Puranas (Sanskrit for “of ancient times”) — are sacred Hindu scriptures related to smriti. The authorship is ascribed to a sage Vyasa, who lived late 4000 BC. The Puranas narrate about cosmogony, philosophy, kings and heroes. Depending on a deity a certain text is devoted to, the Puranas are divided into Vishnuist, Shivaist and Shaktist. The most revered are the Maha Puranas.