Garuda Purana (Annotated)

This is an annotated version of the classic with relevance of the book in the last decade, a bio of the author and a table of content. The annotations are detailed cultural references that put the book in the context of subsequent reception. They include references to the book in pop culture, movies and other artistic creations.

The Garuda Purana is one of the eighteen Puranas which are part of the Hindu body of texts known as smriti. It is a Vaishnava purana; the epic is in the form of a conversation between Lord Vishnu and Garuda (King of Birds), primarily emphasizing the reason and meaning of human life. It contains details of life after death, funeral rites and the metaphysics of reincarnation, and therefore is recited as a part Antyesti (Antim Sanskar) or funeral rites (funeral liturgy) in Hinduism. The Padma Purana categorizes the Garuda Purana as a Sattva Purana (a purana which represents goodness and purity). The epic purana, which is considered to have been edited into its current form by Veda Vyāsa, speaks of different incarnations of Lord Vishnu, geographical description, origin of the universe, creation, procreation, genealogy of the gods and the journey of a soul after death. The Garuda Purana also talks about the origin and propagation of Garuda himself and describes different kinds of austerities, methods of worship, atonement for sin and divine & sacred mantras.