liberation; it is refused: in his wrath, he drags the city towards him, to throw it into the river. The Kuru chiefs give up Śámba and his wife. CHAPTER XXXVI. The Asura Dwivida, in the form of an ape, destroyed by Balarama. CHAPTER XXXVII. Destruction of the Yádavas. Śámba and others deceive and ridicule the Rishis. The former bears an iron pestle: it is broken, and thrown into the sea. The Yádavas go to Prabhása, by desire of Krishna: they quarrel and fight, and all perish. The great serpent Sesha issues from the mouth of Ráma. Krishna is shot by a hunter, and again becomes one with universal spirit. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Arjuna comes to Dwáraká, and burns the dead, and takes away the surviving inhabitants. Commencement of the Kali age. Shepherds and thieves attack Arjuna, and carry off the women and wealth. Arjuna regrets the loss of his prowess to Vyása; who consoles him, and tells him the story of Ashťávakra's cursing the Apsarasas. Arjuna and his brothers place Parikshit on the throne, and go to the forests. End of the fifth book. BOOK VI. CHAPTER I. Of the dissolution of the world: the four ages: the decline of all things, and deterioration of mankind, in the Kali age. CHAPTER II. Redeeming properties of the Kali age. Devotion to Vishnu sufficient to salvation, in that age, for all castes and persons.. CHAPTER III. Three different kinds of dissolution. Duration of a Parárdha. The clepsydra or vessel for measuring time. The dissolution that occurs at the end of a day of Brahma. CHAPTER IV. Continuation of the account of the first kind of dissolution. Of the second kind, or elemental dissolution; of all being resolved into primary spirit. CHAPTER V. The third kind of dissolution, or final liberation from existence. Evils of worldly life. Sufferings in infancy, manhood, old age. Pains of hell. Imperfect felicity of heaven. Exemption from birth desirable by the wise. The nature of spirit or god. Meaning of the terms Bhagavat and Vasudeva. CHAPTER VI. Means of attaining liberation. Anecdotes of Kháńdikya and Keśidhwaja. The former instructs the latter how to atone for permitting the death of a cow. Keśidhwaja offers him a requital, and he desires to be instructed in spiritual knowledge. CHAPTER VII. Keśidhwaja describes the nature of ignorance, and the benefits of the Yoga or contemplative devotion. Of the novice and the adept in the performance of the Yoga. How it is performed. The first stage, proficiency in acts of restraint and moral duty: the second, particular mode of sitting: the third, Práńáyáma, modes of breathing: the fourth, Pratyáhára, restraint of thought: the fifth, apprehension of spirit: the sixth, retention of the idea. Meditation on the individual and universal forms of Vishnu. Acquirement of knowledge. Final liberation. CHAPTER VIII. Conclusion of the dialogue between Paráśara and Maitreya. Recapitulation of the contents of the Vishnu Puráňa; merit of hearing it: how handed down. Praises of Vishnu. Concluding prayer. VISHNU PURÁNA BOOK I. CHAPTER I. Invocation. Maitreya inquires of his teacher, Paráśara, the origin and nature of the universe. Paráśara performs a rite to destroy the demons: reproved by Vasishtha, he desists: Pulastya appears, and bestows upon him divine knowledge: he repeats the Vishnu Puráňa. Vishnu the origin, existence, and end of all things. 1 OM! 1 ' ओम् । नमो वासुदेवाय । An address of this kind, to one or other Hindu divinity, usually introduces Sanskrit compositions, especially those considered sacred. The first term of this Mantra or brief prayer, Om or Omkára, is well known as a combination of letters invested by Hindu mysticism with peculiar sanctity. In the Vedas, it is said to comprehend all the gods; and, in the Puráňas, it is directed to be prefixed to all such formulæ as that of the text. Thus, in the Uttara Khanda* of the Padma Puráňa: 'The syllable Om, the mysterious name, or Brahma, is the leader of all prayers: let it, therefore, O lovely-faced, (Siva addresses Durga,) be employed in the beginning of all prayers': * ओंकारः प्रणवो ब्रह्म सर्वमन्त्रेषु नायकः । Chapter XXXII. glory be to thee, Hrishikeśa, Mahápurusha and Púrvaja.1 According to the same authority, one of the mystical imports of ओमित्येतत्त्रयो वेदास्त्रयो लोकास्त्रयो ऽनयः । * Frequent meditation upon it and repetition of it ensure release from worldly existence: इत्येतदक्षरं ब्रह्म परमोंकारसंज्ञितम् | यस्तु वेदयते सम्यक्तथा ध्यायति वा पुनः ॥ अचलं निर्गुणं स्थानं शिवं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः ॥ See, also, Manu, II., 76. Vásudeva, a name of Vishnu or Krishna, is, according to its grammatical etymology, a patronymic derivative implying son of Vasudeva. of Vasudeva. The Vaishnava Puránas, however, devise other explanations. See the next chapter, and, again, b. VI., c. 5. 1 In this stanza occurs a series of the appellations of Vishnu: 1. Puńdaríkáksha (que), having eyes like a lotos, or heart-pervading: or Puńdaríka is explained supreme glory, and Aksha, imperishable. The first is the most usual etymon. 2. Viśwabhavana (f), the creator of the universe, or the cause of the existence of all things. 3. Hrishikeśa (nâu), * This verse is also found in the Márkańdeya-puráńa, XLII., 8; p. 241 of the edition in the Bibliotheca Indica. |