The Nagara Khanda is the glory-book of Hatakeshvara, the sacred field of the Nagara brahmin community. It opens with the origin of the Hatakeshvara linga and the Trishanku-Harishchandra-Vishvamitra cycle, then widens across nearly three hundred chapters into an immense catalogue of tirthas, lingas, and their origin-stories founded throughout the kshetra — Vritra's slaying, the Vishvamitra-Menaka episode, Agastya's hermitage, the sixty-eight tirthas gathered into one field, and dozens of individual shrine-etiologies tied to sages, kings, and demons. Major narrative threads run throughout: the Damayanti and Samba episodes, the Bhishma-Yudhishthira dialogue on the twenty-one hells, an extended dharmashastra treatment of shraddha (ancestor-rites) and the varna-appropriate conduct expected of the sacchudra, the Chaturmasya vow cycle, the glory of the Shaligrama stone and the sacred trees (Ashvattha, Bilva, Tulasi), and — in its final movement — the origin of the seven long-lived witnesses who restore King Indradyumna's forgotten fame, the twelve Adityas, and the eleven Rudras. The khanda closes, fittingly for its encyclopedic scope, on the merit of hearing the Purana itself.
Chapters
1The Origin of the Linga at Hatakeshvara72 v2The Tale of Trishanku23 v3Harishchandra Gains the Kingdom36 v4Vishvamitra Undertakes to Sacrifice for Trishanku71 v5The Twelve-Year Sacrifice for Trishanku's Ascent28 v6Vishvamitra Obtains a Boon from Shiva18 v7Trishanku Attains Heaven19 v8The Slaying of Vritra134 v9The Filling of the Serpent's Burrow48 v10King Chamatkara Cured of Leprosy at Shankha-tirtha24 v11Gift of a City to Brahmanas70 v12Advice to the Sons14 v13Glory of Acalesvara40 v14Efficacy of Circumambulating Camatkarapura42 v16Merit of Residing near Raktasrnga11 v17Vidurathas Hunting Expedition22 v18King Viduratha in a Hermitage107 v19Greatness of Pitrkupika Tirtha37 v20Greatness of Balamandana Tirtha81 v21The Glory of Balasakhya Tirtha86 v22The Glory of Balamandana Tirtha56 v23The Glory of Mriga Tirtha21 v24The Origin of Vishnupadi Tirtha36 v25The Glory of Vishnupadi Ganga46 v26The Glory of Gokarna Tirtha98 v27The Description of the Nature of the Four Yugas101 v28The Refuge of All Tirthas at Hatakeshvara Kshetra26 v29The Glory of Siddheshvara and the Six-Syllable Mantra259 v30The Account of the Origin of Siddheshvara20 v31The Glory of the Serpent Pool (Nagahrada)118 v32The Glory of the Hermitage of the Seven Sages100 v33The Glory of Agastya's Hermitage50 v34The Battle Between the Gods and the Demons35 v35Agastya's Drinking of the Ocean and the Grant of the Chitreshvara Shrine59 v36The Glory of the Chitreshvari Shrine60 v37The Origin of the Temple Called Dushila48 v38The Glory of Dhundhumareshvara15 v39The Glory of Yayatishvara15 v40The Glory of the Wondrous Slab (Chitrashila)68 v41The Origin of Jalashayin54 v42The Meeting of Vishvamitra and Menaka41 v43The Dialogue of Vishvamitra and Menaka11 v44The Greatness of Vishvamitreshvara29 v45The Greatness of Tripushkara73 v46The Greatness of Sarasvati Tirtha45 v47The Greatness of Mahakaleshvara72 v48The Origin and Greatness of Uma-Maheshvara48 v49King Kalasha's Transformation into a Tiger by Durvasa's Curse26 v50The Dialogue Between the Cow and the Tiger28 v51The Deliverance of King Kalasha and the Greatness of Kalasheshvara91 v52The Greatness of Rudrakoti30 v53The Greatness of Bhrunagarta and the Deliverance of King Saudasa102 v54The Greatness of the Charmamunda Established by Nala33 v55The Greatness of Naleshvara21 v56The Greatness of Sambaditya28 v57The Pilgrimage of Bhishma and the Temples of Chamatkarapura46 v58The Greatness of Shivaganga13 v59Vidura's Temples and the Greatness of Vidureshvara33 v60The Greatness of Mahittha and Naraditya25 v61The Origin of the Poison-Maiden32 v62The Glory of the Sharmishtha Tirtha95 v63The Origin of the Someshvara Lingas61 v64The Glory of Chamatkari Devi36 v65The Shudra and the Liberation of the Pretas69 v66The Slaying of Jamadagni61 v67The Slaying of Sahasrarjuna40 v68Parashurama's Gift of the Earth and the Sea's Withdrawal18 v69The Glory of Ramahrada26 v70The Origin of Kartikeya68 v71The Glory of the Shakti Established by Skanda44 v72The Kauravas' Visit to the Field of Hatakeshvara28 v73The Undertaking to Establish Temples by Dhritarashtra and Others47 v74The Account of the Linga-Installations by the Kauravas, Pandavas, and Yadavas16 v75The Glory of the Sacrificial Ground10 v76The Establishment of Mundira, Kalapriya, and Mulasthana75 v77The Glory of the Altar Where Hara Resides75 v78The Glory of Rudrashirsha (Jageshvara)59 v79The Glory of the Valakhilya Hermitage54 v80The Glory of Suparna: The Vision of Vishnu57 v81The Fall of Suparna's Wings40 v82The Greatness of Suparneshvara35 v83The Greatness of the Deity Named Suparna30 v84Madhavi's Penance and Her Attaining Subhadra-hood25 v85The Greatness of Mahalakshmi16 v86The Greatness of Saptavimshatika24 v87The Greatness of the Moon's Temple24 v88The Greatness of Ambavriddha65 v89The Greatness of Shri Mata's Sacred Sandals47 v90The Greatness of the Vasordhara Offering82 v91The Origin of Agnitirtha11 v92The Greatness of Brahmakunda27 v93The Greatness of Gomukha Tirtha50 v94The Greatness of the Iron Staff27 v95The Greatness of Ajapaleshvari93 v96The Dialogue Between Dasharatha and Shanaishchara42 v97Dasharatha's Resolve to Perform Austerities46 v98The Greatness of Rajasvamin and Rajavapi25 v99Durvasa's Arrival Before Shri Rama46 v100Shri Rama's Journey to Sugriva's City after Lakshmana's Passing72 v101Rama's Establishment of the Rameshvara Lingas at the Bridge44 v102The Five Temples Built by Rama at Hatakeshvara, Beginning with Lakshmaneshvara22 v103The Glory of the Anartaka Tirtha Well110 v104The Establishment of Kusheshvara and Laveshvara126 v105The Fatal Rakshasa-Lingas9 v106The Account of the Vanished Tirthas35 v107The Account of the Brahmin Chitrasharma's Establishment of the Linga77 v108The Sixty-Eight Tirthas40 v109The Deities of the Sixty-Eight Tirthas25 v110The Essence of the Sixty-Eight Tirthas: Hatakeshvara Supreme13 v111Damayanti Turned to Stone by the Brahmins' Curse94 v112The Origin of the Barren Land27 v113The Greatness of the Fire-pit for the Purification of the Trijata106 v114The Origin of the Name Nagara94 v115The Sage-Gotras and the Rites Ordained by Bhartriyajna51 v116The Greatness of Ambarevati Tirtha58 v117The Origin of Bhattika Tirtha80 v118The Origin of Kshemankari and Raivateshvara34 v119The Defeat of the Army of the Gods75 v120The Origin of Katyayani24 v121The Defeat of Mahishasura and the Glory of Katyayani86 v122The Origin of Kedara65 v123The Greatness of Shukla-tirtha56 v124The Origin of Mukhara-tirtha (Valmiki)92 v125The Account of King Satyasandha95 v126The Greatness of Satyasandheshvara34 v127The Greatness of Karnotpala-tirtha33 v128The Origin of Ateshvara56 v129The Greatness of the Yajnavalkya Ashrama73 v130The Origin of Panchapinda-Gauri63 v131The Origin of Ishana and the Ganapati Established by Vararuchi54 v132The Origin of the Vastu-Purusha and the Vastupada Tirtha40 v133The Origin of Ajagriha, the Deity of the Disease-Curing Waters66 v134The Curse of Kama and the Origin of Khandashila and the Saubhagya Well79 v135The Devotion of Dirghika, and the Curse and Release of Mandavya96 v136The Curse of Mandavya upon Dharmaraja and the Boons at Dirghika30 v137How the Sage Mandavya Came to Be Impaled12 v138The Origin of Dharmarajeshvara: How Dharmaraja Became Vidura18 v139The Greatness of Dharmarajeshvara: The Curse of the Grieving Brahmin64 v140The Birth of Yudhishthira, Son of Dharmaraja8 v141The Glory of Mishtannadeshvara59 v142The Origin of the Ganapati Trio42 v143The Curse of Jabali52 v144The Tale of Chitrangadeshvara and Phalavati164 v145The Glory of Amareshvara48 v146The Names of the Thirty-Three Gods13 v147The Dialogue of Vyasa and Shuka67 v148The Glory of Vatikeshvara14 v149The Manifestation of Kelishvari and the Slaying of Andhaka101 v150The Glory of Kelishvari30 v151Andhaka's Penance on the Trident and the Grace of Bhairava61 v152The Glory of Chakrapani, Established by Arjuna47 v153The Origin of the Rupa-tirtha and the Apsaras' Pool54 v154The Siddhi of Chitreshvari-pitha and the Close of the Hatakeshvara Glory43 v155Pushpaditya and King Chitravarma's Miserly Kinsman Manibhadra48 v156Manibhadra's Cruelty and the Humiliation of the Brahmin Pushpa52 v157Pushpa's Boon from the Sun God51 v158The Death of Manibhadra88 v159Pushpa Comes Into Manibhadra's Wealth11 v160Pushpa's Confession and His Resolve to Seek Purification at Hatakeshvara27 v161The Glory of Pushpaditya at Hatakeshvara19 v162The Rite of Purashcharana Saptami77 v163The Origin of the Brahmin-Nagaras39 v164The Origin of Nagareshvara, Nagaraditya, and Shakambhari48 v165The Origin of Ashvatirtha37 v166The Origin of Parashurama48 v167Vishvamitra Renounces His Kingdom73 v168The Origin of Dhara (Nagareshvari)56 v169The Origin of Dhara and Her Glory36 v170The Glory of the Origin of the Dhara Tirtha14 v171The Cessation of the Divine Weapons Between Vasishtha and Vishvamitra28 v172The Account of the Curse Upon the Sarasvati22 v173Sarasvati's Release from the Curse and the Origin of the Sabhramati16 v174The Birth of Pippalada98 v175The Glory of the Origin of Yajnavalkyeshvara16 v176The Glory of the Origin of Kansarishvara25 v177The Legend of Panchapindika Gauri: Padmavati's Devotion69 v178The Legend of Panchapindika Gauri: Lakshmi's Vow and Boon80 v179The Origin of the Threefold Pushkara and the Preparations for Brahma's Sacrifice69 v180The Appointment of the Sixteen Priests and the Commencement of Brahma's Sacrifice39 v181The Marriage of Gayatri and the Glory of the Gayatri-tirtha77 v182The Origin of Rupa-tirtha and the Account of the First Day of the Sacrifice73 v183The Origin and Greatness of Naga-tirtha46 v184The Tale of Pingala Among the Guest's Six Gurus42 v185The Guest's Six Gurus and the Grant of the Yajna-purusha's Boon120 v186The Greatness of the Guest22 v187The Account of the Shraddha that Falls to the Rakshasa49 v188The Mother-Goddesses' Arrival and Savitri's Curse83 v189The Prior Birth and Origin of Udumbari29 v190The Descent of Pushkara and the Origin of the Yakshma-tirtha79 v191The Ill Omens on Savitri's Approach to the Sacrifice14 v192The Greatness of Savitri104 v193Gayatri's Grant of Boons20 v194The Greatness of the Twin Maiden-Tirthas and the Sandal-Footprints in the Pit, Bestowing the Knowledge of Brahman62 v195The Tale of the Chandogya Brahmin's Daughter36 v196King Brihadbala of Dasharna's Journey to the City of the Lord of Anarta14 v197The Account of Paravasu's Penance126 v198The Greatness of the Twin Tirthas of Shudri and Brahmani108 v199The Supremacy of the Eight Nagara Lineages175 v200The Community Ordinance Established by Bhartriyajna for the Nagara Clan37 v201The Procedure for Judging a Nagara's Petition42 v202Bhartriyajna's Explanation of the Judgment by Speech19 v203The Method of Certifying a Nagara's Purity17 v204The Account of the Preta-Shraddha in the Dialogue of Indra and Vishnu37 v205The Greatness of the Fruit of the Gaya-Shraddha, in the Dialogue of Indra and Vishnu15 v206The Greatness of the Bala-mandana Tirtha172 v207Indra's Curse and the Origin of the Pancharatra Festival78 v208The Purification of Ahalya and the Rise of Hatakeshvara94 v209The Origin of Shankheshvara and Shankha-tirtha88 v210The Origin of the Betel Creeper and its Atonement96 v211The Restoration of the Brahmins' Land-Charters12 v212The Greatness of Ratnaditya76 v213The Story of Samba and the Shrine of Kuharavasa117 v214The Worship of Ganapati in the Legend of Vishvamitra72 v215The Necessity of Shraddha for the Ancestors61 v216The Origin of the Shraddha Rite139 v217The Determination of Brahmins Worthy and Unworthy of Shraddha, and the Auspicious Times67 v218The Rules Governing the Shraddha23 v219The Desire-Specific Shraddhas24 v220The Glory of the Gajachhaya (Elephant-Shadow) Shraddha76 v221The Enumeration of the Things Ordained by Brahma at Creation as Fit for the Shraddha58 v222The Determination of the Fourteenth-Day Shraddha for Those Slain by Weapons33 v223On the Worthy and Unworthy Brahmins and Sons Eligible for the Shraddha18 v224The Detailed Procedure of the Shraddha Rite53 v225The Procedure of the Sapindikarana Rite29 v226The Dialogue of Bhishma and Yudhishthira: The Twenty-One Hells and the Remedies for Their Torments84 v227The Means of Averting the Torments of Hell18 v228The Origin of the Jalashayin Legend: Andhaka's Insolent Defiance of Shankara's Command43 v229The Origin of Bhringiriti: Shiva's Battle with Andhaka30 v230Vrika's Attainment of Indra's Kingdom22 v231The Glory of the Ekadashi Vow: Vishnu's Reclining upon Vrika98 v232The Observances and Rules of the Chaturmasya Vow39 v233The Glory of Bathing during Chaturmasya36 v234The Rules and Discipline of the Chaturmasya Vow: The Dharma of Compassion30 v235The Glory of Giving during Chaturmasya34 v236The Glory of Renunciation of Desired Things during Chaturmasya29 v237The Greatness of the Chaturmasya Vow27 v238The Glory of Tapas during Chaturmasya60 v239The Sixteen Offerings of Worship and the Glory of the Lamp57 v240The Description of Devotion, from the Gift of the Lamp to the Contemplation of Union with the Lord22 v241The Teaching on the Sacchudra, the Righteous Shudra52 v242The Account of the Eighteen Prakritis45 v243The Story of Paijavana and the Glory of Shaligrama Worship67 v244The Twenty-Four Names and Forms of the Shaligrama14 v245The Marriage of Shiva and Parvati, and the Gods' Plea Against Tarakasura51 v246The Curse of Parvati upon the Gods, and the Glory of the Bilva Leaf37 v247The Glory of the Ashvattha in the Story of Paijavana43 v248The Glory of the Palasha15 v249The Glory of Tulasi19 v250The Origin of the Bilva19 v251The Curse of Vishnu34 v252The Glory of the Trees50 v253Shankara's Placation of Parvati37 v254The Description of Hara's Tandava Dance104 v255The Glory of Lakshmi-Narayana31 v256The Glory of the Name of Rama53 v257The Glory of the Twelve-Syllabled Mantra and Parvati's Vow of Austerity26 v258Shiva's Curse: The Sages of Daruvana and the Falling of the Linga49 v259The Linga at Amarakantaka and the Praise of the Bull Nila74 v260The Conclusion of the Shalagrama Narrative and the Fruit of Hearing It10 v261Parvati's Vision of Vishnu and Shiva, Her Reunion with Kartikeya, and the Meditation on the Twelve-Syllabled Mantra64 v262The Nyasa of the Twelve-Syllabled Mantra and the Teaching of Jnana-Yoga80 v263The Teaching of Karma-Yoga and the Birth of Matsyendranath62 v264The Slaying of Tarakasura and Kartikeya's Renunciate Wisdom41 v265The Bhishmapanchaka Vow and the Ashunya-Shayana Vow39 v266The Glory of Shivaratri88 v267The Glory of Tulapurusha-dana at Siddheshvara39 v268The Glory of Prithvi-dana at Gautameshvara40 v269The Origin and Glory of Kapalamochaneshvara at Vatakeshvara151 v270The Rite of the Sin-Offering at Kapaleshvara22 v271The Origin of the Seven Lingas at Hatakeshvara456 v272The Nature and Measure of the Yugas58 v273The Measure of the Yugas and the Reckoning of Time17 v274How the Linga of Durvasa Came to Be Called Dushileshvara113 v275The Origin of Nimbeshvara and Shakambhari8 v276The Origin of the Eleven Rudras43 v277The Glory of Donation before the Eleven Rudras13 v278The Twelve Adityas and the Tale of Yajnavalkya140 v279The Glory of Hearing This Purana19 v
Why it matters today
Hatakeshvara-kshetra is identified with the region around modern Vadnagar in Gujarat, and the Nagara brahmin community this khanda addresses remains a distinct, historically documented Gujarati Brahmin lineage today — giving this khanda's extensive gotra, tirtha, and community-conduct material a continuous connection to a living social and religious identity rather than a purely literary one.