TEXT WITH INTRODUCTION AND SLOKA INDEX 
                                  PROF. CHARUDEV SHASTRI
The Padma Purana (Sanskrit: पद्मपुराण or पाद्मपुराण, Padma-Purana or Padma-Purana) is one of the eighteen Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large sections dedicated to Vishnu, as well as significant sections on Shiva and Shakti. The manuscripts of Padma Purana have survived into the modern era in numerous versions, of which two are major and significantly different, one traced to eastern and the other to western regions of India.  It is one of the voluminous text, claiming to have 55,000 verses, with the actual surviving manuscripts showing about 50,000. The style of composition and textual arrangement suggest that it is likely a compilation of different parts written in different era by different authors. The text includes sections on cosmology, mythology, genealogy, geography, rivers and seasons, temples and pilgrimage to numerous sites in India – notably to the Brahma Temple In Pushkar Rajasthan,  versions of story of Rama and Sita different from one found in Valmiki's Ramayana, festivals, glorification mainly of Vishnu but also in parts of Shiva and their worship, discussions on ethics and guest hospitality, Yoga, theosophical discussion on Atman (Soul), Advaita, Moksha and other topics. There is Purana-style, but entirely different Jainism text that is also known as Padma Purana and includes a Jain version of the Ramayana.
                                                                                                                 ( 4VOLS SET)