Vishnu Purana
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
One of the most systematic Puranas, narrated by the sage Parashara to Maitreya, with the stories of Dhruva and Prahlada and the life of Krishna.
| Tradition | Hindu (Vaishnava) |
|---|---|
| Type | Purana |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Period | c. 1st millennium CE (scholarly estimate) |
| Composed or compiled by | Traditionally attributed to the sage Parashara, father of Vyasa, as narrator |
What it contains
- Six books (amshas).
- Creation, cosmology and the geography of the world (Jambudvipa and Bharatavarsha).
- The devotion of Dhruva and Prahlada.
- Krishna's life (fifth book).
- Dynasties of kings and the ages (yugas).
Significance
It closely follows the classic five subjects of a Purana and is a key text of Vaishnavism; Ramanuja's school drew on it.