The eighteen Puranas are counted among the foundational texts of Hinduism. The holy trinity of Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver and Shiva as the destroyer play a central deities of the Puranas and feature in the narratives. The Puranas where creation themes feature prominently are identified with Brahma (Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya). Puranas where Vishnu features prominently are identified as Vaishnava Puranas (Bhagavata, Garuda, Kurma, Matysa, Narada, Padma, Vamana, Varaha, Vishnu). Puranas where Shiva features prominently are identified as Shaiva Puranas (Agni, Lings, Shiva, Skanda, Vayu).
The Brahma Purana is so named because it was originally recounted by Brahma. It is described as Adi Purana in several Purana texts, underlining its importance. Odisha and the temples in that region are a key component of the text.