकया हीनो द्वाभ्यामन्धः प्रकीर्तितः॥

śrutiḥ smṛtiśca viprāṇāṁ cakṣuṣī parikīrtite| kāṇastatraikayā hīno dvābhyāmandhaḥ prakīrtitaḥ||

Shruti and Smriti are declared to be the two eyes of the brahmins; one who lacks one of them is called one-eyed, and one who lacks both is called blind.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.156.17)

श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानि विदुषां लोचनत्रयम्। यस्त्रिभिर्नयनैः पश्येत्सोऽंशो माहेश्वरो मतः॥

śrutismṛtipurāṇāni viduṣāṁ locanatrayam| yastribhirnayanaiḥ paśyetso'ṁśo māheśvaro mataḥ||

Shruti, Smriti, and the Puranas are the three eyes of the learned; whoever sees with all three of these eyes is held to be a portion of Maheshvara.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.156.18)

आत्मनो वेदविद्या च ईश्वरेण विनिर्मिता। शौनकीया च पौराणी धर्मशास्त्रात्मिका च या॥

ātmano vedavidyā ca īśvareṇa vinirmitā| śaunakīyā ca paurāṇī dharmaśāstrātmikā ca yā||

The knowledge of the Veda pertaining to the Self was fashioned by Ishvara himself, and so too was the Shaunaka tradition, the Puranic knowledge, and that which is the essence of the Dharma-shastras.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.156.19)

तिस्रो विद्या इमा मुख्याः सर्वशास्त्रविनिर्णये। पुराणं पञ्चमो वेद इति ब्रह्मानुशासनम्॥

tisro vidyā imā mukhyāḥ sarvaśāstravinirṇaye| purāṇaṁ pañcamo veda iti brahmānuśāsanam||

These three branches of knowledge are foremost in deciding all the shastras; 'the Purana is the fifth Veda' — such is Brahma's own teaching.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.156.20)

यो न वेद पुराणं हि न स वेदात्र किंचन। कतमः स हि धर्मोऽस्ति किं वा ज्ञानं तथाविधम्॥

yo na veda purāṇaṁ hi na sa vedātra kiṁcana| katamaḥ sa hi dharmo'sti kiṁ vā jñānaṁ tathāvidham||

He who does not know the Purana knows nothing at all here; what dharma indeed is his, or what knowledge of that kind?

Verse 21 (skanda.5.156.21)

अन्यद्वा तत्किमत्राह पुराणे यन्न दृश्यते। वेदाः प्रतिष्ठिताः पूर्वं पुराणे नात्र संशयः॥

anyadvā tatkimatrāha purāṇe yanna dṛśyate| vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ pūrvaṁ purāṇe nātra saṁśayaḥ||

Or is there anything else here that is not seen in the Purana? The Vedas were first established in the Purana — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.156.22)

बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रतरिष्यति। इतिहासपुराणैश्च कृतोऽयं निश्चयः पुरा॥

bibhetyalpaśrutādvedo māmayaṁ pratariṣyati| itihāsapurāṇaiśca kṛto'yaṁ niścayaḥ purā||

The Veda fears the man of little learning, thinking 'this one will outrun me'; this conclusion was established of old through the Itihasas and the Puranas.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.156.23)

आत्मा पुराणं वेदानां पृथगंगानि तानि षट्। यच्च दृष्टं हि वेदेषु तद्दृष्टं स्मृतिभिः किल॥

ātmā purāṇaṁ vedānāṁ pṛthagaṁgāni tāni ṣaṭ| yacca dṛṣṭaṁ hi vedeṣu taddṛṣṭaṁ smṛtibhiḥ kila||

The Purana is the very self of the Vedas; the six Vedangas are its separate limbs; and whatever is seen in the Vedas is likewise seen in the Smritis.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.156.24)

उभाभ्यां यत्तु दृष्टं हि तत्पुराणेषु गीयते। पुराणं सर्वशास्त्राणां प्रथमं ब्रह्मणः स्मृतम्॥

ubhābhyāṁ yattu dṛṣṭaṁ hi tatpurāṇeṣu gīyate| purāṇaṁ sarvaśāstrāṇāṁ prathamaṁ brahmaṇaḥ smṛtam||

And what is seen by both together is sung of in the Puranas. The Purana is remembered as the very first of all the shastras, proceeding from Brahma.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.156.25)

अनन्तरं च वक्त्रेभ्यो वेदास्तस्य विनिर्गताः। पुराणमेकमेवासीदस्मिन् कल्पान्तरे मुने॥

anantaraṁ ca vaktrebhyo vedāstasya vinirgatāḥ| purāṇamekamevāsīdasmin kalpāntare mune||

And immediately thereafter the Vedas issued forth from his mouths. In this other kalpa, O sage, there was but a single Purana.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.156.26)

त्रिवर्गसाधनं पुण्यं शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम्। स्मृत्वा जगाद च मुनीन्प्रति देवश्चतुर्मुखः॥

trivargasādhanaṁ puṇyaṁ śatakoṭipravistaram| smṛtvā jagāda ca munīnprati devaścaturmukhaḥ||

Remembering that holy Purana, the accomplisher of the threefold goal, extending to a hundred crore verses, the four-faced god spoke it forth to the sages.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.156.27)

प्रवृत्तिः सर्वशास्त्राणां पुराणस्याभवत्ततः। कालेनाग्रहणं दृष्ट्वा पुराणस्य ततो मुनिः॥

pravṛttiḥ sarvaśāstrāṇāṁ purāṇasyābhavattataḥ| kālenāgrahaṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā purāṇasya tato muniḥ||

From it thereafter arose the origin of all the shastras. Then, seeing that in the course of time it would not be graspable, the sage...

Verse 28 (skanda.5.156.28)

व्यासरूपं विभुः कृत्वा संहरेत्स युगे युगे। अष्टलक्षप्रमाणे तु द्वापरे द्वापरे सदा॥

vyāsarūpaṁ vibhuḥ kṛtvā saṁharetsa yuge yuge| aṣṭalakṣapramāṇe tu dvāpare dvāpare sadā||

...the all-pervading Lord, taking the form of Vyasa, condenses it in every age — ever, in each Dvapara, to a measure of eight hundred thousand verses.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.156.29)

तदष्टादशधा कृत्वा भूलोकेऽस्मिन् प्रभाष्यते। अद्यापि देवलोके तच्छतकोटिप्रविस्तरम्॥

tadaṣṭādaśadhā kṛtvā bhūloke'smin prabhāṣyate| adyāpi devaloke tacchatakoṭipravistaram||

Having made it eighteenfold, it is proclaimed here in this mortal world; even today, in the world of the gods, it still extends to a hundred crore verses.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.156.30)

तथात्र चतुर्लक्षं संक्षेपेण निवेशितम्। पुराणानि दशाष्टौ च साम्प्रतं तदिहोच्यते। नामतस्तानि वक्ष्यामि शृणु त्वमृषिसत्तम॥

tathātra caturlakṣaṁ saṁkṣepeṇa niveśitam| purāṇāni daśāṣṭau ca sāmprataṁ tadihocyate| nāmatastāni vakṣyāmi śṛṇu tvamṛṣisattama||

Here, in condensed form, four hundred thousand verses have been set down, and the eighteen Puranas are now told here; hear, O best of sages, I shall recount them by name.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.156.31)

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च। वंशानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम्॥

sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca| vaṁśānucaritaṁ caiva purāṇaṁ pañcalakṣaṇam||

Creation, re-creation, genealogy, the Manvantaras, and the history of the lineages — these five marks belong to the Purana.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.156.32)

ब्राह्मं पुराणं तत्राद्यं संहितायां विभूषितम्। श्लोकानां दशसाहस्रं नानापुण्यकथायुतम्॥

brāhmaṁ purāṇaṁ tatrādyaṁ saṁhitāyāṁ vibhūṣitam| ślokānāṁ daśasāhasraṁ nānāpuṇyakathāyutam||

The Brahma Purana is the first among these, adorned in its own recension, comprising ten thousand verses, full of various holy tales.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.156.33)

पाद्मं च पञ्चपञ्चाशत्सहस्राणि निगद्यते। तृतीयं वैष्णवंनाम त्रयोविंशतिसंख्यया॥

pādmaṁ ca pañcapañcāśatsahasrāṇi nigadyate| tṛtīyaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁnāma trayoviṁśatisaṁkhyayā||

The Padma is said to comprise fifty-five thousand verses; the third, named Vaishnava, numbers twenty-three thousand.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.156.34)

चतुर्थं वायुना प्रोक्तं वायवीयमिति स्मृतम्। शिवभक्तिसमायोगाच्छैवं तच्चापराख्यया॥

caturthaṁ vāyunā proktaṁ vāyavīyamiti smṛtam| śivabhaktisamāyogācchaivaṁ taccāparākhyayā||

The fourth, spoken by Vayu, is remembered as the Vayaviya; by its union with devotion to Shiva it is also known by the other name, Shaiva.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.156.35)

चतुर्विंशतिसंख्यातं सहस्राणि तु शौनक। चतुर्भिः पर्वभिः प्रोक्तं भविष्यं पञ्चमं तथा॥

caturviṁśatisaṁkhyātaṁ sahasrāṇi tu śaunaka| caturbhiḥ parvabhiḥ proktaṁ bhaviṣyaṁ pañcamaṁ tathā||

It is reckoned at twenty-four thousand verses, O Shaunaka; and the fifth, the Bhavishya, is told in four parvas.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.156.36)

चतुर्दशसहस्राणि तथा पञ्च शतानि तत्। मार्कण्डं नवसाहस्रं षष्ठं तत्परिकीर्तितम्॥

caturdaśasahasrāṇi tathā pañca śatāni tat| mārkaṇḍaṁ navasāhasraṁ ṣaṣṭhaṁ tatparikīrtitam||

It comprises fourteen thousand five hundred verses; the Markandeya, comprising nine thousand, is declared the sixth.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.156.37)

आग्नेयं सप्तमं प्रोक्तं सहस्राणि तु षोडश। अष्टमं नारदीयं तु प्रोक्तं वै पञ्चविंशतिः॥

āgneyaṁ saptamaṁ proktaṁ sahasrāṇi tu ṣoḍaśa| aṣṭamaṁ nāradīyaṁ tu proktaṁ vai pañcaviṁśatiḥ||

The Agneya is told as the seventh, numbering sixteen thousand verses; the eighth, the Naradiya, is said to be twenty-five thousand.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.156.38)

नवमं भगवन्नाम भागद्वयविभूषितम्। तदष्टादशसाहस्रं प्रोच्यते ग्रन्थसंख्यया॥

navamaṁ bhagavannāma bhāgadvayavibhūṣitam| tadaṣṭādaśasāhasraṁ procyate granthasaṁkhyayā||

The ninth is named the Bhagavata, adorned with two parts; it is said to comprise eighteen thousand in the count of its verses.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.156.39)

दशमं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं तावत्संख्यमिहोच्यते। लैङ्गमेकादशं ज्ञेयं तथैकादशसंख्यया॥

daśamaṁ brahmavaivartaṁ tāvatsaṁkhyamihocyate| laiṅgamekādaśaṁ jñeyaṁ tathaikādaśasaṁkhyayā||

The tenth, the Brahmavaivarta, is here said to have the same number; the eleventh should be known as the Linga, likewise numbering eleven thousand.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.156.40)

भागद्वयं विरचितं तल्लिङ्गमृषिपुंगव। चतुर्विंशतिसाहस्रं वाराहं द्वादशं विदुः॥

bhāgadvayaṁ viracitaṁ talliṅgamṛṣipuṁgava| caturviṁśatisāhasraṁ vārāhaṁ dvādaśaṁ viduḥ||

That Linga Purana, O bull among sages, is composed in two parts; the twelfth, the Varaha, is known to comprise twenty-four thousand.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.156.41)

विभक्तं सप्तभिः खण्डैः स्कान्दं भाग्यवतां वर। तदेकाशीतिसाहस्रं संख्यया वै निरूपितम्॥

vibhaktaṁ saptabhiḥ khaṇḍaiḥ skāndaṁ bhāgyavatāṁ vara| tadekāśītisāhasraṁ saṁkhyayā vai nirūpitam||

Divided into seven khandas, the Skanda, O best of the fortunate, is indeed reckoned at eighty-one thousand verses.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.156.42)

ततस्तु वामनं नाम चतुर्दशतमं स्मृतम्। संख्यया दशसाहस्रं प्रोक्तं कुलपते पुरा॥

tatastu vāmanaṁ nāma caturdaśatamaṁ smṛtam| saṁkhyayā daśasāhasraṁ proktaṁ kulapate purā||

Then the fourteenth, named Vamana, is remembered; it was said of old, O head of the clan, to number ten thousand.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.156.43)

कौर्मं पञ्चदशं प्राहुर्भागद्वयविभूषितम्। दशसप्तसहस्राणि पुरा सांख्यपते कलौ॥

kaurmaṁ pañcadaśaṁ prāhurbhāgadvayavibhūṣitam| daśasaptasahasrāṇi purā sāṁkhyapate kalau||

The fifteenth, the Kaurma, they declare adorned with two parts, numbering seventeen thousand of old, O lord of reckoning in the Kali age.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.156.44)

मात्स्यं मत्स्येन यत्प्रोक्तं मनवे षोडशं क्रमात्। तच्चतुर्दशसाहस्रं संख्यया वदतां वर॥

mātsyaṁ matsyena yatproktaṁ manave ṣoḍaśaṁ kramāt| taccaturdaśasāhasraṁ saṁkhyayā vadatāṁ vara||

The Matsya, told by Matsya to Manu, is sixteenth in order; it numbers fourteen thousand, O best of speakers.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.156.45)

गारुडं सप्तदशमं स्मृतं चैकोनविंशतिः। अष्टादशं तु ब्रह्माण्डं भागद्वयविभूषितम्॥

gāruḍaṁ saptadaśamaṁ smṛtaṁ caikonaviṁśatiḥ| aṣṭādaśaṁ tu brahmāṇḍaṁ bhāgadvayavibhūṣitam||

The Garuda is remembered as the seventeenth, numbering nineteen thousand; the eighteenth, the Brahmanda, is adorned with two parts.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.156.46)

तच्च द्वादशसाहस्रं शतमष्टसमन्वितम्। तथैवोपपुराणानि यानि चोक्तानि वेधसा॥

tacca dvādaśasāhasraṁ śatamaṣṭasamanvitam| tathaivopapurāṇāni yāni coktāni vedhasā||

And it numbers twelve thousand one hundred and eight; and likewise there are the Upapuranas, which too were declared by the Creator.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.156.47)

इदं ब्रह्मपुराणस्य सुलभं सौरमुत्तमम्। संहिताद्वयसंयुक्तं पुण्यं शिवकथाश्रयम्॥

idaṁ brahmapurāṇasya sulabhaṁ sauramuttamam| saṁhitādvayasaṁyuktaṁ puṇyaṁ śivakathāśrayam||

This excellent and easily-accessible Saura Upapurana belongs to the Brahma Purana, joined with two recensions, holy, resting on the tales of Shiva.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.156.48)

आद्या सनत्कुमारोक्ता द्वितीया सूर्यभाषिता। सनत्कुमारनाम्ना हि तद्विख्यातं महामुने॥

ādyā sanatkumāroktā dvitīyā sūryabhāṣitā| sanatkumāranāmnā hi tadvikhyātaṁ mahāmune||

The first is spoken by Sanatkumara, the second by Surya; indeed it is renowned under the name of Sanatkumara, O great sage.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.156.49)

द्वितीयं नारसिंहं च पुराणे पाद्मसंज्ञिते। शौकेयं हि तृतीयं तु पुराणे वैष्णवे मतम्॥

dvitīyaṁ nārasiṁhaṁ ca purāṇe pādmasaṁjñite| śaukeyaṁ hi tṛtīyaṁ tu purāṇe vaiṣṇave matam||

The second Upapurana is the Narasimha, belonging to the Padma Purana; the third, the Shaukeya, is held to belong to the Vaishnava Purana.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.156.50)

बार्हस्पत्यं चतुर्थं च वायव्यं संमतं सदा। दौर्वाससं पञ्चमं च स्मृतं भागवते सदा॥

bārhaspatyaṁ caturthaṁ ca vāyavyaṁ saṁmataṁ sadā| daurvāsasaṁ pañcamaṁ ca smṛtaṁ bhāgavate sadā||

The fourth, the Barhaspatya, is ever held to belong to the Vayaviya; and the fifth, the Daurvasa, is ever remembered as belonging to the Bhagavata.

Verse 51 (skanda.5.156.51)

भविष्ये नारदोक्तं च सूरिभिः कथितं पुरा। कापिलं मानवं चैव तथैवोशनसेरितम्॥

bhaviṣye nāradoktaṁ ca sūribhiḥ kathitaṁ purā| kāpilaṁ mānavaṁ caiva tathaivośanaseritam||

The Upapurana told by Narada, belonging to the Bhavishya, was declared of old by the learned; and likewise the Kapila, the Manava, and that spoken by Ushanas.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.156.52)

ब्रह्माण्डं वारुणं चाथ कालिकाद्वयमेव च। माहेश्वरं तथा साम्बं सौरं सर्वार्थसंचयम्॥

brahmāṇḍaṁ vāruṇaṁ cātha kālikādvayameva ca| māheśvaraṁ tathā sāmbaṁ sauraṁ sarvārthasaṁcayam||

The Brahmanda, the Varuna, and also the twin Kalika Upapuranas; likewise the Maheshvara, the Samba, the Saura, and the Sarvarthasamcaya.

Verse 53 (skanda.5.156.53)

पाराशरं भागवतं कौर्मं चाष्टादशं क्रमात्। एतान्युपपुराणानि मयोक्तानि यथाक्रमम्॥

pārāśaraṁ bhāgavataṁ kaurmaṁ cāṣṭādaśaṁ kramāt| etānyupapurāṇāni mayoktāni yathākramam||

The Parashara, the Bhagavata, and the Kaurma — eighteen in order. These are the Upapuranas, told by me in due sequence.

Verse 54 (skanda.5.156.54)

पुराणसंहितामेतां यः पठेद्वा शृणोति च। सोऽनन्तपुण्यभागी स्यान्मृतो ब्रह्मपुरं व्रजेत्॥

purāṇasaṁhitāmetāṁ yaḥ paṭhedvā śṛṇoti ca| so'nantapuṇyabhāgī syānmṛto brahmapuraṁ vrajet||

Whoever reads or hears this collection of the Puranas becomes a possessor of endless merit, and upon death goes to the realm of Brahma.