Are water purification and water softening same?

The process of removing divalent cat ions, usually calcium or magnesium, from water is known as water softening. Even the best water purifier in india does not religiously follow this process. When a sample of water contains more than 120 mg of these ions per liter, expressed in terms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), it is generally classified as a hard water. Hard waters are frequently unsuitable for many industrial and domestic purposes because of their soap-destroying power and tendency to form scale in equipment such as boilers, pipelines, and engine jackets. Therefore it is necessary to purify water either to remove or to alter the constituents for it to be fit for the proposed use. Water softening seems to be first step for a water purifier.