Garuda Purana
The Garuda Purana - This is in the form of instructions to Garuda by Vishnu. This deals with astronomy, medicine, grammar, and with the structure and qualities of diamonds. This Purana is dear to Vaishnavites. The latter half of this Purana deals with life after death. The Hindus of north-India generally read this Purana while cremating the bodies of the dead. This has given great importance to the origin of Garuda. There are eight thousand verses in this book. This book should be given as gift along with an image in gold of a swan to get prosperity. Subject of Bhagavad-gita; reincarnation; vishnu-sahasranama; description of Tarsya Kalpa.