Padma Purāṇa
The Padma Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas and one of the longest, containing approximately 55,000 verses spread across five or six major sections (khaṇḍas). It takes its name from the lotus (padma) — specifically the cosmic lotus from which Brahmā the creator emerged at the beginning of creation. The text is encyclopedic in scope, covering cosmology, sacred geography, the greatness of pilgrimage sites, dharma, Vaiṣṇava theology, and sectarian classification of religious paths.
The Padma Purāṇa's most influential contribution to Vaiṣṇava theology is the celebrated classification of all eighteen Mahāpurāṇas into three categories according to the three guṇas: sāttvika Purāṇas (dominated by sattva-guṇa, which glorify Viṣṇu), rājasika Purāṇas (dominated by rajas, which glorify Brahmā), and tāmasika Purāṇas (dominated by tamas, which glorify Śiva or other deities). The verse declares that those Purāṇas which praise Hari (Viṣṇu) as the supreme are to be followed for liberation, while those that present other deities as supreme are to be avoided by those seeking liberation. This classification became a cornerstone of Vaiṣṇava theological polemics and was cited extensively by Viśiṣṭādvaita and Dvaita ācāryas.
The Uttara-khaṇḍa (final section) of the Padma Purāṇa contains detailed material on Ekādaśī — the eleventh lunar day — its extraordinary spiritual power, the stories of various Ekādaśīs, and the absolute prohibition against eating grains on this day. This section has been foundational for the Vaiṣṇava Ekādaśī observance. The Padma Purāṇa also contains celebrated passages on nāma-saṅkīrtana (chanting the divine names), the supremacy of Vaiṣṇava devotion, and the qualifications and conduct of Vaiṣṇavas.