Padma Purana
Also known as: Padmapurana, Padma-Purana, The Lotus Purana


A major Mahāpurāṇa centered on Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī, the Padma Purana blends cosmogony, avatāra cycles, pilgrimage praises (māhātmyas), and devotional dharma with vast mythic catalogues.
Description
The Padma Purana is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, traditionally attributed to Vyāsa and revered across Vaiṣṇava communities. Named for the lotus (padma) that symbolizes creation emerging from Viṣṇu’s navel, it weaves creation narratives, lists of kalpas and manvantaras, and extensive tīrtha-māhātmyas that extol sites such as Prayāga, Kāśī, and Rāmeśvara. Its narrative fabric includes avatāra cycles, doctrinal praise of Ekādaśī fasting, and prescriptive sections on vratas, gifts, and pilgrimage conduct. Surviving in divergent recensions, the text mixes mythic episodes (Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa) with theological passages exalting Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī while acknowledging Śaiva and other deities. It functions both as scripture and encyclopedic mythography, shaping regional sacred geographies and Bhakti practice.
Historiography
Preserved in multiple Sanskrit recensions, the Padma Purana shows substantial variation in the number and titles of its khandas, with Northern versions typically listing five and Southern traditions sometimes six. Manuscripts reflect layered redaction, interpolation, and local tīrtha promotion, likely spanning the early first millennium through the late medieval period. Early printed editions and modern critical efforts remain partial, so chapter attributions can differ across editions. Vernacular citations and summaries proliferated in pilgrimage guide traditions, reinforcing Bhakti-era reception.
Date Notes
Composite text with layers accreted over many centuries; regional recensions (notably Northern and Southern) differ in structure and content.
Themes
Archetypes
Major Characters
- Vishnu
- Lakshmi
- Brahma
- Shiva
- Parvati
- Narada
- Indra
- Garuda
Myths
- Creation Cycles and Manvantaras
- Legends of Vishnu’s Avatars
- Glories of Holy Places (Tirtha Mahatmya)
- The Descent of the Ganga
- Ritual Law and Dharma Narratives
Facts
- The Padma Purana is counted among the eighteen Mahapuranas.
- It is strongly Vaiṣṇava in orientation while incorporating Śaiva and other deities.
- The text survives in divergent recensions with differing khanda structures.
- Large sections are tīrtha-māhātmyas praising specific pilgrimage sites.
- The work promotes Ekādaśī fasting and numerous vratas as devotional practices.
- Mythic cycles cover Viṣṇu’s avatāras alongside cosmology and genealogies.
- Verse counts in manuscripts commonly exceed fifty thousand ślokas.
- Redactional layers indicate centuries of accretion and regional interpolation.
- The lotus (padma) motif frames creation imagery linked to Viṣṇu and Brahmā.
- The text influenced medieval pilgrimage networks and Bhakti devotion.