Harivamsa Purana

by Vyasa

Also known as: Harivamsha, Harivamsha Parva, Khila of the Mahabharata, Harivamsa (Dynasty of Hari)

Harivamsa Purana cover
Culture:Indian, Jain
Oral:200 BCE-200 CE
Written:100-300 CE
Length:16,374 lines, (~22 hours)
Harivamsa Purana cover
An appendix to the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa recounts creation, dynastic genealogies, and especially the life and deeds of Krishna—from his birth and childhood exploits to the founding of Dvaraka and later campaigns.

Description

The Harivamsa (Dynasty of Hari) is a Sanskrit khila attached to the Mahabharata. It expands the epic’s scope with a cosmogony and an extensive catalogue of royal lineages, then turns to the biography of Krishna, detailing his pastoral childhood in Vraja, his conflicts with Kamsa and other foes, and the political-religious foundation of Dvaraka. Traditionally divided into three parvas—Harivamsa, Vishnu, and Bhavishya—it blends mythic cosmology, genealogy, and narrative episodes that became central to Vaishnava devotion and later Puranic literature. Its materials overlap with and prefigure themes elaborated in the Bhagavata and Vishnu Puranas while preserving early epic-style tellings distinct from later bhakti idioms.

Historiography

Preserved in multiple recensions, the Harivamsa was critically edited in the twentieth century from diverse manuscripts, distinguishing it from the vulgate tradition. Its three-part structure (Harivamsa, Vishnu, Bhavishya) suggests layered composition, with cosmological and genealogical materials likely earliest and some future-oriented chapters later. The text strongly influenced and was reworked by Vaishnava Puranas; conversely, Harivamsa chapters show intertextual borrowing with Purana literature. Modern scholarship treats it as both an epic appendix and a Purana-like compendium, marking an important bridge between the Mahabharata and classical Vaishnava narratives.

Date Notes

A khila (appendix) to the Mahabharata; textual strata likely accreted over the early centuries CE with later redactional activity.

Major Characters

  • Rishabhanatha
  • Bharata
  • Bahubali
  • Krishna
  • Balarama
  • Jarasandha
  • Neminatha

Myths

  • Lineages of the Bharatas and Vrishnis
  • Krishna as Vasudeva in Royal Genealogies
  • Sacred Pilgrimages and Holy Places

Facts

  • Functions as a khila (appendix) to the Mahabharata rather than an independent Purana in the strict sense.
  • Standard division into three parvas: Harivamsa, Vishnu, and Bhavishya.
  • Focuses on Krishna’s genealogy, childhood in Vraja, and rise to power at Dvaraka.
  • Preserves early epic-style tellings without later bhakti-era Radha motifs.
  • Contains extensive dynastic catalogues of Solar and Lunar lineages.
  • Syamantaka jewel narrative provides key links to Pradyumna and Satrajit cycles.
  • Govardhana episode reframes Vedic sacrifice in favor of direct devotion and dharma toward nature and cattle.
  • Bhavishya Parva includes future-oriented materials and prophetic lists.
  • Intertextually connected with Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas, which elaborate many Harivamsa episodes.
  • Critical editions distinguish it from the broader vulgate; textual strata indicate layered composition.