Dutt. Harivamsha

Today's free book is Harivamsha, translated literally into English prose by Manmatha Nath Dutt. For the table of contents, check at the bottom of this post below the image.

The book is available at Hathi Trust, and Google Books.



The Birth of Krishna


The Prelude
An account of the primeval creation
The origin of men: the birth of Daksha
An account of various families: Daksha's offspring
A query regarding the origin of the articles of food
An account of Vena and Prithu
The origin of the earth
An account of Manwantaras
Division of time
An account of the Sun's offspring
Vaivaswata Manu's offspring
Account of Raivata and his sons
The story of Satyavrata
An account of Sagara
The origin of Pitris and fruits of Sraddhas
An account of Pitris
Bharadwaja's Family
Account of Brahmadatta and strange birds
An account of the seven Brahmanas
The course of the birds
The story of the birds
Brahmadatta retires from the world
An account of the birth of the moon
An account of Pururava
An account of Ila's family
An account of Raji and his sons
An acconnt of Keshi kings
An account of the king Yayati
An account of Puru's family
An account of Richeyu's family
An account of Haihayas and Kartavirya
Krousthu's family
Vasudeva's family
Krousthu's family
An account of Vabhru's family
An account of Swyamantaka Jewel
An account of Akrura
A description of Vishnu
The Incarnations of Vishnu
Vishnu's appearance
The preparations of the Danavas for the battle
Arrangement of the celestial army
The fight between the gods and demons
The battle of the gods
The encouragement of Danavas
Kalanemi goes to Vishnu
Attributes of Narayana
An account of Narayanashrama
The proposal of relieving the earth of her burden
The assembly of the gods
An account of Santanu's family
The birth of the Daityas
Vishnu's reply
Kansa is informed of his death by Narada
An account of the birth of demons
Attributes of the goddess
Birth of Krishna and Baladeva
A description of village Vraja
Superhuman deeds of Krishna. He upsets a carriage and kills Putana
The childish freaks of Krishna
Krishna wishes to go to Vrindavana and produces wolves
Their departure for Vrindavana
An account of the rainy reason
An account of Kalya
Krishna subdues Kalya
The destruction of Khara and Dhenuka
The description of the demon Pralamva
An account of Indra-Yajna
Krishna protests against Indra-Yajna; an account of autumn
The reply of the Gopas
Indra sends down punishment
Indra comes and eulogises Krishna
Rasa dance
Death of Aristha
Kansa invites Krishna and sends Akrura to bring him
Andhaka's advice to Kansa
The destruction of Keshi
Akrura goes to Vraja
Akrura describes to him the miseries of his parents
Krishna's arrival
Arrangements for the match
A description of the arena
Trial of arms
Lamentations of Kansa's wives
Krishna's reply to Ugrasena
Krishna brings back his preceptor's son from the ocean
Jarasandha prepares to attack Mathura
Jarasandha's army
The battle between Krishna and Jarashandha
An account of Haryashwa
The sons of Yadu and their conquests
Krishna meets with Parasurama
A description of the mount Gomanta
Balarama gets drunk
Jarasandha's instructions to the kings
Krishna meets his enemy
Battle with Shrigala
Krishna's arrival at Mathura
Baladeva visits Vraja
Rukshmini's Swayamvara
The meeting of Krishna and Garuda
Jarasandha's address to the kings
Dantavakra's speech
Kaishika worships Krishna
Conversation between Krishna and Bhishmaka
Jarasandha's proposal to invite Kalayavana
Shalya meets Kalayavana
Kalayavana agrees to kill Krishna
Ugrasena receives Krishna
Krishna's proposal to go to Dwaraka
Aecount of Kalayavana
The laying out of Dwaraka
An account of Rukshmi : Krishna takes away Rukshmini
Rukshmi attacks Krishna and is defeated
Marriage of Rukshmavati
Baladeva's glorious deeds described
The defeat of the Asura Naraka
Krishna visits Aditi
The present of the Parijata by Krishna to Rukmini
Satyabhama's resentment and Keshava's consolation to her
Satyabhama's grief
The history of the Parijata tree the colloquy between Krishna and Narada
The colloquy between Narada and Indra regarding the transplantation of the Parijata
Narada's advice and Indra's answers
Narada’s advice
Attribute of Hari
The fight between Krishna and Indra
The fight between Garuda and Airavata
Indra fights with Krishna
Satya performs the rite
The history of the Punyaka rite
Punyaka described by Uma
Narada gives a history of Vratas performed by other ladies
An account of the city of Asuras
The Asuras obtructing a Yajna
War between Krishna and Asuras
Defeat of the Asuras: the fight again
The history of the Asura Andhaka
Andhaka goes to the Mount Mandara
The Yadavas sport in the ocean
The sport of the Yadus continued
Nikumbha carries away Bhanumati
The destruction of Vajranabha: an account of Prabhavati
The celestial swans go to the city of Vajra
The Yadavas arrive at the city of Asuras as actors
Pradyumna appears before Prabhavati and marries her
A description of the rainy season
Vajranabha wants to conquer the celestial region
The destruction of Vajranabha
The celestial Architect builds Dwaraka
Krishna's entrance into Dwaraka and reception
Krrishna invites a meeting of his Kinsmen
Narada describes the feat of Krishna
Krishna's children
An account of Pradyumna
Battle between Pradyumna and Shamvara's sons
Shamvara comes to the battlefield
Shamvara's death
Pradyumna goes to Dwaraka and his parents recognize him
Baladeva's mantra for protecting Pradyumna
Narada puts questions: and the mystery is explained
Arjuna describes another wonderful work
Arjuna goes to rescue the Brahmana and becomes unsuccessful
Krishna rescues the Brahmana's son
Krishna explains the mystery
Krishna's feats described
Vana—the great Asura
Bhava's sport and Vana's daughter obtains a boon
Usha meets her lover while asleep and exhorts her friends to bring him
Chitralekha unites Aniruddha with Usha Aniruddha's fight with
Vana's soldiers
The Goddess consoles Aniruddha
Anxiety of the Yadavas for Aniruddha
Krishna goes to Sonitpura and fights with Rudra's followers on the way
Krishna's battle with Jvara (fever)
Krishna's boon to Jvara
The fight between Krishna and Shankara
The Earth goes to Brahma: Markandeya explains how Brahma, Vishnu, Siva are one
Kartikeya goes to to the battlefield
The battle between Vana and Krishna
Krishna finds Aniruddha: gives the kingdom to Kumbhanda and
fights with Varuna for cows
Aniruddha's wedding and reception
An account of Janamejaya's family
Vyasa's presence at Janamejaya's sacrifice
An account of Kali-Yuga
Kali-Yuga described
Indra ravishes Vapusthama: Vishwavasu pacifies Janamejaya's wrath
Janamejaya lives happily; effect of the Rishi's words
The attributes of God
The duration and characteristics of Yuga
The work of dissolution described
The God after dissolution
The creation of a lotus after dissolution
A description of the Earth
The work of creation begins: the birth of Madhu and Kaitabha
Brahma's creation
Janamejaya's query
The great Brahman described
The creation of rivers
The creation of Gandharva sect
Kshatra Yuga described
The fruits of Yoga
The processes of Pranayama
Kurukshetra and the duty of the Brahmanas
The beginning of the fight between Devas and Daityas
The fight between Madhu and Vishnu
Vishnu kills Madhu
An account of Pirthu and the churning of the ocean
The destruction of Bali
Siva obstructs Daksha's sacrifice and Hari fights with him
The Boar Incarnation of Vishnu
The work of creation and upraising of the earth
The creation of mountains and rivers
The creation of the Vedas
Various kings are appointed by Brahma
The mountains set Asuras fighting with the gods
The lord comes out as a boar
Release of the celestials
The man-lion incarnation of Vishnu; Hiranyakashipu's prayer to Brahma
The Asuras are filled with surprise at seeing the man-lion form
Vishnu kills Hirhinyakashipu
The beginning of the dwarf incarnation: Bali becomes king
Bali's prosperity
The gods go to Kashyapa for finding out means for the destruction of Bali
Brahma instructs the Devas to go to Vishnu
Vishnu promises help to the Gods
Vishnu's birth as a dwarf
Bali promises to give lands to the Dwarf
The Danavas described
The fruits of the recitation of the Bharata
The fruits of the recitation of Harivamsha