Purana (Sanskrit for "old") is one of the most fertile genres of sacred texts in Hinduism, which sees itself in continuity with the epic tradition. Countless of these writings emerged in the post-Vedic period, roughly between 300 and 1500 AD, and were recited by bards for centuries, being passed down orally. Eighteen of these are considered the major Puranas. One of the oldest and also the most classical is the Vishnu Purana, as it most closely aligns with the ancient definition of a Purana through five thematic areas: (cosmic) creation, re-creation, epochs of Manu, genealogies, and recorded events. As the name Vishnu Purana suggests, Vishnu is the deity whose role in the creation and in the history of the world is episodically presented and theologically justified. He is the recipient of numerous hymnic prayers, and there are didactic sections included.