4298 - Sri Sri Vishnu Purana
Author: None
Description: An essential Mahapurana belonging to the Sattva category, Vishnu Purana is one of the earliest and most influential Purana, detailing cosmology, mythology, genealogy, dharma, and devotion centered on Lord Viṣhṇu—especially his incarnations like Rama and Krishna. Presented as a dialogue between Sage Parasara and his disciple Maitreya, it unfolds across six sections: 1. Creation and cosmogony – origin of the universe, gods, cosmic cycles, and avatars (e.g., Prahlada and Nrsimha) . 2. Geography and cosmology – descriptions of the earth, continents, mount Meru, planetary realms . 3. Dynastic and time cycles – manvantaras, yugas, genealogies of sages, kings, duties of varnas . 4. History of kings – solar and lunar dynasties, lineages culminating in Pariksit. 5. Life of Krishna – divine pastimes, miracles, teachings, and his cosmic mission . 6. Kali-yuga and liberation – moral guidance, bhakti yoga, meditation, and path to liberation in this age . With approximately 7,000 verses (down from an estimated original 23,000), it’s relatively concise yet densely packed with mythological narratives, cosmic structure, ethical instruction, and devotional insight . ⸻ Keywords: Vaishnavism, Vishnu, avatars, cosmology, genealogy, Dharma, Bhakti Yoga, manvantaras, Kali-yuga, liberation ⸻ Ideal for: Students of Hindu mythology and philosophy; practitioners of bhakti traditions; scholars researching genealogies, cosmology, and devotional literature; seekers exploring ethical foundations and spiritual practices ⸻ Age: 15 years and up (due to mythic complexity, philosophical content, and mature themes) ⸻ Theme: Cosmic order and cycles, divine incarnations, moral duty and ethics, devotional practice, spiritual liberation in challenging times ⸻ Tone: Devotional, narrative, didactic, encyclopedic, reverent, and spiritually instructive ⸻ Book Type: Sacred scripture; mythological-encyclopedic Purāṇa; devotional-philosophical text; structured dialogue-format scripture ⸻ Length: Six books across 126 chapters; ~7,000 verses, typically 500–600 pages.