The text of the Shiv Puran as it exists today is arranged into seven Samhitas: Vidyavara, Rudra, Satarudra, Kotirudra, Uma, Kailasa and Vayaviya. This is quite similar to the many-worlds hypothesis being put forward by some quantum physicists today. In one such for example, it is said that there is one Shiva and Parvati pair looking after one universe, and there are many such pairs in creation. Several stories in the purana deal with how Shiva creates the universe. Fritjof Capra for instance, narrates in his book “The Tao of Physics”, how similar in structure the statue of Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of Dance) is to the traces left behind by subatomic particles in a Bubble Chamber. The Shiv Puran is today a matter of interest for many physicist-philosophers, since many of the stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the descriptions given by modern cosmology regarding the creation and birth of the universe. This is a common theme in all Indian mythology, an alludes to the impossibility of encompassing knowledge of all creation within a book, or any number of books for that matter. The Shiv Puran as we have it today is said to be only a fragment of what originally existed. The Shiv Puran of course praises the glory and greatness of Shiva, describes the ritual and philosophical principles of Shiva worship, embodies descriptions, sermons and dissertations on the greatness of his divinity, recounts his emblems, attributes, exploits and incarnations, narrates legends and dwells upon the merit of installing and consecrating the linga. The Mahapuranas or “Great Puranas” are the more important ones, while the Upapuranas or “sub-puranas” are the minor ones are often neglected in study.
Each class consists of eighteen puranas, bringing the total number of puranas to thirty-six. The Puranas are of two kinds: the Mahapuranas and the Upapuranas.
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