---
type: Reference
bundle: cosmology-creation
bundle_version: "0.7.2"
id: vishnu-purana
title: "Viṣṇu Purāṇa"
description: "Maha-purana central to Vaishnava cosmology; standard source for kalpa structure and srshti-sthiti-samhara."
timestamp: "2026-07-01T00:00:00Z"
iast: "Viṣṇu Purāṇa"
devanagari: "विष्णु पुराण"
text: "Viṣṇu Purāṇa"
text_division: "6 Aṃśas (Parts)"
language: "Classical Sanskrit"
approximate_date: "c. 300-400 CE (among the earlier Mahā-Purāṇas)"
tags: [purana, vishnu, vaishnava, cosmology, kala, yuga, manvantara, pralaya]
okf_version: "0.2"
license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

# Viṣṇu Purāṇa

## Text Overview

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa is one of the 18 Mahā-Purāṇas and one of the oldest in its surviving form, primarily Vaiṣṇava in orientation. It is organized in 6 Aṃśas (parts) covering cosmogony, cosmology, Kāla system, genealogies of kings and sages, and Viṣṇu's supremacy. It is a primary source for the Yuga-Manvantara-Kalpa chronological framework and for the detailed cosmography of the 14 Lokas.

## Key Passages for Cosmology-Creation Bundle

**Aṃśa 1 (Cosmogony and Primary Creation):**
- 1.2-5 -- Primary Sṛṣṭi: the emergence of Mahat, Ahaṃkāra, tanmātras, and elements from Avyakta; the Sāṃkhya-Purāṇic tattva sequence
- 1.2.10-30 -- Hiraṇyagarbha / Brahmā emerging from the cosmic egg; the secondary creation by Brahmā

**Aṃśa 1.3 (Kāla System):**
- The definitive classical statement of the Yuga durations: Satya 4000 + 400+400 (twilight) = 4800 divine years; Tretā 3600; Dvāpara 2400; Kali 1200 (divine years); note the VP uses divine years consistently
- Mahāyuga = 12,000 divine years; 1000 Mahāyugas = 1 Kalpa (Day of Brahmā)
- 14 Manvantaras = 1 Kalpa; each Manvantara = 71+ Mahāyugas

**Aṃśa 2 (Cosmography):**
- 2.2-7 -- The seven continents (Dvīpas) and seven oceans of Bhūrloka; the geography of Bhāratavarṣa
- 2.7 -- The seven upper Lokas; the seven lower Pātāla realms

**Aṃśa 6 (Pralaya):**
- 6.3-4 -- Naimittika and Mahā Pralaya; what dissolves at each; Brahmā's sleep and waking
- 6.5 -- Ātyantika Pralaya as individual liberation (Mokṣa); distinction from cosmic Pralayas

## Tradition and Authority

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa is cited by Śaṅkarācārya in his Brahma Sūtra Bhāṣya, making it one of the few Purāṇas recognized as authoritative by Advaita Vedānta. For the Kāla system (Yuga durations, Kalpa structure, Manvantara count), the Viṣṇu Purāṇa and the Bhāgavata Purāṇa together are the two primary textual authorities.

## Primary Concepts Using This Reference

- kala.md, yuga.md, mahayuga.md, kalpa.md, manvantara.md (Kāla system)
- pralaya.md (Pralaya typology)
- brahma-the-creator.md, hiranyagarbha.md (Sṛṣṭi sequence)
- sapta-loka.md, brahmanda.md (cosmography)
