"sargas ca pratisarga ca vamsa manvantarani ca
vamsanu caritam capi puranam panca laksanam"
Any Purana has Following Five Characteristics
1. Sarga: The complete process of creation of themanifest material world with its varieties of entities iscalled Sarga. Sarga describes the beginning of thecreation. It dewcribes how the earth was created andhow the five material elements like fire, water, air, earthand ether (akasha) came into being. Its all describedvery scientifically in Puranas.
2. Pratisarga: It is the opposite of Sarga. It describes theend of creation.It describes how there will be pralaya (annihilation) at the end of Brahma's one day and howthere will be maha-pralaya (complete dissolution) at theend of Brahma's lifespan. Dofferent Puranas describe itin different ways.
3. Vamsha: This describes a lineage of each dynastyeach gotra which started from one of the rishis. Hereone can see a clear connection between Vedas andPuranas. For example these parampara (succession) can be seen in Yajurveda and Samveda.
4. Manavantara: This tells about time factor (kala). Four yugas (Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali) make one mahayuga and in 1000 mahayugas there are 14 manvantaras. Each manavantara is presided by aperson called Manu and each Manu has five associates. Right now we are in Kaliyuga of Vaivasvat manavantara presided by Vaivasvat Manu. This is used in each and every ritual when do sankalpa etc.
5. Vamshanucharita: This describes the character and other traits of all the great personalities like kings, rishis etc.
As the time passed these Panchalakshana ( Five Characteristics) is expanded to Dasalakshana (Ten Characteristics).
6. Visarga: Each living entity gets is born in a particularspecie according to karma and desires. This is called Visarga. We can say that all the dead material is Sarga and all the living entities are Visarga.
7. Vritti: The materials used by the living entities for its sustainance is called Vritti. So for a human being to eat wheat and rice and fruits is natural but to eat another living entities is manipulation.
8. Raksha: The Puranas describe the different incarnations of the Supreme. Whenever irreligiousity increases the Lord either comes Himself or sends His representatives (avataras) to annihilate the demons and to save the saints and devotees. This saving of the devotees is what Raksha is.
9. Hetu: Hetu means cause or means. The subject matter of hetu is included to know the cause of Sarga and Pratisarga. It is to know why the creation takes place and why it is annhilated.
10. Apashraya: The Puranas discuss three aspects of jivas - the live stage, the dreaming stage and the deepsleep stage. This is the subject matter of Apashraya. At least now we know that Puranas are not some stories to entertain but have deep meanings and significances.
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