Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa

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Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa. A Hindu mythological text in Skt., belonging to the genre of the purāṇas. It is included in all lists of the eighteen mahā-purāṇas (major purāṇas) and can be regarded as an old representative of that tradition. The bulk of the work deals with ancient Indian cosmography and cosmology, with the structure of the world, and the history of its ancient kings (the descendants of Manu) during past and future manvantaras (see Manu). This core may well belong to the 3rd cent. CE.