The Harivamsapuranam

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The Mahabharata is rightly described as an encyclopaedia of all that existed by ancient as well as modern scholars. It has given us many valuable works like the Bhagavad-Gita, the Anugita, the Visnu-Sahasranama, the Harivamsa-Purana, etc. The Harivamsa is considered the nineteenth parvan of the Mahabharata by some scholars, but others accept that it is also called a purana of the great heroic epic. On account of its puranic character, it is also called a Purana. It consists of 1637 verses and like the Mahabharata bigger in size than the Illiad and Oddyssey combined. Its literary value is not in proportion to its voluminous size. It is neither a poem nor a composition of any merit. It is a compilation of pauranic legends, stories, and works related to the praise of the god Visnu. It is also not the work of a single compiler, either. The last one-third portion of this work is certainly an appendix to this supplement, and a large portion of the remaining parts is interpolation belonging to different times.

The Harivamsapuranam contains three lengthy parvans named Harivamsa parvan, Visnuparvan, and Bhavisya parvan. It is loosely connected with the Mahabharata. Like the Mahabharata, it is also considered to be narrated by Vaisampayana. We are told that after listening to the beautiful stories of the Bharatas from Ugrasrava, Saunaka, a great sage, requested him to relate the stories connected with the Vrsn and Andhaka dynasties to which Krsna belonged. Ugrasrava replied that such a request was also made by Janamejaya to him after listening to the Mahabharata. He then related to him what was narrated by Vaisampayana.

Besides, in the beginning of the Harivamsa, in some verses and in the whole of the last chapter, a long panegyric of the Mahabharata, along with the Harivamsa and the importance of the religious merit which accrues from studying and listening to it read, this much relation exists between the Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. As far as its subject matter is concerned, the Harivamsa is as related to the Mahabharata as the latter is to the Puranas because many legends, especially legends and stories of the Brahmanas narrated in the Mahabharata, appear different in the Harivamsa and the Puranas.

This work draws its name from the first parvan, which is called the Harivamsa-parvan. Like the Puranas, this work also commences with a confused description of the origin of the universe and other Pauranic descriptions, viz, the story of Dhruva, who later on became a constellation, the story of Daksa and his daughters, who become the mother of gods as well as demons. It contains a detailed account of the story of Vena, the opposer of the Vedas and the sacrifices, and the story of his son Prthu, the first emperor on this earth. Numerous legends of the solar race, consisting of King Iksvaku and his descendants, are available in this parvan. A ritualistic portion connected with Sraddha of manes, which has nothing to do with the dynastic description, is also given. Then begins an account of the Lunar race, starting with that of Atri, the son of Soma. Pururavas was a grandson of Soma. His love affair with Urvasi Brahmana. Yayati was the founder of the Yadava dynasty, and Visnu was born as Krsna on this earth from his wife, Devaki. After the description of the family of Krsna follows a series of songs in the praise of Visnu. We have here an account of the divine history of Krsna.

The second book is known as the Visnu Parvan. It deals mostly with the story of Krsna, the incarnation of Visnu. The birth, childhood, heroic deeds, and love affairs of one human from the stories connected with the god of cowherds are extensively dealt with here. Some of these are found in some Puranas through which every Hindu becomes familiar with the name of Krsna. The enlightened devotees of Visnu worship Krsna as the propounder of the sacred doctrines of the Gita. But Krsna of the legends of the Harivamsa and other Puranas has become the object of worship for hundreds and thousands of Hindus, sometimes as a supreme God and sometimes as a perfect man. The Greek traveler has referred to the god of these legends as Indian Hercules and not to Krsna, a dexterous friend of the Pandavas. Several legends connected with Krsna are to be found in this book, which are important not only from a religious point of view but also from the history of religion. A brief description of the subject matter of this parvan is as follows.

A cruel king named Kamsa ruled over the city of Mathura. Once Narada came to him and told him that the eighth child of his sister Devaki will him. Kill. Then Kamsa killed the six children of Devaki at the time of their birth. Her seventh child was Baladeva, who was placed in the womb of Rohini, the second wife of Vasudeva from the womb of Devaki by Nidra-Devi. Thus, he was saved from death. Krsna was born as the eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki. As soon as the child was born, Vasudeva, taking the child, went out the same night into the darkness and carried him to a daughter. He was quickly placed in the bed of Davaki, and the demon Kamsa killed it, thereby releasing the goddess who had been born as the babe. King Kamsa issued a decree that every child in whom were found signs of unusual vigour should be destroyed. Krsna, along with Balarama, who was also sent to Yasoda by Vasudeva, began to grow there, being protected by Nanda.

While he was still a small child, he started his astonishing exploits. Krsna is afterwards represented as plunging boldly into the lake of the serpent king Kaliya and conquering him by setting his foot upon the terrible hood which has hitherto been unbended. On his request, he forgave him and ordered him to depart immediately with his family and followers into the nether region. He also killed the demon called Dhenuka, who protected Govardhana Mountain in the form of an ass. Another demon named Pralamba was killed by Balarama. Once at the advent of the autumnal season, the cowherds were to arrange a festival in honour of Indra, the rain god, but Krsna was not in favour of this celebration. He inspired them to worship mountains. They started worshipping the mount Govardhana.

At this, Indra caused a storm to destroy them. Krsna protected the cowherds by lifting and holding the mount Govardhana over their heads like an umbrella until the storm passed over. Indra, recognizing Visnu as Krsna, accepted his defeat. Thus, Krsna became the darling of the cowherds. They enjoyed youth in the company of cowherds. He arranged fights of bulls and had wrestling bouts with the most powerful of the cowherds. He liked Rasa dances in the autumn nights. During these dances, the cowherd women, attracted by Krsna, sang his glory, sported with him, and imitated his walking, dancing, and singing. While he was enjoying the company of gopis a demon named Arista attacked him. Krsna killed him by pulling out of head. When Kamsa came to know of the exploits of krsna he called the two brothers to Mathura, where they had to fight with two powerful wrestlers in a festival. They killed them. Krsna broke the bow of Kamsa and killed an elephant set on him.

After that, he killed Kamsa and freed his parents and others. Krsna also defeated Yama in the nether region and brought back the son of his preceptor, who had drowned in the sea, and thus paid his gurudaksina (teacher's gift). Jarasandha, the father-in-law of Kamsa, was killed by him when he encircled Mathura. Krsna took away Rukmini, who was to be married to Sisupala. He married her at Dvaraka and had ten sons from her. He also married sixteen thousand one hundred other maidens at a single ceremony, and they bore many sons to him. At the request of Indra, Krsna killed Narakasura, who troubled the gods. At another place, it is declared that Krsna fought with Indra, who prevented him from taking the Parijata tree heaven, which he had promised to his wife Satyabhama.

The above description is followed by a very long portion that is not at all connected with the main narrative. It is a treatise on the Kamasastra (science of love). It is a dialogue between Narada and the wives of Krsna, in which Narada cited Siva and Uma as his authorities on this subject. In this portion punya and Vrataka celebrations are described through which a wife makes his body worthy and attractive for her husband and could make him happy. As these vows are meant for a chaste woman, her duties are given in the very beginning.

Next comes (ch. 185) an account of a Saiva subject which has nothing to do with the life of Krsna. It tells about the killing of the thousand-headed demon Andhaka by lord Siva. Then follows another story describing the killing of Nikumbha. An account of the life of Pradyumna is given in the following chapters. In this, we have reference to the practice of sending of message through Hamsa and to dramas played by actors. It also contains the epitome of the Ramayana and many other legends, which are repeated in different Puranas. From numerous stotras (Prayers) addressed to Visnu and Siva, it appears that the Harivamsa was a compilation of texts written from a religious point of view. But there are some remnants of Krsna-Kavya in the second parvan, so it is quite possible that before it, Krsna-Kavya was in existence.

This third book is named the Bhavisya–parvan. It is more or less a compilation of the Purana works, which are unrelated to one another. The name Bhavisya-parvan applies correctly to its early chapters because these foretell the future yugas (ages). According to a story given in the parvan, Janamejaya wanted to perform a horse sacrifice, but Vyasa predicted that is will not be completed due to the setting of Kaliyuga, and after a long period, Krtayuga, the promoter of Dharma and good will come. This part is complete in itself, and it is an independent poem. Two different accounts of creation are given in it, and then the different incarnations of Visnu, such as Boar, Nrsimha, and Vamana, are given in great detail. Here also, we find a tendency to establish the oneness of Visnu and Siva. Visnu and Siva pray to each other. It is followed by a heroic feat of Krsna in which he destroyed King Paundra.

The last few chapters of this parvan give the story of two Saiva devotees named Hamsa and Dimbhaka who were defeated by Krsna-Visnu. A big chapter (323) counts the religious merits which one gets from the study of the Mahabharata and the fruits gained in heaven. It also speaks of a gift which should be given to the reciter of the Mahabharata. It declares that the Mahabharata is only an account of the virtues of Visnu because the Veda, the Ramayana, and the sacred Bharata glorify Hari in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end.

It is really surprising that at the end of the work comes a chapter describing the destruction of the three cities of demons by lord Siva. The Harivamsa closes with the gist of its contents and the fruit of listening to it read. Some of the major Puranas accept it as a true Purana. The Harivamsa appears to strike a balance between the worship of Visnu and Siva. It is not only being read with great interest by Indians but also by the westerners. M.A. Langlois has carefully rendered this work into French.