Hindu Sacred Texts
From the Bhagavad Gita and the great epics to the eighteen Mahapuranas, the Upanishads, and the Vedas — explore the scriptures that shape the Hindu tradition, then ask PuranGPT any question and receive answers grounded in exact verse citations.
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse dialogue set within the Mahabharata, spoken by Krishna to the warrior Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra as he despairs over the coming war. In it Krishna unfolds the paths of selfless action (karma yoga), devotion (bhakti yoga), and knowledge (jnana yoga), and reveals his universal form. It remains the most widely read and translated text of Hindu philosophy.
Read overviewRamayana
The Ramayana, traditionally attributed to the sage Valmiki, narrates the life of Prince Rama of Ayodhya — his exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon king Ravana, and her rescue with the help of the monkey-god Hanuman. Across its books it explores ideal kingship, devotion, and the triumph of dharma over adharma. It is one of the two great epics (itihasas) of the Hindu tradition.
Read overviewMahabharata
The Mahabharata, attributed to the sage Vyasa, is among the longest epic poems ever composed and tells of the dynastic struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, culminating in the great war at Kurukshetra. Beyond its narrative, it is a vast repository of philosophy, statecraft, and ethics, and it contains the Bhagavad Gita. It is revered as the fifth Veda for the breadth of dharma it preserves.
Read overviewBhagavata Purana
The Bhagavata Purana, also called the Srimad Bhagavatam, is among the most revered of the eighteen Mahapuranas and centres on devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu and his avatars, most fully the life and play of Krishna. Composed largely as a dialogue and arranged into twelve books (skandhas), it weaves cosmology, the lives of devotees, and the lilas of Krishna into a single devotional vision. It is foundational to the Vaishnava bhakti traditions.
Read overviewVishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas and is often regarded as a model of the Puranic genre for its clear treatment of the traditional five subjects: creation, dissolution and recreation, the lineages of gods and sages, the cosmic ages, and the genealogies of kings. Framed as a dialogue between the sage Parashara and his disciple Maitreya, it presents Vishnu as the supreme reality from whom all proceeds. It is a central text of Vaishnava tradition.
Read overviewShiva Purana
The Shiva Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas and is devoted to the worship and glory of Shiva. It recounts his cosmic role as destroyer and regenerator, the sacred meaning of the lingam, his marriage to Parvati, and the practices of his devotees. It is a foundational scripture for the Shaiva traditions and a rich source of devotional and ritual lore.
Read overviewMarkandeya Purana
The Markandeya Purana is one of the oldest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, structured largely as answers given by the sage Markandeya. It is best known for containing the Devi Mahatmya (also called the Durga Saptashati), the celebrated hymn to the Great Goddess that recounts her victory over the demons Mahishasura, Shumbha, and Nishumbha. It is a central scripture for the worship of the Goddess (Shakti).
Read overviewGaruda Purana
The Garuda Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, framed as a discourse from Vishnu to his mount Garuda. It is especially known for its detailed treatment of death, the soul's journey after death, the rites for the departed, and the fruits of karma. Alongside these eschatological teachings it covers cosmology, ethics, and devotion to Vishnu, and it is widely consulted in the context of funerary tradition.
Read overviewSkanda Purana
The Skanda Purana is the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas and takes its name from Skanda (Kartikeya), the son of Shiva. It is a vast compilation rich in accounts of sacred geography — pilgrimage sites (tirthas), temples, and the holiness of rivers and places — alongside myth, ritual, and devotional teaching. Its many sections (khandas) make it an extensive treasury of pilgrimage and legend.
Read overviewPadma Purana
The Padma Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, taking its name from the lotus (padma) that arose from Vishnu at creation. Organised into several books (khandas), it spans cosmology, sacred geography, the glory of holy places, and devotional accounts centred on Vishnu, along with retellings of well-known stories. It is a substantial Vaishnava scripture valued for its breadth of myth and devotion.
Read overviewThe Upanishads
The Upanishads are a collection of philosophical texts that form the concluding portion of the Vedas and the foundation of Vedanta. Through dialogues and contemplations they inquire into the nature of ultimate reality (Brahman), the self (atman), and their relationship, articulating insights such as the identity of the individual self with the absolute. The principal Upanishads are among the most influential philosophical writings of the Hindu tradition.
Read overviewThe Vedas
The Vedas are the oldest and most authoritative scriptures of the Hindu tradition, regarded as shruti — revealed knowledge preserved through oral transmission. They comprise four collections — the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda — each containing hymns, ritual formulas, and chants, along with later layers of the Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. They are the root from which the wider corpus of Hindu thought and practice grows.
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