Puranas contain the history of remote times. They are meant for common people and describe their heroes’ times, troubles, and triumphs.
According to Shabdakalpadruma, the word Purana is used in the sense of पुरा भवमिति । which means “that which existed in the past” and पुरा नीयते इति । which means “that which takes (you) back (in time)”
It therefore appears that originally the term Purana signified an ancient event recounted as a tale or narrative in subsequent generations.
This first part of the book series on stories from Puranas and Itihas contains more than fifty wonderful stories of Gods, demons, nymphs, sages and kings and others.
The stories selected are such that they have included several aspects and flavours. These also cover different Yugas of human life in this world.
These stories may provide solutions to different types of extant problems of grown-ups in interesting ways. The selection of stories is such that these are also suitable for teenagers and young minds as well.
The stories in every chapter are related to each other. Efforts have been made to place chapters containing successive periods one after other. This ensures continuity for understanding the link, or history.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Stories from Great Deluge: The Pralay
Story 1: The Matsya Avatar
Story 2 Madhu and Kaitabha
Story 3: Story of sage Markandeya
Chapter 3 Hiranya Kashyap and Hiranyaksh
Story 1: Story of Jaya and Vijaya
Story 2: Birth of Hiranyaksh and Hiranyakashipu
Story 3: Hiranyaksha and Varaah Avatar
Story 4: Hiranyakashipu becomes enemy of Lord Vishnu
Chapter 4: Prahlada and Narasimha incarnation
Chapter 5 The Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan)
Part 1: Preparations for the Churning of Sea
Part 2: Vishnu takes incarnation as a tortoise (Kurma
Avatar)
Part 3: Shiva drinks Halahala, becomes Nilakantha
Part 4: Emergence of valuable items
Part 4: Distribution of Nectar by Lord as Mohini
Second story of Mohini Avatar
Chapter 6 Story of Indra and Virochana
Chapter 7 Bali and Vaman Avatar
Chapter 8: Balak Dhruva
Chapter 9: Story of Prithu
Chapter 10 King Harishchandra
Chapter 11 Dispute between Brahma and Vishnu
Chapter 12 Story of Trishanku
Chapter 13 Vishwamitra and Menaka
Chapter 14 Dushyanta and Shakuntala
Chapter 15 Bharata
Story of the rebirth of Bharata as a deer
Chapter 16 Sagara and Bhagiratha
Chapter 17 Indra facing Brahm-Hatya
Chapter 18 Kansa Vadha
Chapter 19 Syamantaka jewel
Chapter 20 Two stories of time travel
Chapter 21 Illusion of Sage Narada
Chapter 22 Dakshayani Sati
Chapter 23 Two Dwarpalas of Shiva
Chapter 24 Story of Parikshit
Chapter 25 One word with different meanings
Chapter 26 Dadhichi and Pippalada
Chapter 27 Gautama and Manikundala
Chapter 28 Quarrel among the Senses
Chapter 29 A Humorous Story of the Tenth Man.
Chapter 30 Story of Pururavas and Urvasi
Chapter 31 Story of Yayati and Puru
Chapter 32 King Kuru and Kurukshetra
Chapter 33 Aveekshit and Marut
Chapter 34 Story of Madalasa
Chapter 35 Story of Hayagreeva incarnation
The Hayagreeva incarnation