Rishi Parashara narrates Vishnu Purana to Maitreya OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya, having saluted him reverentially, thus addressed Parashara, the excellent sage, the grandson of Vasishtha, who was versed in traditional history, and…
Creation OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Parashara said: “Who can describe him who is not to be apprehended by the senses: who is the best of all things; the supreme soul, self-existent: who is…
Kala (Time) OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said: “How can creative agency be attributed to that Brahma, who is without qualities, illimitable, pure, and free from imperfection?” Parashara said: “The essential properties of…
The beginning of Varaha Kalpa OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said: “Tell me, mighty sage, how, in the commencement of the (present) Kalpa, Narayana, who is named Brahma, created all existent things.” Parashara…
Creation of beings OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said, “Now unfold to me, Brahman, how this deity created the gods, sages, progenitors, demons, men, animals, trees, and the rest, that abide on earth,…
Creation of humans and the four castes OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said, “You have briefly noticed, illustrious sage, the creation termed Arvaksrotas, or that of mankind: now explain to me more fully…
Creation of Rudra OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Parashara continued, “I have described to you, Oh great Muni, the creation of Brahma, in which the quality of darkness prevailed. I will now explain to…
The story of Dhruva OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Parashara continued, “I mentioned to you, that the Manu Swayambhuva had two heroic and pious sons, Priyavrata and Uttanapada. Of these two, the latter had…
The story of Prithu OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said, “Best of Munis, tell me why was the right hand of Vena rubbed by the holy sages, in consequence of which the heroic…
The story of Prachetasas OM! Glory to Vasudeva! Victory be to you, Pundarikaksha; adoration be to you, Vishvabhavana; glory be to you, Hrishikesha, Mahapurusha, and Purvaja. Maitreya said, “You can inform me, great sage, why the magnanimous Prachetasas engaged in penance in the waters of the sea.” Parashara said, “The sons…