According to tradition, all the purana were composed by the sage Vyasa, to whom is attributed the epic of Indian literature, the mahabharata. The puranas were compiled and recited over centuries, perhaps from as early as the first century to as late as 1400. Each purana is essentially a long poem composed in two-line stanzas called slokas. In content, they use short stories and dialogue between gurus and students to explain concepts contained in the Vedas, the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures. Strictly speaking, a purana should address five subjects: the first stage of the creation of the universe (sarga), the second stage of creation (pratisarga, or visarga), genealogies of kings and gods (vamsa), the reigns of the Manus (manvan-taras), and the histories of the solar and lunar dynasties.

In practice, each purana is structurally unique and the content varies widely, covering a breathtaking scope of theology and philosophy.

In the beginning, there was only one Purana. Bhagavan Sri Veda Vyasa Ji (he is an avatar of Bhagavan Sri Maha Vishnu) divided this original Purana (Mahapurana) into eighteen Puranas. 

This was done as the people of Kali yuga will be less knowledgeable and will not be able to understand the greatness of our itihasa / history which was given in a single Mahapurana.

Thus the single Mahapurana was divided into 18 Puranas.

The 18 Puranas have four lakh shlokas all together. First let us know the names of all 18 puranas, later let us know the basic information about all those Puranas.

The 18 Puranas names are as given below:

1. Brahma Purana
2. Padma Purana
3. Vishnu Purana
4. Vayu Purana
5. Bhagavata Purana
6. Narada Purana
7. Markandeya Purana
8. Agni Purana
9. Bhavishya Purana
10. Brahmavaivarta Purana
11. Linga Purana
12. Varaha Purana
13. Skanda Purana
14. Vamana Purana
15. Kurma Purana
16. Matsya Purana
17. Garuda Purana
18. Brahmanda Purana

Now, let us know the basic information of all the above said Puranas. Basic information of all 18 Puranas are as given below:

Brahma Purana : This was originally recited by Lord Brahma to the sage Marichi and has thirteen thousand shlokas.

This text should be donated on a full moon night (purnima) in the month of Vaishakha. Such a donation brings undying punya. 

Padma Purana : This has fifty-five thousand shlokas and should be donated in the month of Jyeshtha.

Vishnu Purana : This was first recited by the sage Parashara and has twenty-three thousand shlokas. It is auspicious to donate this text in the month of Ashada.

Vayu Purana : This has twenty-four thousand shlokas and was first recited by the wind-god Vayu. It should be donated in the month of Shravana.

Bhagavata Purana : This has eighteen thousand shlokas and should be donated in the month of Bhadra, on the night of the full moon.

Narada Purana : This was first recited by the sage Narada and has twenty-five thousand shokas. It should be donated on the night of the new moon (amavasya) in the month of Ashvina.

Markandeya Purana : This has nine thousand shlokas. A person desirous of obtaining punya should donate this text in month of Margashirsa.

Agni Purana : This was first recited by the fire-god Agni to the sage Vashishtha. It has sixteen thousand shlokas and should be donated in the month of Margashirsha.

Bhavishya Purana : Lord Brahma himself was the first reciter of this Purana and it has fourteen thousand and five hundred shlokas.

It is primarily concerned with what is due to happen in the future. The text should be donated on the occasion of purnima (full moon day), in the month of Pousha. 

Brahmavaivarta Purana : This was first recited by Savarni Manu to the sage Narada. It has eighteen thousand shlokas and should be donated on purnima in the month of Magha.

Linga Purana : Lord Brahma recited this first and it has eleven thousand shlokas. Punya (good deeds) is acquired if this text is donated in the month of Phalguna. 

Varaha Purana : The great Vishnu first recited this to the earth. It has twenty-four thousand shlokas and is to be donated in the month of Chaitra.

Skanda Purana : This Purana gives information about Lord Skanda or Kartikeya. It has eighty-one thousand shlokas and one desirous of punya donates the text in the month of Chaitra.

Vamana Purana : Lord Brahma was the first person to recite this. It has ten thousand shlokas and the text should be donated in early autumn (sharat).

Kurma Purana : Lord Vishnu recited this in his form of a turtle. It has eighteen thousand shlokas and should be donated at the time of the equinoxes (Sankramana / Sankranti time).

Matsya Purana : Lord Vishnu recited this in his form of a fish to Manu. It has fourteen thousand shlokas and should be donated at the time of the equinoxes (Sankramana / Sankranti time).

Garuda Purana : Lord Krishna / Vishnu was the first person to recite this and it has eighteen thousand shlokas. (When this text has to be donated is not stated.)

Brahmanda Purana : Lord Brahma recited this and it has twelve thousand and two hundred shlokas.

Nilesh Desai

Founder of HinduPatrika.com. Commerce, Law and Computer Graduate. 30 years experience in Information Technology industry. Certified Reuters Digital Journalist. Staunch Hindu.