Varaha Purana

The Varaha Purana (Sanskrit: वराह पुराण, Varāha Purāṇa) is a Sanskrit text from the Puranas genre of literature in Hinduism.^[1] It belongs to the Vaishnavism literature corpus praising Narayana (Vishnu), but includes chapters dedicated to praising and centered on Shiva and Shakti (goddesses it calls Brahmi, Vaishnavi and Raudri).^[1]^[2]

The text exists in many versions, with major sections lost to history.^[2] The text has been estimated to have been first completed between the 10th and 12th centuries, and continuously revised thereafter.^[2]^[3] The surviving manuscripts of this text are notable, like Linga Purana, because they do not cover the required Panchalakshana (five characteristics) expected in a Purana.^[2] Scholars have questioned whether it really qualifies as a Purana, and whether the extant manuscripts are merely a religious manual largely focussed on Vaishnava practices,^[3]^[4] with sections that also praise Shiva, Shakti and other gods in a secular way.^[1]^[2]

The Varaha Purana includes mythology, particularly of the Varaha incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu rescuing the earth (Prithvi) at the time of a great flood.^[2]^[5] The text also includes mythology of goddesses and Shiva,^[4] and a discussion of Karma and Dharma called Dharmasamhita.^[6] A large portion of the text is dedicated to medieval geographic Mahatmya (tourist guides)^[7] to temples and sites in Mathura and Nepal, but it curiously lacks adoring Krishna in Mathura-related section of the type found in other Puranas.^[6]^[8]

^ ^a ^b ^c Dalal 2014, p. 444.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Rocher 1986, pp. 241–242.
^ ^a ^b Hazra 1940, p. 96.
^ ^a ^b Winternitz 1922, p. 544.
^ K P Gietz 1992, pp. 29–31 with notes 148 and 152.
^ ^a ^b Rocher 1986, p. 242.
^ Ariel Glucklich 2008, p. 146, Quote: The earliest promotional works aimed at tourists from that era were called mahatmyas.
^ Wilson 1864, p. 74.

[FOOTNOTEDalal2014444-1] Dalal 2014, p. 444.

[FOOTNOTERocher1986241–242-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Rocher 1986, pp. 241–242.

[FOOTNOTEHazra194096-3] Hazra 1940, p. 96.

[FOOTNOTEWinternitz1922544-4] Winternitz 1922, p. 544.

[FOOTNOTEK_P_Gietz199229–31_with_notes_148_and_152-5] K P Gietz 1992, pp. 29–31 with notes 148 and 152.

[FOOTNOTERocher1986242-6] Rocher 1986, p. 242.

[FOOTNOTEAriel_Glucklich2008146,_'''Quote''':_The_earliest_promotional_works_aimed_at_tourists_from_that_era_were_called_''mahatmyas''-7] Ariel Glucklich 2008, p. 146, Quote: The earliest promotional works aimed at tourists from that era were called mahatmyas.

[FOOTNOTEWilson186474-8] Wilson 1864, p. 74.

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