Brahma Purana

The Brahma Purana (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मपुराण or ब्राह्मपुराण; Brahma-Purana) is one of the eighteen major Puranas collections of Hindu texts in Sanskrit. It is listed as the first Mahapurana in all anthologies, and is therefore also called Adi Purana. Another title for this text is Saura Purana, because it includes many chapters related to Surya, the sun god. The Brahma Purana is a compilation of geographical Mahatmya (travel guides) and sections on diverse topics.

The Brahma Purana holds an established place as a Mahapurana, however, scholars debate whether the current version of the Brahma Purana is the original Mahapurana or a later Upapurana (secondary Purana). R. C. Hazra through textual analysis, argues that the current version is not the original Brahma Purana but a later compilation that shared the same name. Hazra's conclusion stems from his examination of quotations made by classical Nibandha writers—who frequently quoted verses of the Brahma Purana which cannot be found in the present text. This suggests that the current version may have replaced or is being conflated with an earlier, now-lost version of the Brahma Purana. Hazra believes the extant text was compiled no earlier than the 10th century AD, integrating material from other Puranas and epics such as the Vishnu Purana, Markandeya Purana, Vayu Purana, and the Mahabharata.

In contrast, Surabhi Trivedi, author of The Brahma Purana (critical study), argues that the Brahma Purana meets all traditional criteria for a Mahapurana, which are known as the five characteristics, or Pancha Lakshana (pañcalakṣaṇa). Trivedi argues that there is no compelling reason to downgrade it to an Upapurana given the text's adherence to the established structure and content of a Mahapurana

Other scholars, including Moriz Winternitz and Bibek Debroy hold that while the extant Brahma Purana is likely not the original composition, it contains elements that can be traced to the older one. Debroy, who authored the two-volume Brahma Purana in English published by Penguin, agrees with Hazra's analysis of the Purana corpus, but cautions against making the deduction that the Brahma Purana is copied from other texts, since the various texts could have had a common origin. There are elements of the Brahma Purana that according to Debroy, are likely dated to a range of ~1500 CE and read like "Sthala" Puranas, which glorify a specific location or region rather than a Mahapurana

Since it mentions the existence of the Konark Sun Temple built in 1241, most of the chapter on pilgrimage sites in Orissa couldn't have been written before the 13th century. However, Debroy does not put much weight upon such dating assumptions, since it is difficult to confirm whether the temple referenced in the text is indeed the one constructed in the mid-13th century by Narasimhadeva I of the Ganga dynasty. Debroy suggests it is plausible that an earlier Sun Temple existed at the site, which was superseded in fame by the new temple, or the old temple was itself rebuilt by Narasimhadeva I.

The surviving manuscripts comprise 245 chapters. It is divided into two parts: the Purvabhaga (Former Part) and the Uttarabhaga (Latter Part). Sohnen and Schreiner published a summary of the Brahma Purana in 1989.

The text is notable for dedicating over 60% of its chapters on description of geography and holy sites of Godavari River Region, as well as places in and around modern Odisha, and tributaries of Chambal River in Rajasthan. These travel guide-like sections are non-sectarian, and celebrates sites and temples related to Vishnu, Shiva, Devi and Surya. The coverage of Jagannath (Krishna, Vishnu-related) temples, however, is larger than the other three, leading scholars to the hypothesis that the authors of extant manuscripts may have been authors belonging to Vaishnavism. Its presentation of the Konark Sun Temple is notable.

The text also describes the Seven Continents (Sapta-Dvipa) and sub-continents of the world, though some other land mass are not mentioned, those which are mentioned are called: