Vaishnava Khanda gathers nine mahatmyas glorifying Vishnu's sacred sites, the merit of specific months and observances, and the greatness of hearing the Purana itself. It opens at Venkatachala (Tirupati), tracing the mountain's cosmic origins and the tapas of Anjana that brings forth Hanuman, before moving to Puri, where the founding and sanctity of the Purushottama-Jagannatha kshetra unfolds at length. A visit to Badrinath's sacred fords follows, then an extended cycle on the vows and merit of the month of Kartika — bathing, lamp-offerings, Ekadashi, and the interwoven tale of Jalandhara, Vrinda, and the origin of Tulasi. The Margashirsha-masa Mahatmya turns to worship of the conch and tulasi and closes with the glory of Mathura, while a short but potent Bhagavata Mahatmya declares the supremacy of hearing that scripture above all austerities. The Vaishakha-masa Mahatmya carries a full retelling of Daksha's sacrifice, Sati's death, and the birth of Skanda, alongside King Kirtiman's confrontation with Yama himself. A pilgrimage through Ayodhya's own sacred fords follows, and the khanda closes with the Vasudeva Mahatmya — King Uparichara Vasu's fall and redemption, the churning of the ocean of milk, the celestial wedding of Lakshmi and Narayana, and instruction in the worship of Vasudeva — ending, fittingly, with the khanda's own colophon of completion.
Chapters
1Narada's Vision of Yajna-Varaha on Mount Sumeru105 v2The Rite of the Sri Varaha Mantra27 v3How Agastya's Prayer Made the Lord Visible to All38 v4Narada's Visit to Padmavati in the Garden54 v5Srinivasa's Longing After Seeing Padmavati68 v6The Companions Tell Bakulamalika of Padmavati73 v7Bakulamalika Tells Dharani of Srinivasa and Kamalalaya's Betrothal72 v8Lakshmi's Companions Adorn the Lord; the Wedding at Akasharaja's City42 v9Vasu, Rangadasa, and the Rise of King Tondaman; the Glory of Padma-sarovar112 v10The Varaha Cave, the Revival of Virasharma's Wife, and Tondaman's Ascension109 v11Kashyapa's Sin Absolved: the Glory of Swami Pushkarini96 v12The Twenty-Eight Hells and the Glory of Swami Pushkarini55 v13Dharmagupta's Madness and the Cure at Swami Pushkarini64 v14Sumati's Fall and Purification at Swami Pushkarini46 v15The Glory of Krishna-tirtha and Sage Ramakrishna27 v16The Glory of Giving Water: King Hemanga's Lizard Rebirth47 v17The Glory of Venkatadri Kshetra26 v18The Glory of Venkateshwara and the Eightfold Devotion45 v19The Glory of Papavinashana Tirtha95 v20Bhadramati's Lament and the Glory of the Land-Gift at Papanashana87 v21The Glory of Akashaganga: Ramanuja's Austerity64 v22The Glory of Akashaganga: Punyashila and the Unworthy Recipient60 v23The Glory of Chakra-tirtha53 v24The Glory of Chakra-tirtha: The Gandharva Sundara49 v25The Glory of Jabali-tirtha40 v26The Glory of Tumburu (Ghona) Tirtha103 v27The Glory of All Tirthas and the Procedure of Purana-Hearing57 v28The Glory of Kataha-tirtha98 v29The Beginning of Arjuna's Tirtha-Pilgrimage48 v30The Description of Bharadvaja's Ashrama52 v31Shankara's Wedding and Agastya's Journey South37 v32The Appearance of Suvarnamukhari56 v33The Glory of the Suvarnamukhari's Power74 v34The Glory of Agastya-tirtha and Other Tirthas46 v35The Description of Creation71 v36The Glorification of the Boar Incarnation65 v37The Arrival of Shankha, Agastya and Others at Sri Venkatachala61 v38The Manifestation of Sri Venkatesha, Pleased by the Austerities of Agastya and Shankha77 v39The Manner of Anjana's Performance of Austerity50 v40Anjana's Attainment of the Boon and the Determination of the Bathing-Time at Akasha Ganga28 v41The Sages' Question and the Revelation of Purushottama Kshetra44 v42Yama's Hymn and Lakshmi's Revelation49 v43Markandeya's Vision of the Great Dissolution55 v44The Antarvedi, Its Guardian Powers, and the Boon of Indradyumna107 v45The Liberation of Pundarika and Ambarisha through the Vision of Vishnu77 v46The Land of Utkala and Its Glories28 v47King Indradyumna and the Discovery of the Purushottama Kshetra99 v48Vidyapati's Vision of Nila-Madhava through the Shabara Vishvavasu86 v49The Disappearance of Nila-Madhava and the Sacred Garland Brought to Indradyumna69 v50Vidyapati's Vision of the Blue Mountain and Narada's Teaching on Bhakti121 v51Indradyumna's Royal Pilgrimage to the Blue Mountain151 v52Indradyumna's Journey to Ekamra Vana and the Legend of Shiva's Kashi133 v53The Legends of Kapoteshvara and Bilveshvara33 v54Indradyumna's Grief and Narada's Promise of the Lord's Return50 v55The Vision of Narasimha and the Mystery of the Lord's Concealment53 v56The Consecration of Narasimha and the King's Hymn66 v57The Grand Assembly and the Vow of a Thousand Horse-Sacrifices139 v58The Divine Tree Found and the Carpenter's Vow46 v59The Fourfold Form Revealed: Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana56 v60Indradyumna's Hymn of Surrender and the Vow to Build the Temple59 v61The Temple's Completion and Narada's Assurance of Liberation71 v62The Journey of Indradyumna and Narada to Brahmaloka48 v63Indradyumna in Brahma's Assembly, and the Secret of the Wooden Lord80 v64The Hymn to the Cosmic Person, and the Temple Already Standing on Nilachala46 v65The Building and Consecration of the Three Chariots74 v66King Gala's Surrender, and Brahma's Descent to Nilachala62 v67Brahma's Descent and the Consecration of the Deities102 v68The Vision of Narasimha and the King of Mantras56 v69The Boon to Indradyumna and the Festival Calendar63 v70The Rite of the Sacred Fords and the Glory of Sea-Bathing168 v71The Narasimha Lake and the Glory of Beholding the Bathing96 v72The Southward-Facing Darshan and the Vow of Jyeshtha-Panchaka74 v73The Gundicha Chariot Festival at the Mahavedi116 v74Seven Nights at Gundicha and the Vanajagarana Rite for the Ancestors48 v75The Return Procession Facing South26 v76The Festival of the Lord's Repose and the Chaturmasya Vow60 v77The Dakshinayana Rite, the Sacred Kitchen, and King Shveta61 v78The Glory of the Sacred Remnant and the Tale of Damanaka133 v79The Turning of the Lord's Side, His Awakening, and the Damodara Vow85 v80The Festival of the Winter Vestment (Pravaranotsava)19 v81The Pushya Bathing Festival23 v82The Makara Sankranti Rite: Trivikrama's Swing and the New-Rice Offering34 v83The Swing Festival of Govinda (Dolarohana)43 v84The Year-Long Vow of the Twelve Forms of Vishnu (Dvadashamurti-vrata)38 v85The Vasantika Festival: The Breaking of the Damanaka Herb16 v86The Sandal-Anointing Festival and Prajapati Daksha's Hymn49 v87The Fruits of Worship and the Call to Dwell at Nilachala18 v88Indradyumna's Final Charge and the Fruit of Hearing this Glory30 v89The Rite of Hearing the Purana, and the Conclusion of the Purushottama-kshetra Mahatmya46 v90The Supremacy of Badarikashrama Over All Sacred Fords63 v91Agni's Hymn of Praise to the Lord43 v92The Glory of Agni-tirtha and the Narada and Markandeya Shilas66 v93The Glory of the Garuda, Varahi, and Narasimhi Rocks52 v94The Disappearance of the Lord from Vishala and the Glory of Badari's Offered Food64 v95The Glory of Brahma-kunda, Sarasvati, and the Vasudhara and Manasodbheda Tirthas76 v96The Glory of Somakunda, the Five Sacred Fords, and the Urvashi Tirtha78 v97The Establishment of Meru and the Lokapalas, and the Sacred Fords Closing the Badrikashrama Mahatmya58 v98The Glory of the Kartika Vow55 v99The Duties of Kartika and the Glory of the Guru55 v100The Glory of Kartika49 v101The Procedure of the Kartika Bath83 v102The Daily Observances33 v103The Rules of the Kartika Vow56 v104The Greatness of the Gift of Lamps131 v105The Greatness of Tulasi57 v106The Rites of Vatsa-Dvadashi, Yama-Trayodashi, Naraka-Chaturdashi, and Dipavali100 v107The Greatness of the First Day of Kartika Shukla63 v108The Greatness of Yama-Dvitiya72 v109The Greatness of the Dhatri Tree129 v110Satyabhama's Previous Birth and the Glory of Prayaga55 v111The Origin of Jalandhara30 v112The Attainment of Jalandhara's Victory27 v113Narada's Arrival at Jalandhara's Court29 v114The Jalandhara Episode: The Messenger's Words33 v115The Jalandhara Episode: The Defeat of Rudra's Army30 v116The Fall of Virabhadra31 v117The Battle of Shiva and Jalandhara31 v118Vrinda's Entry into the Fire31 v119The Account of Jalandhara's Liberation30 v120The Origin of Dhatri and Tulasi23 v121The Tale of Dharmadatta27 v122The Liberation of Kalaha26 v123The Dispute between King Chola and Vishnudasa30 v124The Liberation of Chola and Vishnudasa32 v125Dharmadatta's Attainment of Liberation32 v126Dhaneshvara's Birth as a Yaksha28 v127The Fruits of Given and Un-given Merit, and the Rite of the Month-Long Fast70 v128Kushmanda-Navami and the Rite of Tulasi's Marriage41 v129The Glory of the Bhishma-Panchaka Vow57 v130The Prabodhini Festival and the Rites of the Twelfth Tithi66 v131The Rite of Concluding the Vow (Udyapana)36 v132Vaikuntha-Chaturdashi and the Tripuri-Purnima Vow43 v133The Glory of the Final Three Tithis of Kartika and the Glory of Hearing the Purana58 v134The Fruit of the Gopis' Margashirsha Bathing23 v135The Rule for Wearing the Tripundra35 v136The Manner of Wearing Gopichandana and the Emblems of Shankha, Chakra and the Other Weapons67 v137The Rule for Worship of the Conch52 v138The Fruit of Worshipping the Conch38 v139The Fruit of Offering the Bell-Sound and Tulasi-Sandal to the Lord45 v140The Glory of Flowers, and the Fruit of the Thousand-Jati-Flower Garland on Vishnu's Neck33 v141The Glory of Tulasi, Incense and the Lamp43 v142The Rule of Offering Naivedya33 v143The Completion of the Worship, its Udyapana, and the Fruit Thereof46 v144The Tale of Ekadashi90 v145The Vow of the Unbroken Ekadashi (Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata)66 v146The Fruit of Keeping Vigil on the Ekadashi Vow64 v147The Telling of the Matsya Festival41 v148The Glory of the Name of Shri Krishna68 v149The Glory of the Supremacy of the Bhagavata60 v150The Glory of Mathura71 v151Shandilya's Teaching on the Glory of Vraja42 v152The Vision of Uddhava near Govardhana35 v153The Dialogue of Parikshit and Uddhava74 v154The Nature, Speaker, Listener and Method of the Bhagavata48 v155The Glory of the Vaishakha Bath27 v156The Description of Gifts40 v157Gifts of Bedding, Betel, and Cooling Draughts53 v158The Praise of Vaishakha Observances46 v159The Reason for Vaishakha's Supremacy39 v160The Tale of the House-Lizard52 v161The Liberation of the Pishacha44 v162The Destruction of Daksha's Sacrifice and the Burning of Kama99 v163The Birth of Kumara99 v164The Glory of Giving Shade: King Hemakanta's Deliverance84 v165The Glory of King Kirtiman's Victory120 v166Yama's Lament38 v167The Consoling of Yama72 v168Piśāca-mukti-prāpti — The Ghost's Attainment of Liberation50 v169The Panchala King's Victory and the Destruction of Poverty85 v170The Panchala King's Attainment of Union with Vishnu52 v171The Account of Dantila and Kohala's Attainment of Liberation67 v172Vyādhasya Pūrvajanma-kathanam — The Narration of the Hunter's Former Birth80 v173Vāyu-śāpa-kathanam — The Narration of the Curse upon Vāyu80 v174Bhāgavata-dharma-kathanam — The Narration of the Bhāgavata Dharmas95 v175Vālmīker Janma-kathanam — The Narration of Vālmīki's Birth70 v176Kali-dharma-nirūpaṇe Pitṛ-muktiḥ — The Determination of Dharma in Kali Yuga: The Liberation of the Ancestors118 v177Akṣayya-tṛtīyāyāḥ Śreṣṭhatva-kathanam — The Narration of the Supreme Excellence of Akṣaya Tṛtīyā55 v178Śunī-mokṣa-prāptiḥ — The Attainment of Liberation by the She-Dog107 v179Phala-śruti-kathanam — The Narration of the Fruits of Hearing This Purana69 v180Viṣṇuhari-māhātmya-varṇanam — The Glory of Vishnu-Hari109 v181Brahmakuṇḍa-Sahasradhārā-tīrtha-māhātmya-varṇanam — The Glory of the Brahma-kunda and Sahasradhara Fords85 v182Candra-sahasra-vratodyāpana-vidhi-varṇanam — The Rite of Completion for the Thousand-Moons Vow84 v183Dharmahari-svarṇakhani-māhātmya-varṇanam — The Glory of Dharma-Hari and the Gold Mine71 v184Tilodakī-prabhāva-varṇanam — The Power of the Tilodaki29 v185Svargadvāra-Gopratāra-tīrtha-māhātmya-varṇanam — The Glory of Svargadvara and Gopratara211 v186Brhaspati-Rukmini-Dhanayaksha-Vasishtha-Sagara-Yogini-Urvashi-Ghosharka-kunda-mahatmya-varnanam139 v187Ayodhya-yatra-vidhikrama-varnanam116 v188Gayakupa-Pishacamocana-Manasatirtha-Tamasanadi-Mandavyadyashrama-Sitakunda-Dugdheshvara-Bhairava-Bharatakunda-Jatakunda-mahatmya-varnanam58 v189Ayodhyā-yātrā-vidhikrama-varṇanam — The Order and Rite of the Pilgrimage to Ayodhya87 v190The Question of Savarni28 v191The Meeting of Narayana and Narada36 v192The Universal Worship of Vasudeva42 v193Description of the Liberated Souls of Shvetadvipa30 v194The Virtues of King Uparichara Vasu35 v195The Fall of Uparichara Vasu for Declaring the Veda Sanctions Killing48 v196The Liberation of Uparichara Vasu41 v197The Curse of Indra31 v198The Cause of the Rise of Violent Sacrifice35 v199The Grace of Shri Vasudeva40 v200The Rise of the Poison in the Churning of the Nectar40 v201The Fourteen Treasures from the Churning of the Nectar30 v202The Gods' Drinking of the Nectar33 v203The Wedding Festival of Lakshmi and Narayana65 v204The Praise of Lakshmi-Narayana53 v205The Description of Goloka53 v206The Vision of Sri Vasudeva38 v207The Telling of the Incarnations of Sri Vasudeva71 v208The Meeting of Narada with Nara-Narayana27 v209Exposition of the Duties of the Four Varnas57 v210Exposition of the Duties of the Brahmachari18 v211Exposition of the Duties of the Householder74 v212Vanaprastha and Yati Dharma43 v213The Nature of True Knowledge74 v214Dispassion and Devotion70 v215The Qualification for Ritual Worship38 v216The Design of the Worship-Mandala101 v217Meditation on the Form of Sri Radha-Krishna33 v218The Rite of Worship of Sri Vasudeva49 v219The Eightfold Yoga32 v220The Hymn to Sri Nara-Narayana23 v221The Transmission of this Scripture33 v
Why it matters today
Venkatachala/Tirupati and Puri's Jagannatha Temple remain, respectively, among the most-visited and most iconic pilgrimage sites in India today, giving this khanda's opening mahatmyas an unbroken devotional life; its Kartika-masa and Vaishakha-masa observances (lamp-offerings, Tulasi worship, Ekadashi vows) are still widely kept across Vaishnava households each year, making this one of the most directly lived-out khandas of the entire Skanda Purana.