Within the living fabric of Hindu practice, the Puranas function as guides that translate theological vision into concrete patterns of worship. They describe the forms and characteristics of deities, their attributes and preferred offerings, and thus shape how images are fashioned, how altars are arranged, and how daily pūjā is performed in both temples and homes. These texts also preserve mantras, hymns, and prayers for different deities, and outline ritual procedures, from preliminary purifications to the sequence of offerings. In this way, they render devotion accessible, giving clear structures for those who may not be versed in more complex Vedic ritual, yet still seek to honor the divine in an orderly and meaningful way.

The Puranas also serve as a kind of sacred calendar, linking particular deities and observances to specific lunar days, months, and celestial configurations. Festivals such as Dīpāvalī, Navarātri, Janmāṣṭamī, and Śivarātri are rooted in Purāṇic narratives that recount the cosmic events and divine acts they commemorate. These narratives do more than entertain; they explain why a given festival is observed, what spiritual reality it reflects, and how it should be marked through fasting, special pūjā, recitation, and charity. Temple customs, household vows (vratas), and even regional variations in celebration often trace their authority to these scriptural accounts.

Equally important is the way the Puranas weave dharma and devotion into everyday life through story. They portray kings, sages, and ordinary people whose simple acts of worship—offering a lamp, a leaf, or a little water on an auspicious day—bring about profound spiritual and worldly results. By showing the consequences of both proper and improper worship, these texts frame daily observances as participation in a larger moral and cosmic order. The devotee is thus encouraged to see each act of worship, whether a daily rite or a grand festival, as part of an ongoing relationship with the divine, guided and illuminated by the narrative and ritual wisdom of the Purāṇic tradition.