The Vishnu Purana (
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
:, sa, विष्णुपुराण) is one of the eighteen
Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. It is an important
Pancharatra
''Pancharatra'' (IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.[Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...]
literature corpus.
The manuscripts of ''Vishnu Purana'' have survived into the modern era in many versions.
More than any other major
Purana
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
, the ''Vishnu Purana'' presents its contents in ''Pancalaksana'' format – ''Sarga'' (
cosmogony
Cosmogony is any model concerning the origin of the cosmos or the universe.
Overview
Scientific theories
In astronomy, cosmogony refers to the study of the origin of particular astrophysical objects or systems, and is most commonly used i ...
), ''Pratisarga'' (
cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...
), ''Vamśa'' (
genealogy
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
of the gods, sages and kings), ''
Manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu (Hinduism), Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu (Hinduism), Ma ...
'' (cosmic cycles), and ''Vamśānucaritam'' (legends during the times of various kings). Some manuscripts of the text are notable for not including sections found in other major Puranas, such as those on ''Mahatmyas'' and tour guides on pilgrimage, but some versions include chapters on temples and travel guides to sacred pilgrimage sites. The text is also notable as the earliest Purana to have been translated and published in 1840 CE by
HH Wilson, based on manuscripts then available, setting the presumptions and premises about what Puranas may have been.
The ''Vishnu Purana'' is among the shorter
Purana
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
texts, with about 7,000 verses in extant versions. It primarily centers around the Hindu god
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
and his
avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...
s such as
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, but it praises
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
and
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
and asserts that they are dependent on Vishnu. The Purana, states Wilson, is
pantheistic
Pantheism is the belief that reality, the universe and the cosmos are identical with divinity and a supreme supernatural being or entity, pointing to the universe as being an immanent creator deity still expanding and creating, which has ex ...
and the ideas in it, like other Puranas, are premised on the
Vedic
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
beliefs and ideas.
''Vishnu Purana'', like all major Puranas, attributes its author to be sage
Veda Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
. The actual author(s) and date of its composition are unknown and contested. Estimates of its composition range from 400 BCE to 900 CE. The text was likely composed and rewritten in layers over a period of time, with roots possibly in ancient 1st-millennium BCE texts that have not survived into the modern era. The ''
Padma Purana
The ''Padma Purana'' ( sa, पद्मपुराण or पाद्मपुराण, or ) is one of the eighteen Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brah ...
'' categorizes ''Vishnu Purana'' as a
Sattva
Sattva (Sanskrit: सत्त्व, meaning ''honesty'') is one of the three guṇas or "modes of existence" (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept understood by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.Jame ...
Purana (Purana that represents goodness and purity).
Date of composition
![Bangkok Airport 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Bangkok_Airport_07.JPG)
The composition date of ''Vishnu Purana'' is unknown and contested, with estimates widely disagreeing. Some proposed dates for the earliest version of ''Vishnu Purana'' by various scholars include:
*
Vincent Smith (1908): 400-300 BCE,
*
CV Vaidya (1925): ~9th-century,
*
Moriz Winternitz
Moriz Winternitz (Horn, Austria, Horn, December 23, 1863 – Prague, January 9, 1937) was a scholar from Austria who began his Indology contributions working with Max Müller at the Oxford University. An eminent Sanskrit scholar, he worked as ...
(1932): possibly early 1st millennium, but states Rocher, he added, "it is no more possible to assign a definite date to the ''Vishnu Purana'' than it is for any other Purana".
* Rajendra Chandra Hazra (1940): 275-325 CE
*
Ramachandra Dikshitar (1951): 700-300 BCE,
* Roy (1968): after the 9th century.
*
Horace Hayman Wilson
Horace Hayman Wilson (26 September 1786 – 8 May 1860) was an English orientalist who was elected the first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University.
Life
He studied medicine at St Thomas's Hospital, and went out to India in 1808 as as ...
(1864): acknowledged that the tradition believes it to be 1st millennium BCE text and the text has roots in the Vedic literature, but after his analysis suggested that the extant manuscripts may be from the 11th century.
*
Wendy Doniger
Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (born November 20, 1940) is an American Indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. A scholar of Sanskrit and Indian textual traditions, her major works include, 'The Hindus: an alternative history'; ' ...
(1988): 450 CE.
Rocher states that the "date of the ''Vishnu Purana'' is as contested as that of any other Purana". References to ''Vishnu'' ''Purana'' in texts such as ''Brihadvishnu'' whose dates are better established, states Rocher, suggest that a version of ''Vishnu'' ''Purana'' existed by about 1000 CE, but it is unclear to what extent the extant manuscripts reflect the revisions during the 2nd millennium.
''Vishnu'' ''Purana'' like all Puranas has a complicated chronology. Dimmitt and van Buitenen state that each of the Puranas including the ''Vishnu'' ''Purana'' is encyclopedic in style, and it is difficult to ascertain when, where, why and by whom these were written:
Many of the extant manuscripts were written on
palm leaf
The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees ...
or copied during the British India colonial era, some in the 19th century.
The scholarship on ''Vishnu Purana'', and other Puranas, has suffered from cases of forgeries, states
Ludo Rocher Ludo Rocher (1926–2016) was an eminent Sanskrit scholar, and the W. Norman Brown Professor Emeritus of South Asia Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Biography
Ludo Rocher was born in Hemiksem in the province of Antwerp, Belgium on 25 Apri ...
, where liberties in the transmission of Puranas were normal and those who copied older manuscripts replaced words or added new content to fit the theory that the colonial scholars were keen on publishing.
Structure
The extant text comprises six (parts) and 126 (chapters). The first part has 22 chapters, the second part consists 16 chapters, the third part comprises 18 chapters and the fourth part has 24 chapters. The fifth and the sixth parts are the longest and the shortest part of the text, comprising 38 and 8 chapters respectively.
The textual tradition claims that the original ''Vishnu'' ''Purana'' had 23,000 verses, but the surviving manuscripts have just a third of these, about 7,000 verses. The text is composed in metric verses or ''sloka'', wherein each verse has exactly 32 syllables, of which 16 syllables in the verse may be free style per ancient literary standards.
The ''Vishnu'' Purana is an exception in that it presents its contents in Vishnu worship-related ''Pancalaksana'' format – ''Sarga'' (
Cosmogony
Cosmogony is any model concerning the origin of the cosmos or the universe.
Overview
Scientific theories
In astronomy, cosmogony refers to the study of the origin of particular astrophysical objects or systems, and is most commonly used i ...
), ''Pratisarga'' (
Cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...
), ''Vamsa'' (Mythical
genealogy
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
of the gods, sages, and kings), ''
Manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu (Hinduism), Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu (Hinduism), Ma ...
'' (Cosmic Cycles), and ''Vamsanucaritam'' (Legends During The Times Of Various Kings). This is rare, state Dimmitt and van Buitenen, because just 2% of the known Puranic literature corpus is about these five ''Pancalaksana'' items, and about 98% is about diverse range of encyclopedic topics.
Contents
Vishnu Purana opens as a conversation between sage Maitreya and his
Guru
Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
,
Parashara, with the sage asking, "What Is The Nature Of This Universe And Everything That Is In It?"
First Amsa: Cosmology
The first ''Amsha'' (part) of ''Vishnu Purana'' presents cosmology, dealing with the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. The mythology, states Rocher, is woven with the evolutionary theories of
Samkhya
''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...
school of
Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson (20 ...
.
The Hindu god Vishnu is presented as the central element of this text's cosmology, unlike some other Puranas where Shiva or Brahma or goddess
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
are offered prominence. The reverence and the worship of Vishnu is described in 22 chapters of the first part as the means for liberation, along with the profuse use of the synonymous names of Vishnu such as
Hari
Hari ( sa, हरि) is among the primary epithets of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, meaning 'the one who takes away' (sins). It refers to the one who removes darkness and illusion, the one who removes all obstacles to spiritual progress ...
,
Janardana
Janardana () is an epithet of Vishnu in the Puranas. Janardana means, “he who is the original abode and protector of all living beings”.
Literature
In the Mahabharata, Sanjaya uses this epithet of Vishnu to describe the latter's prowess t ...
, Madhava, Achyuta,
Hrishikesha
Hrishikesha ( sa, हृषीकेश; IAST: Hṛṣīkēśa) is an epithet of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu. It is the 47th name in the Vishnu Sahasranama. According to Adi Shankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, the name has se ...
and others. The chapters 1.16 through 1.20 of the ''Vishnu Purana'' presents the legend of compassionate and Vishnu devotee
Prahlada
Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
and his persecution by his demon king father
Hiranyakasipu
Hiranyakashipu (; also known as Hiranyakashyap) was an Asura king of the ''daityas'' from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. His name literally translates to "clothed in gold" (''hiranya'' "gold" ''kashipu'' "soft cushion"), and is often inte ...
, wherein Prahlada is ultimately saved by Vishnu when Vishnu's Narashima avatar kills Hiranyakashipu. This story is also found in other Puranas.
Vishnu is described in the first book of ''Vishnu Purana'' as, translates Wilson, all elements, all matter in the world, the entire universe, all living beings, as well as
Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to:
Film
* ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto
* ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
People
* Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...
(Inner Self, essence) within every living being, nature, intellect, ego, mind, senses, ignorance, wisdom, the four Vedas, all that is and all that is not.
Second Amsa: Earth
The second part of the text describes its theory of earth, the seven continents and seven oceans. It describes Mount Meru,
Mount Mandara
Mandara ( sa, मन्दर, मन्दार; ) is the name of the mountain that appears in the Samudra Manthana episode in the Hindu Puranas, where it was used as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk. Shiva's serpent, Vasuki, offered ...
and other major mountains, as well as Bharata Varsha (Literally, the country of Bharata) along with its numerous rivers and diverse people. The seven continents are named ''Jambu'', ''Plaksha'', ''Salmala'', ''Kusha'', ''Krauncha'', ''Saka,'' and ''Pushkara'', each surrounded by different types of liquids (salt water, fresh water, wine, sugarcane juice, clarified butter, liquid yoghurt, And milk).
This part of the ''Vishnu'' Purana describes spheres above the Earth, planets, the Sun And the Moon. Four Chapters (2.13 to 2.16) of the second book of the text present the legends of King Bharat, who abdicates his throne to lead the life of a
Sannyasi
''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
, which is similar to the legends found in section 5.7 to 5.14 of the
Bhagavata Purana
The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
. The geography of Mount Mandara as east of Mount Meru, presented in this book and other Puranas, states Stella Kramrisch, may be related to the word ''Mandir'' (
Hindu Temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
) and the reason of its Design, "Image, Aim And Destination".
Third Amsa: Time
The initial chapters of the third book of the ''Vishnu'' Purana presents its theory of ''
Manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu (Hinduism), Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu (Hinduism), Ma ...
s'', or Manus-ages (each 306.72 Million Years Long). This is premised upon the Hindu belief that everything is Cyclic, And Even ''
Yuga
A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time.
In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga'' and ...
'' (Era, Ages) start, mature and then dissolve. Six manvantaras, states the text, have already passed, and the current age belong to the seventh. In each age, asserts the text, the Vedas are arranged into four, it is challenged, and this has happened twenty eight times already. Each time, a Veda Vyasa appears and he diligently organizes the eternal knowledge, with the aid of his students.
![Bagamati cremation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Bagamati_cremation.jpg)
After presenting the emergence of Vedic schools, the text presents the ethical duties of the four
Varna
Varna may refer to:
Places Europe
*Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria
**Varna Province
**Varna Municipality
** Gulf of Varna
**Lake Varna
**Varna Necropolis
*Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy
*Varniai, a city in Lithuania
* Varna (Šaba ...
s in chapter 2.8, the four
Ashrama (Stages) of the life of each human being in chapter 2.9, the rites of passage including wedding rituals in chapters 2.10 through 2.12, and
Shraddha
Shraddha may refer to:
In religion
* Śrāddha, a Hindu ritual performed for one's ancestors who left their spiritual body(the parents are still a living entity called Pitru)
* Śraddhā, the Sanskrit term used to refer to faith in Buddhism, fa ...
(Ancestral rites) in chapters 2.13 through 2.16.
The ''Vishnu'' Purana asserts that the Brahmin should study the
Shastra
''Shastra'' (, IAST: , ) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'zAstra'' The wo ...
s, worship gods and perform libations on behalf of others, the
Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
should maintain arms and protect the earth, the
Vaishya
Vaishya (Sanskrit: वैश्य, ''vaiśya'') is one of the four Varna (Hinduism), varnas of the Hinduism, Hindu social order in India. Vaishyas are classed third in the order of caste hierarchy.
The occupation of Vaishyas consists mainly ...
should engage in commerce and farming, while the
Shudra
Shudra or ''Shoodra'' (Sanskrit: ') is one of the four '' varnas'' of the Hindu caste system and social order in ancient India. Various sources translate it into English as a caste, or alternatively as a social class. Theoretically, class ser ...
should subsist by profits of trade, service other varnas and through mechanical labor. The text asserts the ethical duties of all
Varna
Varna may refer to:
Places Europe
*Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria
**Varna Province
**Varna Municipality
** Gulf of Varna
**Lake Varna
**Varna Necropolis
*Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy
*Varniai, a city in Lithuania
* Varna (Šaba ...
s is to do good to others, never abuse anyone, never engage in calumny or untruth, never covet another person's wife, never steal another's property, never bear ill-will towards anyone, never beat or slay any human being or living being. Be diligent in the service of the gods, sages and
guru
Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
, asserts the Purana, and seek the welfare of all creatures, one's own children and of one's own soul. Anyone, regardless of their varna or stage of life, who lives a life according to the above duties is the best worshipper of Vishnu, claims the ''Vishnu Purana''. Similar statements on ethical duties of man are found in other parts of Vishnu Purana.
The text describes in chapter 2.9, the four stages of life as
Brahmacharya
''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle charac ...
(Student),
Grihastha (Householder),
Vanaprastha (Retirement) and
Sannyasa
''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
(Renunciation, Mendicant). The text repeats the ethical duties in this chapter, translates Wilson. The chapters on ''Shraddha'' (Rites For Ancestors) describe the rites associated with a death in family, the preparation of the dead body, its cremation and the rituals after the cremation.
The third book closes with the Legend Of Vishnu, through ''Mayamoha'', helping the
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
win over
Asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
s, by teaching the Asuras heretical doctrines that deny the Vedas, who declare their contempt for the Vedas, which makes them easy to identify and thereby defeat.
Fourth Amsa: Dynasties
The fourth book of the text, in 24 long chapters, presents royal dynasties, starting with Brahma, followed by solar and lunar dynasties, then those on earth over the ''Yugas'' (eras), with
Pariksit
Parikshit ( sa, परीक्षित्, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th-10th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, ...
asserted as the "current king". The text includes the legends of numerous characters such as Shaubhri, Mandhatri, Narmada, sage Kapila,
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
, Nimi, Janaka,
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
, Satyavati, Puru,
Yadu
This is a list of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes that are mentioned in the literature of Indic religions.
From the second or first millennium BCE, ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes turned into most of the population in the northern p ...
,
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, Devaka, Pandu, Kuru, Bharata, Bhisma, and others.
Fifth Amsa: Krishna
The fifth book of the ''Vishnu'' Purana is the longest, with 38 chapters. It is dedicated to the Legend Of Krishna, as an incarnation of Vishnu. The book begins with the story of Krishna's Birth, His Childhood Pranks And Plays, His Exploits, His Purpose Of Ending The Tyranny Of Demon-Tyrant King Of
Mathura
Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...
, Named
Kans
Kamsa ( sa, कंस, Kaṃsa, translit-std=IAST) was the tyrant ruler of the Vrishni kingdom, with its capital at Mathura. He is variously described in Hindu literature as either a human or an asura; The Puranas describe him as an asura, whi ...
.
The Krishna story in the ''Vishnu'' Purana is similar to his legend in the ''Bhagavata Purana'', in several other Puranas and the Harivamsa of the
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
. Scholars have long debated whether the ''Bhagavata'' Purana expanded the Krishna Legend in the ''Vishnu Purana'', or whether the latter abridged the version in former, or both depended on the Harivamsa estimated to have been composed sometime in the 1st millennium of the common era.
[Walter Ruben (1941)]
The Kṛṣṇacarita in the Harivaṃśa and Certain Purāṇas
Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 61, No. 3, pages 115-127
Sixth Amsa: Liberation
The last book of the ''Vishnu Purana'' is the shortest, with 8 chapters. The first part of the sixth book asserts that ''
Kali Yuga
''Kali Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. It is believed to be the present age, which is ...
'' is vicious, cruel and filled with evilness that create suffering, yet "Kali Yuga is excellent" because one can refuse to join the evil, devote oneself to Vishnu and thus achieve salvation.
The last chapters, from 6.6 to 6.7 of the text discusses
Yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
and meditation, as a means to Vishnu devotion. Contemplative devotion, asserts the text, is the union with the
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
(supreme soul, ultimate reality), which is only achievable with virtues such as compassion, truth, honesty, disinterestedness, self-restraint and holy studies. The text mentions five
Yamas
The Yamas ( sa, यम, translit=Yama), and their complement, the Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Yoga philosophy. It means "reining in" or "control". These are restraints for proper conduct as given in the ...
, five
Niyama
The Niyamas ( sa, नियम, translit=Niyama) are positive duties or observances. In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, niyamas and their complement, Yamas, are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenment ...
s,
Pranayama
Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, '' prana'' means "vital life force", and ''yama'' means to gain control. In yoga, breath is associated with ''prana'', thus, pranayama is a means to elevate the '' prana'' ''sha ...
and
Pratyahara Pratyahara () or the 'gathering towards' is the fifth element among the Eight stages of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga, as mentioned in his classical work, ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali'' composed in the 2nd century BCE. It is also the first stage of the ...
. The pure and perfect soul is called Vishnu, states the text, and absorption in Vishnu is liberation.
The final chapter 6.8 of the text asserts itself to be an "imperishable Vaishnava Purana".
Critical edition
A
Critical Edition
Textual criticism is a branch of textual scholarship, philology, and of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification of textual variants, or different versions, of either manuscripts or of printed books. Such texts may range in da ...
of the Sanskrit text of the ''Visnu-purana'' was published in two large volumes, 1997 and 1999. A critical edition is prepared by comparing a number of different
manuscripts
A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in ...
, recording their variant readings in notes, and choosing the best readings to constitute the text of the critical edition. This is a real, large-scale critical edition, in which 43 Sanskrit manuscripts were gathered and collated, and 27 were chosen from which to prepare the Sanskrit edition. It is:
''The Critical Edition of the Visnupuranam'', edited by M. M. Pathak, 2 vols.,
Vadodara: Oriental Institute, 1997, 1999.
All scholars citing translations of Sanskrit texts are expected to refer to the Sanskrit original, because translations are inexact. From 1999 onward, anyone citing the ''Visnu-purana'' will be expected to refer to this Sanskrit critical edition.
A translation of the critical edition was published in 2021 under the title, ''The Visnu Purana: Ancient Annals of the God with Lotus Eyes.''
Influences
''Vishnu'' Purana is one of the 18 major Puranas, and these text share many legends, likely influenced each other. The fifth chapter of the ''Vishnu'' Purana was likely influenced by the Mahabharata.
Similarly, the verses on rites of passage and ashramas (stages) of life are likely drawn from the
Dharmasutra literature. Rajendra Hazra, in 1940, assumed that Vishnu Purana is ancient and proposed that texts such as ''Apasthamba Dharmasutra'' borrowed text from it.
Modern scholars such as Allan Dahlaquist disagree, however, and state that the borrowing may have been in the other direction, from Dharmasutras into the Purana.
Other chapters, particularly those in book 5 and 6 of the ''Vishnu'' Purana have
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
and
Yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
influences. The theistic Vedanta scholar
Ramanuja
Ramanuja (Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents o ...
, according to Sucharita Adluri, incorporated ideas from the ''Vishnu'' Purana to identify the
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
concept in the Upanishads with Vishnu, thus providing a Vedic foundation to the Srivaishnava tradition.
[Sucharita Adluri (2015), Textual authority in Classical Indian Thought: Ramanuja and the Visnu Purana, Routledge, , pages 1-11, 18-26]
See also
*
Dvaita Vedanta
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta sub ...
*
Hindu texts
Hindu texts are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. A few of these texts are shared across these traditions and they are broadly considered Hindu scriptures. These ...
*
Upanishads
The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
*
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
*Mani, Vettam. ''Puranic Encyclopedia''. 1st English ed. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
*Shri Vishnupuran published by Gitapress Gorakhpur
External links
''The Viṣṇu Purāṇa: Ancient Annals of the God with Lotus Eyes''translation by McComas Taylor
translation by
H.H. Wilson
Horace Hayman Wilson (26 September 1786 – 8 May 1860) was an English orientalism, orientalist who was elected the first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University.
Life
He studied medicine at St Thomas's Hospital, and went out to India i ...
at sacred-texts
''Vishnu Purana'' English translationcorrect IAST transliteration and glossary
*Other language versions on the Internet Archive
Sanskrit(by Vishnuchitta Alwar, 1922)
Bengaliby Kaliprasanna Vidyaratna (1926)
HindiTeluguby K. Bhavanarayana (1930)
*Rea
by Vadodara: Oriental Institute
{{Hindudharma
Puranas
Vaishnava texts