Vishnu Purana 01 Edition  (English, Paperback, Chaturvedi B. K.)

Vishnu Purana English is a wonderful translation of the Vishnu Purana, one of the most important sacred texts in Sanskrit. It presents the stories related to Vishnu, his incarnations, and his devotees.

Summary Of The Book

Purana is a word that means ancient records. These compositions are believed to record events that happened in very ancient times. The 18 popular puranas are all said to have been composed by Vedavyas.

The Hindu calendar involves huge time cycles. One of the fundamental time concepts in this cycle is the four yugas, together known as a Chatur yuga. It is said that in each Chatur yuga, a Vedavyas would appear who would compile the scattered vedas and puranas and give them order and organization. Vedavyas is thus a position, not a proper name. The Vedavyas of the current Chatur yuga also composed the huge epic Mahabharata.

The Vishnu Purana is among the most important of the puranas. It focuses on Vishnu, the preserver among the Hindu Trinity, who also undertook the descent to the earth in many avatars or incarnations. Vishnu Purana English begins with the description of the concepts of creation, sustenance and destruction. It also recounts other sacred legends and stories, like the stories of Dhruva and Prahlad, the stories of King Bharata and Jadabharatha.

It describes the concepts of the four classes of society, the four ashramas or stages of life, and explains some astronomical concepts. It provides details of Manu's lineage and introduces the idea of Manvantaras. It also recounts some interesting tales from the Dwapar and the Kali ages.

The book traces the ancient origins of the Puranas and how they became available to humans. Finally, it discusses the thousand names of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu Purana English is a lucid, neatly organized translation of the Sanskrit text.

About B. K. Chaturvedi

B. K. Chaturvedi is a writer who has authored English translations of the ancient puranas.

Other books by this author include Linga Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Garuda Purana, Devi Bhagwat Purana, Agni Purana and Varaha Purana.

Chaturvedi studied in Bangalore and Allahabad. He is a freelance author and has written for the radio and television.