In Hinduism, the Markandeya Purana is one of the oldest puranas, roughly 1,700 years old. It is special because it contains the earliest reference to the Devi Bhagavata story in which Durga defeats the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. This reference though is only 1,300 years old, so it must be a later addition.

Markandeya is a rishi of great repute because the characteristic most associated with him is his immortality. It is said that being immortal, he witnessed events in all the four yugas, as well as the Pralaya; therefore, he narrates the story that becomes the purana.