23 passages · ~182 min read
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Invocation. Maitreya inquires of his teacher, Parāśara, the origin and nature of the universe. Parāśara performs a ri…
Prayer of Parāśara to Viṣṇu. Successive narration of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Explanation of Vāsudeva: his existence before …
Measure of time. Moments or Kāṣṭhās, &c.; day and night; fortnight, month, year, divine year: Yugas, or ages: Mahāyug…
Nārāyaṇa 's appearance, in the beginning of the Kalpa, as the Varṣa or boar: Prithivī (Earth) addresses him: he raise…
Viṣṇu as Brahmā creates the world. General characteristics of creation. Brahmā meditates, and gives origin to, immova…
Origin of the four castes: their primitive state. Progress of society. Different kinds of grain. Efficacy of sacrific…
Creation continued. Production of the mind-born sons of Brahmā; of the Prajāpatis; of Sanandana and others; of Rudra …
Origin of Rudra: his becoming eight Rudras: their wives and children. The posterity of Bhrigu. Account of Śrī in conj…
“There was formerly a peak of Meru, named Sāvitra, abounding with gems, radiant as the sun, and celebrated throughout…
Legend of Lakṣmī. Durvāsas gives a garland to Indra: he treats it disrespectfully, and is cursed by the Muni. The pow…
Thou hast narrated to me, great Muni, all that I asked of thee: now resume the account of the creation subsequently t…
Legend of Dhruva, the son of Uttānapāda: he is unkindly treated by his father's second wife: applies to his mother: h…
Dhruva commences a course of religious austerities. Unsuccessful attempts of Indra and his ministers to distract Dhru…
Posterity of Dhruva. Legend of Veṇa: his impiety: he is put to death by the Ṛṣis. Anarchy ensues. The production of N…
Descendants of Prithu. Legend of the Pracetasas: they are desired by their father to multiply mankind, by worshipping…
The world overrun with trees: they are destroyed by the Pracetasas. Soma pacifies them, and gives them Māṛṣā to wife:…
Venerable Muni, you have described to me the races of human beings, and the eternal Viṣṇu, the cause of this world; b…
Legend of Prahlāda. Hiraṇyakaśipu, the sovereign of the universe: the gods dispersed or in servitude to him: Prahlāda…
THE Dānavas, observing the conduct of Prahlāda, reported it to the king, lest they should iñcur his displeasure. He s…
Dialogue between Prahlāda and his father: he is cast from the top of the palace unhurt: baffles the incantations of S…
Viṣṇu appears to Prahlāda. Hiraṇyakaśipu relents, and is reconciled to his son: he is put to death by Viṣṇu as the Nr…
THE sons of Sanhrāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, were Āyushmān, Śivi, and Vāṣkala. Prahlāda had a son named Virocana; …
Dominion over different provinces of creation assigned to different beings. Universality of Viṣṇu. Four varieties of …