105- The Vamana Purana: Contents

According to the NP. Våyu, Mt. P., Bh. P. the Vamana P. consists of 10,000 verses. Further the NP states that the Vamana consists of two parts Pūrvabhäga and Uttara bhåga (or Vruddha Vamana) the latter containing the following samhitas viz. the Maheshvari, Bhagavati, Sauri and Ganeshvari, each consisting of 1000 verses (VV, 13-14). But the whole of the Uttarabhaga is lost leaving the Pūrvårdha of 6000 verses. But actually in Venkateśhvara edit. there are 5451 verses (chs. 26, 44 and 93 being in prose). 

There is a discrepancy in the total number of chapters in the MSS of this Puraņa c. g. Devanagari MSS (94 chs.), Telugu MSS (89 chs.), Sháradă code (85 chs.), Adyar Mss (67 chs.). (A. S. Gupta --PJ. V. pp. 360-66). Although many of the topics mentioned in the NP are found in the printed edition, the absence of the Uttarardha and the no. of verse in the axtant Purāna show that the NP refer to a different version of the Vamana Purana. 

By the way it may be noted that though this was originally a Vaishnava Purána, Shaivism bus considerably influenced it as the episodes of Shiva are also described in details. This synthetic tendency-harmonizing Vaishnavism, Shaivism etc. by regarding these deities u representatives of the Brahman-is found practically in all Puránas. 

Brahma said: 

1. O dear one, listen, I shall recount to you the Purana named Vamana. It contains stories of Trivikrama and comprises ten thousand verses. 

2. It contains the narratives of events of the Kūrma Kalpa; it has stories descriptive of Vargatraya (the three aims of life viz. virtue, love and wealth). It is in two parts. It is auspicious to the narrator as well as to the listener. 

3. At the outset, there is the enquiry about the Puråna; the cutting off of the head of Brahmå, the story of Kapalamochana, the destruction of Dakşha’s Yajña. 

4. The description of (and narration about) Hara in the form of Kāla, then the burning of Káma, the fight between Prahlåda and Narayana, the war between the Devas and the Asuras. 

5. The narration of the story of Sukeshi and Arka, then the Bhuvanakośha (description of the worlds), then the description of Kāmyavratas (Vratas performed with some desired object), then the story of Shri Durgā. 

6. Then the story of Tapati, description of Kurukshetra, the incomparable greatness of Satya, the glorification of the nativity of Pārvati. 

7. Her penance, and then the marriage, thereafter, the story of Gauri, thereafter, the subsidiary story of Kaushiki and then the story of Kumāra. 

8. Then the story of killing Andhaka, then the narrative of Sadhyas, afterwards, the story of Jābāli, the wonderful story of Arajā. 

9. The fight between Andhaka and Iśhvara, Andhaka given the status of a Gaņa (attendant of Shiva), the narration of the Maruts, then the story of Bali. 

10. Then Lakşhmi’s story, thereafter the story of Trivikrama, then auspicious stories are being narrated in the course of pilgrimage of Prahlada. 

11. Thereafter, the story of Dhundhu; then the story of the Preta (Ghosts), the story of Nakşhatrapuruşha (The name of a Vrata), then the story of Śhridāma. 

12. At the end of the story of Trivikrama, there is an excellent hymn composed by Brahmā. In the course of conversation between Prahlāda and Bali in Sutala (Nether-worlds), Hari is praised. 

13. Thus the story of the first half of this Purāņa is mentioned to you. Hereafter, listen to its latter half called Bruhad Vāmana. 

14. There are four Samhitās (compendiums) therein each consisting of a thousand verses. They are Mäheśhvari, Bhagavatī, Sauri and Gaņeśhvari. ¹

1. According to the NP, the Kurma Purana consists of Bråhmi, Bhågavati, Sauri and Vaişhņavi Samhitås and has 17,000 verses in all (verse 3), a figure endorsed by the Bh. P. (XII. 13, 1). But the Vayu and Matsya credit it with 18,003 verses, while according to AP (272-10) it has 8000 verses only. The Kūrma B itself states that it consists of Brahmi, Bhagavati, Sauri and Vaishnavi Samhitas and the Brahmi contains 6000 verscs. But actually Venkateshvara Press edit. gives 5925 verses. The NP. gives the topical analysis of each Samhita and states the sub-sections of each Samhită e. g. the Bhagavati Sambitá has five sections (Pancha-padi), the Sauri, six (shodha), Vaişhnavi, four (chatushpadi). The total No. of verses in cach section is given as 6000, 4000, 2000 and 5000 verses respectively. Ch. 106. 

All this evidence shows that the author of the NP had positively a different and a larger version than the extant KP. 

The extant (both Verkateshvara and Käshiraja) editions of KP tally to a great extent with the Brahmi Samhita and the other Samhitas seem to have been lost. 

Hazra notes that originally the Kurma was a Pancharátra Purana which was subsequently Pashupatised. (vide PR. pp. 57. ff.) 

15. In the compilation called Māheśhvari, there is the glorification of Krişhña and his devotees. In the compendium Bhāgavatī, there is the wonderful story of the incarnation of the Mother of the Universe. 

16. In the compendium Sauri, the glory of the Sun is spoken (praised) which is destructive of sins. In the compendium Gaņeśhvari there is the story of Gaņeśha and Mahesha. 

17. This is a wonderful Purāņa named Vāmana. It is narrated by Pulastya to the noble-souled Närada. 

18. Then it was acquired from Nārada by Vyása, a very great Atman. From Yyāsa his disciple Romaharşhaņa acquired this. 

19. He will narrate it to the Brahmaņas of Naimisha forest. Thus the auspicious Vāmana Purāņa has been traditionally handed down and acquired. 

20-22. Those who read this or listen to this, attain the greatest goal. He who writes this out and gives it to a Brāhmaṇa Vedic scholar at the time of autumnal equinox along with ghee and a cow, uplifts his Pitris (ancestors) from hells and leads them to heaven. After enjoying all worldly pleasures and dying thereafter, he attains the great region of Vişhņu.