The Vishnu Purana is divided into six parts, or amsas, and 126 chapters.
Here is a breakdown of the chapters by part:
- [1] Sarga-khanda: 22 chapters
- [2] Pratisarga-khanda: 16 chapters
- [3] Manvantara-khanda: 18 chapters
- [4] Vaivasvata-Manu-samhita: 24 chapters
- [5] Uttama-sloka-khanda: 38 chapters
- [6] Anushasana-parva: 8 chapters
The chapters are as follows:
First Amsa: Cosmology
- Chapter 1: Maitreya inquires of his teacher (Parashara)
- Chapter 2: Prayer of Parashara to Vishnu
- Chapter 3: Measure of time, Moments of Kashthas, etc.
- Chapter 4: Narayana appearance, in the beginning of the Kalpa, as the Varaha (boar)
- Chapter 5: Vishnu as Brahma creates the world
- Chapter 6: Origin of the four castes
- Chapter 7: Production of the mind-born sons of Brahma
- Chapter 8: Origin of Rudra: his becoming eight Rudras
- Chapter 9: Legend of Lakshmi
- Chapter 10: The descendants of the daughters of Daksa married to the Rsis
Second Amsa: Earth
- Chapter 11: The earth is created by Vishnu
- Chapter 12: The seven islands of the earth
- Chapter 13: The mountains of the earth
- Chapter 14: The rivers of the earth
- Chapter 15: The forests of the earth
- Chapter 16: The animals of the earth
Third Amsa: Time
- Chapter 17: The different ages of the world
- Chapter 18: The cycles of creation and destruction
- Chapter 19: The day and night of Brahma
- Chapter 20: The four Yugas
- Chapter 21: The signs of the end of the world
- Chapter 22: The final dissolution of the universe
Fourth Amsa: Dynasties
- Chapter 23: The solar dynasty
- Chapter 24: The lunar dynasty
- Chapter 25: The dynasties of the demigods
- Chapter 26: The dynasties of the sages
- Chapter 27: The dynasties of the kings of the world
Fifth Amsa: Krishna
- Chapter 28: The birth of Krishna
- Chapter 29: The childhood of Krishna
- Chapter 30: The youth of Krishna
- Chapter 31: The marriage of Krishna
- Chapter 32: The life of Krishna in Dwaraka
- Chapter 33: The death of Krishna
- Chapter 34: The ascension of Krishna
- Chapter 35: The teachings of Krishna
- Chapter 36: The legends of Krishna
Sixth Amsa: Liberation
- Chapter 37: The nature of liberation
- Chapter 38: The paths to liberation
- Chapter 39: The fruits of liberation
- Chapter 40: The final beatitude
The Vishnu Purana is a vast and complex text, and this is just a brief overview of its contents. It is a valuable source of information on Hindu mythology, cosmology, and philosophy.
The Vishnu Purana is one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. It is a vast and complex text that covers a wide range of topics, including cosmology, mythology, philosophy, and ritual.
The Vishnu Purana is divided into six parts, or “khandas”:
- Sarga Khanda (Chapters 1-31): This part deals with the creation of the universe and the origin of the gods.
- Prasthanaka Khanda (Chapters 32-43): This part deals with the avatars of Vishnu, or his incarnations.
- Uttara Khanda (Chapters 44-100): This part deals with the duties of kings, the nature of dharma, and the path to liberation.
- Anušāsana Khanda (Chapters 101-153): This part deals with the duties of women, the rules of conduct for householders, and the nature of moksha.
- Bhāgavata Khanda (Chapters 154-224): This part deals with the story of Krishna, one of Vishnu’s most important avatars.
- Gaṇoddeśa Khanda (Chapters 225-237): This part deals with the nature of Vishnu and the worship of Vishnu.
The Vishnu Purana is a vast and complex text, and it is impossible to summarize it in a short answer. However, I hope this gives you a basic overview of the text and its contents.

Leave a comment