Retold in simple language, underlining importance of each Purana, with a lucid summary.

The Purana is a class of literature that treats of ancient religion, philosophy, history, sociology, politics and other subjects. It is an Encyclopaedia of various branches of knowledge and ancient wisdom. It has been defined as a class of literature that contains material on the topics of Creation, Dissolution of Manus, Ages of Manus, Genealogies and the History of glorious kings. For dealing primarily with these subjects it has been called Pancalaksana a little that was incorporated in the Puranas themselves and had become popular by the Fifth Century A.D., for it was included by Amarasimha in his lexicon 'Amarakosa'. But as the process of interpolation continued, the Pancalaksana definition was found inadequate. The Puranic redactors adopted a Dasalaksana definition that suited the contemporary text. Still, the dynamic forces were at work and the process of insertion, modification and abridgement went on and it was soon discovered that the Dasalaksana definition too fell short of an actual fact. It was found that the Puranas contained certain aspects that were not covered by any of the five or ten characteristics. Besides some of the characteristics covered by the Pancalaksana or Dasalaksana definition were not found in certain Puranas. In fact, the Purana as a class represents the different phases and aspects of the life of diverse ages. It is impossible to adopt a standard definition for the class of literary composition that contains heterogeneous phases and aspects. Moreover, a definition framed on the numerical basis of points is bound to be imperfect. The Puranas are divided into two classes the Mahapuranas and the Upapuranas. Each class consists of eighteen Puranas. Thus the number of the Puranas is thirty-six.

This autobiography covers author's Mumbai and Dombivli based life with some foreign stints, from childhood to commercial retirement at age 40 (as unmarried man) in 2002. The author's family background is followed by school and college student days during a period of family financial challenges and father's passing away. B.Sc. Physics is completed in 1983. M.Sc. Physics is started but discontinued. Software development career starts off in 1984. In 1990 comes excitement of joining a start-up in key position. Stress and health problems become key issues, propelling turn to spiritual and balanced spiritual-cum-work life in end 1992. From around 1993/1994 Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Dombivli Sathya Sai samithi become central spiritual influences. After author's mother passes away in early 1999, he focuses on saving retirement money and preparing for ashram life till Sept. 2002 at end of which he starts off on journey to ashram life.

‘Among the eighteen classic Hindu texts called the Puranas, the Brahmanda Purana recounts the stories and lores associated with Brahma, the creator and one of the trinities of the supreme divinity along with Vishnu and Shiva. A relatively early Purana, its composition can be traced back to approximately 400 to 600 BCE, predating many other Hindu texts. Volume 1 of the two-volume set tells stories on creation, cosmology, and geography, with lineages of rishis and shraddha rites, ending with Parashurama's story. Translated and annotated from the original Sanskrit by Bibek Debroy, this edition of the Brahmanda Purana is a precious and rare volume for the lovers of Hindu mythology and religion. This is the sixth volume in the Purana series; the others include the Bhagavata Purana, the Markandeya Purana, the Brahma Purana, Vishnu Purana, and the Shiva Purana.’