Table of Contents BOOK I Chapter I Invocation. Maitreya inquires of his teacher, Parasara the origin and nature of the universe. Parasara performs a rite to destroy the demons: reproved by Vasistha, he desists: Pulastya appears, and bestows upon him divine knowledge: he repeats the Visnu Purana. Chapter 2 Prayer of Parasara to Visnu. Successive narration of the Visnu Purana. Explanation of Vasudeva: his existence before creation: his first manifestations. Description of Pradhana, Mahat: Ahankara; Tanmatras etc; Description of Visnu, Brahma and Rudra. Chapter 3 Measure of Time, Moments of Kasthas, etc., day and night, fortnight, month, year, divine year. Yugas, or ages: Mahayuga, or great age: day or Brahma: periods of the Manus: a Manvantara: night of Brahma, and destruction of the world: a year of Brahma: his life: a Kalpa: a Pararddha the past, or Padm Kalpa: the present, or Varaha. Chapter 4 Narayana appearance, in the beginning of the Kalpa, as the Varaha or boar: Prthivi (Earth) addresses him: he raises the world from beneath the water: hymned by Sanandana and the yogis. The earth floats on the ocean: divided into seven zones. The lower spheres of the universe restored. Creation renewed. Chapter 5 Visnu as Brahma creates the world. General characteristics of creation. Brahma meditates, and gives origin to immovable things, animals, gods, men. Specific creation of nine kinds. Mahat, Tanmatra, Aindriya, inanimate objects, animals, gods, men, Anugraham and Kaumara. More particular account of creation. Origin of the Vedas. Chapter 6 Origine of the four castes: Different kinds of grain. Efficacy of sacrifice. Duties of men. Chapter 7 Creation continued. Production of the mind-born sons of Brahma: of the Prajapatis; of Sanandana and others; of Rudra and the eleven Rudras; of the Manu Svayambhuva, and his wife Satarupa; of their children. The daughter of Daksa, and their marriage to Dharma and others. The progeny of Dharma and Adharma. The perpetual succession of worlds, and different modes of mundane dissolution. Chapter 8 Origin of Rudra: his becoming eight Rudras: their wives and children. The posterity of Bhrgu. Account of Sri in conjunction with Visnu. Chapter 9 Legend of Laksmi. Durvases gives a garland to Indra: he treats it disrespectfully, and is cursed by the Muni. Descriptions of the power of the gods. The churning of the ocean. Chapter 10 The descendants of the daughters of Daksa married to the Rsis Chapter 11 Legend of Dhruva, the son of Uttanapada: he is unkindly treated by his father’s second wife: applies to this mother: her advice: he resolves to engage in religious exercises: sees the seven Rsis; who recommend him to propitiate Visnu. Chapter 12 Dhruva commences a course of religious austerities, Unsuccessful attempts of Indra and his minister to distract Dhruva’s attention: Dhruva praises Visnu and is raised to the skies as the pole-star. Chapter 13 Posterity of Dhurva. Story of Vena: The production of Nisada and Prthu: the latter the first king. The origin of Suta and Magadha: they enumerate the duties of kings. Prthu comples Earth to acknowledge his authority: Chapter 14 Descendants of Prthu. Legends of the Pracetasas: they are desired by their father to multiply mankind, by worshipping Visnu they plunge into the seas, and mediate on and praise him: he appears, and grants their wishes. Chapter 15 The world overrun with trees: they are destroyed by the Pracetasas. Some pacifies them, and gives them Marisa to wife: her story: the daughter of the nymph Pramloca. Legend of Kandu. Characters of Daksa, the son of the Pracetasas: Chapter 16 Inquiries of Maitrey respecting the history of Prahlada. Chapter 17 Legend of Prahlad. Hiranyakasipu the sovereign of the universe: the gods dispersed, or in servitude to him: Prahlada, his son, remains devoted to Visnu: Hiranyakasipu order him to be put to death. Chapter 18 Hiranyakasipu’s reiterated attempts to destroy his son: their being always frustrated. Chapter 19 Dialogue between Prahlada and his father: he is cast from the top of the place unhurt: baffles the incantations of Samvara: he is thrown fettered into the sea. Chapter 20 Visnu appears to Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu relents, and is reconciled to his son: he is put to death by Visnu as the Nrsimha. Coronation of Prahlada. Chapter 21 Families of the Daityas. Descendants of Kasyapa by Danu, Children of Kasyapa by his other wives. Birth of the Marutas, the sons of Diti. Chapter 22 Dominion over different provinces of creation assigned to different beings. Universality of Visnu. Four varieties of spiritual contemplation. Two conditions of spirit. The perceptible attributes of Visnu: Merit of hearing the first Book of the Visnu Purana. BOOK II Chapter I Decendants of Priyavrata, the eldest son of Svayambhuva Manu: his ten sons: three adopts a religious life; the others become kings of the seven Dvipas, or isles, or the earth. Agnidhra, king of Jambu-dwipa, divides it into nine portions, which he distributes amongst his sons. Nabhi, king of the south, succeeded by Rsabha; and the Bharata: India named after him Bharata: his descendants reign during the Svayambhuva Manvantara. Chapter 2 Description of the earth. The seven Dvipas and seven seas. Jambudwipa. Mount Meru: its extent and boundaries. Extent of Ilavrita. Groves, lakes, and branches of Meru. Cities of the gods Rivers. The forms of Visnu worshipped in different Varsa. Chapter 3 Description of Bharata-varsa: extent: chief mountains: nine divisions: principal rivers and mountains of Bharata proper: principal nations: Superiority over other Varsa, especially as the seat of religious acts. Chapter 4 Account of kings, divisions, mountains, rivers, and inhabitants of the other Dvipas, viz. Plaksa, Salmala, Kusa, Kraunca, Saka, and Puskara: of the oceans separating them. Of the tides: of the confines of the earth: the Lokalaka mountain. Extent of the whole. Chapter 5 Account of the seven religions of Patala, below the earth. Narada’s praises of Patala. Account of the serpent Sesa. First teacher of astronomy and astrology. Chapter 6 Account of the different hells, or divisions of Naraka. Chapter 7 Extent and situation of the seven spheres, Account of the egg of Brahma, and its elementary envelopes. Chapter 8 Description of the sun: his chariot; its two axles: his horses; Divisions of time: equinoxes and solstices, months, years, the cyclical Yuga, or age of five years. Northern and Southern declinations. Saints of the Lokaloka mountain. Celestial paths of the Pitris, gods, Visnu. Origin of Ganga. Chapter 9 Planetary system, under the type of the a Sisumara, or porpoise. The earth nourished by the sun. Narayana the support of all being. Chapter 10 Names of the twelve Adityas. Names of the Rsis Gandharvas, Apsarasas, Yaksas, Uraga, the Raksasas, who attend the chariot of the sun in month of the year. Their respective function. Chapter 11 The sun distinct from, and supreme over, the attendants on his car: identical with the three Vedas and with Visnu: his function. Chapter12 Description of the Moon. The chariots and horses of the planets: kept in their orbits by aerial chains attached to Dhruva. Typical members of the planetary porpoise. Vasudeva alone real. Chapter 13 Legend of Bharata: Bharata abdicates his throne and becomes an ascetic: cherishes a fawn, and becomes so much attached to it as to neglect his devotions: he dies: his successive births: works in the fields, and is pressed as a palankin-bearer for the Raja Sauvira: rebuked for his awkwardness: his reply: dialogue between him and the king. Chapter 14 Dialgue continued. Bharata expounds the nature of existence, the end of life, and the identification of individual with universal spirit. Chapter 15 Bharata relates the story of Rbhu and Nidagha. The latter, the pupil of the former, becomes a prince, and is visited by his preceptor, who explains to him the principles of unity, and departs. Chapter 16 Rbhu returns to his disciple, and perfects him in divine knowledge. The same recommended to the Raja by Bharata, who thereupon obtains final liberation. Consequences of hearing this legend. BOOK III Chapter I An account of the several Manus and Manvantaras, Svarocisa the second Manu, the divinitles, the Indra, the seven Rsis of his period, and his sons. Similar details of Auttami, Tamasa, Raivata, Caksusa, and Vaivasvata. The meaning of Visnu. Chapter 2 Of the seven future Manus and Manvantaras. Story of Sanjna and Chaya wives of the sun. Savarni, son of Chaya, the eighth Manu. Their divinities, etc. of their respective periods. Appearance of Visnu in each of the four Yugas. Chapter 3 Division of the Veda into four portion by the Vyasa, in every Dwapara age. List of the twenty-eight Vyasas of the present Manwantara. Meaning of the word Brahman Chapter 4 Division of the Veda, in the last Dvapara age by the Vyasa Krisna Dwaipayana. Paila made reader of the Rk. Vaisampayana of the Yajus; Jaimini of the Saman; and Sumantu of the Artharvan. Origin of the four parts of the Veda. Chapter 5 Division of the Yajur-veda. Story of Yajnavalkya; forced to give up what he has learned: picked up by others, forming the Taittriya-yajus. Yajnawalkya worships the sun, who communicates to him the Vajasaneyi-Yajus. Chapter 6 Division of the Sama-veda: of the Artharva-veda. Four Pauranik Sanhitas. Names of the eighteen Puranas. Chapter 7 By what means men are exempted from the authority of Yama, as narrated by Bhisma to Nakula. Dialogue between Yama and one of his attendants. Chapter 8 How Visnu is to be worshipped, as related by Aurva to Sagara. Duties of the four castes, severally and in common: also in time of distress. Chapter 9 Duties of the religious student, householder, hermit, and mendicant. Chapter 10 Ceremonies to be observed at the birth and naming of a child. Of marrying or leading a religious life. Choice of a wife. Different modes of marrying. Chapter 11 Of the Sadacaras, or perpetual obligations of a householder. Daily purification’s ablutions, libation, and oblations: hospitality: obsequial rites: ceremonies to be observed at meal, at morning and evening worship, and on going to rest. Chapter 12 Miscellaneous obliations purificatory, ceremonial, and moral. Chapter 13 Of Sraddhas, or rites in honour of ancestors, to be performed on occasions of rejoicing. Obsequial ceremonies. Of the Ekoddista or monthly Sraddha, and the Sapindana or annual one. By whom to be preformed. Chapter 14 Of occasional Sraddhas, or obsequial ceremonies: when most efficacious, and at what places. Chapter 15 What Brahmans are to be entertained at Sraddhas. Different prayers to be recited. Offering of food to be presented to deceased ancestors. Chapter 16 Things proper to be offered as food to deceased ancestors: prohibited things. Circumstances vitiating a Sraddha: how to be avoided. Song of the Pitris, or progenitors, heard by Ikswaku. Chapter 17 Of heretics, or those who reject the authority of the Vedas: their origin, as described by Vasistha to Bhisma: the gods, defected by the Daityas, praise Visnu: an illusory being or Buddha, produced from his body. Chapter 18 Buddha goes to the earth, and teaches the Daityas to contemn the Vedas: his skeptical doctrines: his prohibition of animal sacrifices. Meaning of the term Bauddha. Jainas and Bauddhas; their tenets. The Daityas lose their power, and are overcome by the gods. Meaning of the term Nagna. Consequences of neglect of duty. Story of Satadhanu and his wife Saivya. Communion with heretics to be shunned. BOOK IV Chapter 1 Dynasties of the kings; origin of Brahman, Daksa and marriage of Revati with Balarama. Chapter 2 Birth of Iksvaku and narration of Kakutstha, Yuvanasva and Somesvara. Chapter 3 Hymns of destroying the Nagas, origin of Sagara. Chapter 4 Asvamedha sacrifice of Sagara, Descendent on Earth of Ganga by Bhagiratha, the story of Rama etc. Chapter 5 Sacrifice if Nimi, origin of Sita and story of Kusadhvaja’s race. Chapter 6 Dynasty of the Moon, An account of Tara, origin of three Fires Chapter 7 Lineage of Puruvasas and Jahnu. Chapter 8 Lineage of Ayu and origin of Dhanvantari. Chapter 9 Battle of Raji and Daityas; Dynesty of Ksatravrddha Chapter 10 An account of Nahusa and Yayati. Chapter 11 Race of Yadu, An account of Arjuna, the lord of a thousand arms. Chapter 12 Lineage of Krostri, the son of Yadu. Chapter 13 An account of the sons of Satvata Chapter 14 Dynasty of Anamitra and Andhaka Chapter 15 The story of previous birth of Sisupala and the sons of Vasudeva. Chapter 16 Dynasty of Turvasu Chapter 17 Druhyu Chapter 18 Lineage of Anu, the son of Yayati Chapter 19 Dynasty of Puru Chapter 20 Dynasty of Kuru Chapter 21 Narration of the kings of the future periods Chapter 22 Future princes of the family of Iksvaku Chapter 23 Descendants of the kings of Magadha Chapter 24 Dynasty of the kings of the Kali age. BOOK V Chapter 1 Marriage of Vasudeva and Devaki; Earth came to Brahma, Visnu accepted the incarnation for killing of Kansa. Chapter 2 ‘Yogamaya enters into the womb of Yasoda and Hari into Devaki. Chapter 3 Origin of the lotus-eyed deity Acyuta: rose into the sky and expanded into a gigantic figure. Chapter 4 Freedom from imprisonment Chapter 5 Killing of Putana Chapter 6 Breaking of wagon, Namakarana ceremony of Krsna and balarama. Chapter 7 Chastisement of Kaliya. Chapter 8 Destruction of demon Dhenuka. Chapter 9 Destruction of demon Pralamba Chapter 10 Descriptions of the season of autumn; Worship of Govardhana mountain Chapter 11 Anger of Indra and holding of Govardhana mountain by Krsna Chapter 12 Indra comes to Krsna; Inauguration of Krsna by Indra Chapter 13 Herdsmen appraised Krsna: Krsna’s Rasalila with Gopis Chapter 14 Slaughter demon Arista, disguished as a savage bull (Vrsabha). Chapter 15 Kansa sent Akrura to invite Krsna Chapter 16 Slaughter demon Kesi Chapter 17 Journey of Akrura to Gokula Chapter 18 Krsna depart for Mathura; Afflictions of Gopis; Infatuation of Akrura. Chapter 19 Slaughter of a washerman, the servant of Kansa, Krsna enters into house of a flower-seller. Chapter 20 Grace upon Kubja; Slaughter of Kansa. Chapter 21 Ugrasena’s coronation; Krsna’s study of the science of arms. Chapter 22 Defeat of Jarasandha. Chapter 23 Burning of Yavana king, Kalayavana and praise of Mucukunda to Kansa. Chapter 24 Mucukunda departed to Gandhamadana to perform penance. Chapter 25 Balabhadra went to the woods of Vraja, he plunged into Yamuna bank, and dragged her to him. Chapter 26 Krsna married Rukmini Chapter 27 Sambara killed by Pradyumna. Chapter 28 Slaughter of demon Rukmini. Chapter 29 Slaughter of demon Naraka. Chapter 30 The story of the Parijata tree. Chapter 31 Krsna arrived over Dvaraka, Hari wedded Sixteen thousand and one hundred maidens. Chapter 32 Description of Usa the daughter of Bana. Chapter 33 Battle of Krsna and demon Bana. Chapter 34 An account of the burning of Varanasi by Krsna and killing of Paundraka. Chapter 35 Wedding of Samba, the son of Krsna Chapter 36 Destruction of monkey Dvivida. Chapter 37 The curse of the sages and destruction of the Yadu race; Lord returns to his abode. Chapter 38 Funeral ceremonies of Yadavas and coronation of Pariksit; Pandavas enter into the wood. BOOK VI Chapter 1 Account of the nature of the Kali age Chapter 2 An account of the Sudras and women in the Kali age Chapter 3 Measure of Time-Nimesa, Muhurta etc. and description of Naimittika (occasional) dissolution. Chapter 4 Nature of elemental dissolution (Prakrta pralaya) Chapter 5 Three kinds of worldly pain-inseparable, incidental and superhuman; The explanation of the term Bhagavat and Vasudeva. Chapter 6 Explanation formerly given by Kesidhvaja to Khandikya Chapter 7 Descriptions of Brahma-yoga Chapter 8 Tradition of the disciples; The greatness of the Visnu Purana. Merits of the hearing of Visnu-purana.