The Uttara Khanda is the Padma Purana's largest book, a sprawling compendium that opens by cataloguing its own many topics before unfolding an immense sequence of Vaishnava devotional narrative and tirtha-glory. Early chapters trace the Nigamabodha tirtha and the sanctity of Dvaraka, then turn to the memorable tale of Mukunda and a humble barber, Chandaka, whose devotion transforms his fate — a story the khanda uses to argue that sincerity outweighs birth or station. A long central sweep gathers tirtha-mahatmyas for Kosala (with its own naming etiology via a sage's curse on the moon-god Budha), Madhuvana, the Himalayan shrine of Badarikashrama, Haridwar, and Pushkara, before arriving at Prayaga-Indraprastha and widening into extensive Krishna-lila narrative, philosophical dialogue, and devotional hymns. The khanda's famous closing movement is the Bhrigu-pariksha: the irascible sage Bhrigu, deputed to determine which of the three great gods is truly supreme, insults Brahma, is cursed by an enraged Shiva, and finally kicks Vishnu in the chest while he sleeps — only for Vishnu to wake and gently massage the sage's foot, asking if he was hurt. The episode settles the question of divine forbearance and closes both the khanda and, with it, the entire Padma Purana's account of dharma proper to devotion.
Chapters
1The Compendium of Topics70 v2The Glory of Badrinarayana and Rudra's Blessing18 v3The Birth of Jalandhara and Brahma's Arrival52 v4Vrinda's Marriage and Jalandhara's Coronation52 v5The War Between Gods and Demons93 v6Bala the Daitya's Ascent to Heaven47 v7Indra's Defeat in Battle86 v8The Righteous Reign of Jalandhara26 v9The Origin of the Discus of All the Gods' Radiance38 v10Rahu's Return from Kailasa53 v11The Defeat of the Demon Army68 v12Lord Mahadeva's Arrival on the Battlefield64 v13Jalandhara's Illusion and Mahesha's Arrival51 v14The Account of Madhava's Illusion71 v15Vrinda's Attainment of Brahma-Loka72 v16Jalandhara Abandons His Illusory Form39 v17Shukra's Entry into the Womb89 v18The Great Festival of Jalandhara's Slaying155 v19The Glory of Shri Shaila18 v20The Glory of Haridwar42 v21The Origin of the Ganga and the Glory of Haridwar28 v22In Praise of Ganga, Prayaga and Yamuna49 v23The Glory of Tulsi and Shaligrama46 v24The Glory of Prayaga23 v25The Three-Night Tulsi Vow43 v26In Praise of the Gift of Food21 v27The Glory of Planting Trees, Water-Sheds, Lakes, Austerity, Study and Discourse on Dharma58 v28The Glory of Expounding the Scriptures43 v29The Glory of Gopichandana26 v30The Glory of the Lamp Vow120 v31The Janmashtami Vow45 v32Brihaspati's Discourse on Dharma71 v33King Dasharatha's Hymn to Shani51 v34The Legend of Trisprisha95 v35The Unmilani Vow68 v36The Glory of Pakshavardhini Ekadashi32 v37The Glory of the Ekadashi-Dvadashi Night Vigil92 v38The Origin of Ekadashi and the Slaying of Mura118 v39Mokshada Ekadashi of Margashirsha47 v40Saphala Ekadashi of Pausha Krishna49 v41Putrada Ekadashi of Pausha Shukla53 v42Shattila Ekadashi of Magha Krishna54 v43Jaya Ekadashi of Magha Shukla54 v44Vijaya Ekadashi of Phalguna Krishna39 v45Amalaki Ekadashi of Phalguna Shukla63 v46Papamochani Ekadashi of Chaitra Krishna49 v47Kamada Ekadashi of Chaitra Shukla39 v48Varuthini Ekadashi of Vaishakha Krishna25 v49Mohini Ekadashi of Vaishakha Shukla39 v50Apara Ekadashi of Jyeshtha Krishna20 v51Nirjala Ekadashi of Jyeshtha Shukla64 v52Yogini Ekadashi of Ashadha Krishna34 v53Devashayani Ekadashi of Ashadha Shukla37 v54Kamika Ekadashi of Shravana Krishna29 v55Putrada (Pavitraropani) Ekadashi of Shravana Shukla44 v56Aja Ekadashi of Bhadrapada Krishna23 v57Padma Ekadashi of Bhadrapada Shukla41 v58Indira Ekadashi of Ashvina Krishna36 v59Papankusha Ekadashi of Ashvina Shukla28 v60Rama Ekadashi of Kartika Krishna54 v61Prabodhini Ekadashi of Kartika Shukla68 v62Kamala Ekadashi of Purushottama Masa43 v63Kamada Ekadashi of Purushottama Masa Shukla22 v64The Glory of Chaturmasya121 v65The Conclusion (Udyapana) of Chaturmasya20 v66The Worship of Yama85 v67The Glory of Gopichandana13 v68The Glory of Vaishnavas20 v69The Vow of Shravana Dvadashi75 v70The Three-Night River Vow32 v71Vishnu Sahasranama (The Thousand Names of Vishnu)331 v72The Glory of the Thousand Names17 v73The Rama Raksha Stotra12 v74The Dharma of Giving26 v75The Glory of the Gandaki Tirtha26 v76The Abhyudayika Stotra for Ancestral Rites42 v77The Vow of Rishi Panchami62 v78The Purificatory Rite of Vishnu (Apamarjana)91 v79The Fruits of the Apamarjana Hymn16 v80The Glory of Pundarika's Devotion169 v81The Glory of the Ganga42 v82The Marks of a Vaishnava39 v83The Swing Festival of Vishnu34 v84The Damanaka Festival31 v85The Worship of Vishnu Resting in Water30 v86The Rite of Pavitraropana41 v87Monthly Flower-Offerings to Vishnu27 v88The Wish-Fulfilling Tree and Satyabhama45 v89Gunavati's Vow30 v90The Awakening of Vishnu and the Origin of Kartika's Glory31 v91The Recovery of the Vedas and the Glory of Badarikashrama30 v92The Rules of Purification and Worship in Kartika30 v93The Rite of Kartika Bathing32 v94The Dietary Rules of the Kartika Vow28 v95The Concluding Rite of the Kartika Vow31 v96The Birth of Jalandhara33 v97The War of Jalandhara and the Gods33 v98The Duel and Truce Between Vishnu and Jalandhara29 v99The Origin of Kirtimukha34 v100The Great War at Kailasa32 v101The Duels of the War31 v102Jalandhara's Deception of Parvati32 v103The Deception and Curse of Vrinda31 v104The Slaying of Jalandhara29 v105The Origin of Tulasi and Dhatri29 v106The Redemption of Kalaha31 v107Dharmadatta's Boon and the Prophecy of Dasharatha26 v108The Contest of King Chola and Vishnudasa30 v109The Doorkeepers of Vaikuntha33 v110The Story of Jaya and Vijaya32 v111The Origin of the Krishna and Veni Rivers31 v112The Sharing of Merit and Sin30 v113The Story of Dhaneshvara34 v114The Hells and Dhaneshvara's Deliverance29 v115The Glory of the Ashvattha and Vata Trees29 v116The Story of Alakshmi28 v117Kartikeya's Questions and the Fourfold Bath32 v118The Merits of Gifts and Observances in Kartika60 v119The Glory of Shukara-kshetra and the Month-Long Fast53 v120The Glory of the Shaligrama Stone92 v121The Glory of the Lamp and of Sacred Flowers37 v122The Glory of Diwali, Govardhana, Bali, and Yama-Dvitiya103 v123The Rite of the Month-Long Fast (Restated)42 v124The Glory of Prabodhini Ekadashi and the Bhishma-Panchaka Vow96 v125King Dilipa's Hunt and the Glory of Magha171 v126The Praise of the Magha Bath and the Story of Tilottama80 v127The Glory of Prayaga and the Deliverance of the Rakshasa177 v128The Gandharva Maidens' Curse and the Yogasara Hymn299 v129King Chitra's Deliverance and the Gandharva Maidens' Wedding298 v130The Glory of Devotion to Vishnu19 v131The Rite of Worshiping the Shaligrama Stone29 v132The Remembrance of Vishnu153 v133The Tirthas of Jambudvipa40 v134The Glory of the Vetravati River31 v135The Glory of the Sabarmati River101 v136The Glory of Nandi-tirtha19 v137The Glory of Shveta-tirtha23 v138Gana-tirtha at the Bakula Confluence15 v139The Glory of Agnipaleshvara46 v140The Tirtha of the Hiranya Confluence16 v141The Glory of the Sabarmati and Madhuraditya45 v142The Glory of Kapi-tirtha13 v143The Glory of Saptadhara-tirtha26 v144Khanda-tirtha29 v145The Glory of Someshvara-tirtha16 v146Rudra-mahalaya-tirtha8 v147Khadga-tirtha7 v148Malarka-tirtha9 v149The Glory of Chandaneshvara11 v150The Glory of the Jambavan Tirtha14 v151The Glory of Dhavaleshvara (Indra's Tirtha)100 v152The Glory of Balapendra Tirtha45 v153The Glory of Durdharsheshvara23 v154The Glory of Khadgadhareshvara72 v155The Glory of Dugdheshvara (Dadhichi's Tirtha)40 v156The Glory of Chandreshvara15 v157The Glory of Pippalada Tirtha11 v158The Glory of Pichumandarka (the Twelve Names of Surya)14 v159The Glory of Kotarakshi (Siddha-kshetra)13 v160The Glory of Tirtharaja5 v161The Glory of Someshvara17 v162The Glory of Kapotaka (the Pigeon's Sacrifice)18 v163The Glory of Go-tirtha5 v164The Glory of Kashyapa Tirtha9 v165The Glory of Bhutalaya, Ghateshvara, and Vaidyanatha10 v166The Glory of Deva-tirtha (Pandurarya)8 v167The Glory of Chandesha and Ganapatya Tirtha8 v168The Glory of Vartraghni (Indra and the Sin of Brahmahatya)71 v169The Glory of Varaha Tirtha (Kardamala)11 v170The Glory of Sangama Tirtha5 v171The Glory of Aditya Tirtha4 v172The Glory of Nilakantha Tirtha4 v173The Glory of the Sabarmati at Her Confluence with Durga6 v174The Origin of Narasimha (Narasimha Vrata)97 v175The Glory of the Gita: Its Nature, and the Tale of Susharma55 v176The Glory of the Gita's Second Chapter: The Tale of Devasharma and Mitravan62 v177The Glory of the Gita's Third Chapter: Jada the Thief and Yama's Hymn to Vishnu60 v178The Glory of the Gita's Fourth Chapter: The Two Jujube Maidens38 v179The Glory of the Gita's Fifth Chapter: Pingala the Musician24 v180The Glory of the Gita's Sixth Chapter: King Janashruti and Raikva104 v181The Glory of the Gita's Seventh Chapter: Shankukarna the Serpent34 v182The Glory of the Gita's Eighth Chapter: Bhavasharma and the Tali Tree32 v183The Glory of the Gita's Ninth Chapter: The Talking Goat and King Chandrasharma60 v184The Glory of the Gita's Tenth Chapter: The Swan, the Lotus, and the Sage Bound to Kashi99 v185The Glory of the Gita's Eleventh Chapter110 v186The Glory of the Gita's Twelfth Chapter62 v187The Glory of the Gita's Thirteenth Chapter61 v188The Glory of the Gita's Fourteenth Chapter45 v189The Glory of the Gita's Fifteenth Chapter46 v190The Glory of the Gita's Sixteenth Chapter34 v191The Glory of the Gita's Seventeenth Chapter27 v192The Glory of the Gita's Eighteenth Chapter63 v193The Glory of the Shrimad Bhagavata: Bhakti's Lament84 v194The Glory of the Shrimad Bhagavata: The Remedy of the Kumaras74 v195The Glory of the Shrimad Bhagavata: Bhakti Restored78 v196The Story of Atmadeva, Dhundhukari, and Gokarna87 v197The Liberation of Dhundhukari114 v198The Rules of the Saptaha and the Origin of the Bhagavata121 v199The Glory of the Kalindi: Indra's Sacrifice47 v200The Founding of Indraprastha118 v201Devala and the Merchant's Sorrow104 v202King Dilipa's Vow58 v203The Testing of Dilipa69 v204The Rakshasa's Redemption143 v205The Tale of Nigamabodha51 v206The Glory of Dvaraka63 v207Vimala's Quest for a Son69 v208The Tale of Dvaraka68 v209The Story of Mukunda and the Barber59 v210The Episode of Mukunda70 v211The Fate of Chandaka the Barber50 v212The Glory of Kosala55 v213The Glory of Madhuvana: The Unchaste Wife82 v214The Glory of Madhuvana111 v215The Curse of Budha58 v216The Glory of Badarikashrama101 v217The Glory of Haridwar49 v218The Glory of Pushkara: Bharata's Confession54 v219The Glory of Pushkara52 v220The Glory of Indraprastha54 v221The Glory of Prayaga at Indraprastha53 v222The Glory of Kashi, Gokarna, and Shiva-Kanchi at Indraprastha90 v223The Teaching of the Supreme Mantra to Dilipa80 v224The Glory of the Sudarshana Chakra80 v225The Glory of the Urdhva-Pundra59 v226The Teaching of the Meaning of the Mantra93 v227The Three-Fold Glory of Vishnu80 v228The Description of the Supreme Heaven107 v229The Description of Vishnu's Fourfold Vyuha180 v230The Matsya Avatar31 v231The Curse of Durvasa48 v232The Birth of Lakshmi70 v233The Telling of the Ekadashi Fast19 v234The Glory of Dvadashi39 v235The Origin of Heresy64 v236The Telling of the Tamasic Scriptures27 v237The Telling of the Boar Incarnation29 v238The Manifestation of Narasimha154 v239The Manifestation of Vamana (I)31 v240The Manifestation of Vamana (II)60 v241The Story of Parashurama81 v242Rama's Entry into Ayodhya369 v243The Universal Vision53 v244The Telling of Shri Rama's Story94 v245In the Life of Krishna: The Slaying of Kamsa385 v246The Liberation of Muchukunda69 v247The Destruction of Vidarbhasena42 v248The Telling of Rukmini's Marriage19 v249The Telling of Shri Vasudeva's Marriages109 v250The Telling of the Battle with Banasura90 v251The Destruction of the Sorcery of Paundraka's Son28 v252The Determination of Krishna's Departure to His Own Abode113 v253The Telling of Vishnu-Worship Ritual and Vaishnava Conduct177 v254The Telling of the 108 Names of Ramachandra69 v255The Telling of Bhrigu's Test125 v
Why it matters today
The Bhrigu-pariksha episode is one of the most widely retold stories in popular Vaishnava tradition, still cited today as the classical scriptural basis for ranking Vishnu's forbearance above Brahma's and Shiva's more reactive temperaments — a story frequently repeated in Vaishnava discourse independent of its specific Puranic source.