In the ancient times, the world blossomed with life through the divine births of many beings. Four-footed creatures and cows of fragrant breed came forth, as did the Suparṇas and birds, born of Vinatā. The goddess Kadrū gave birth to all the mountains and serpents, and thus, the worlds flourished and grew, O mighty king. Then, the great-souled Pauṣkara manifested, a revelation spoken by Dvaipāyana himself. The ancient person, Viṣṇu—Hari, the Lord—was narrated in order, praised by the supreme sages for his wondrous deeds. Whoever listens reverently to this foremost Purāṇa at sacred times attains heavenly worlds, free from passion, and enjoys great rewards hereafter. He who pleases Kṛṣṇa by sight, mind, speech, and action finds Kṛṣṇa pleased with him. Such devotion brings many blessings: the king gains sovereignty, the poor receives wealth, those with diminished lifespan obtain longevity, and those desiring sons are granted them. Sacrifices, Vedas, desires, and various austerities are attained, and the devotee of Viṣṇu gains merits and wealth. Whatever one desires may be obtained from the Lord of the world by reciting this Pauṣkaraka of Hari, abandoning all else. For such a devotee, there is no misfortune. This manifestation called Pauṣkaraka of the great-souled one has been proclaimed to you, O most fortunate, as heard from Vyāsa. Now, O king, hear of Viṣṇu’s divinity and his forms: as Hari in the Kṛta Yuga, as Vaikuṇṭha among the gods, and as Kṛṣṇa among men. The Lord’s course of actions is profound; listen to what has passed, what is, and what is to come, just as it is. He who is unmanifest yet abides in manifest form, the blessed Nārāyaṇa of infinite essence, is the source and imperishable. This Nārāyaṇa, becoming Hari, is the eternal one; he is Brahmā, Vāyu, Soma, Dharma, Śakra, and Bṛhaspati. He also takes birth as the son of Aditi in every age, known as the mighty younger brother of Indra. Born from the favor of the mighty one, he becomes Aditi’s son to destroy the enemies of the gods—the Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas. The Lord, whose essence is primordial, created Brahmā in former times, and that first being then created the progenitors in the previous cycle. From Brahmā came the Manus, the supreme lineages, and from those great souls, Brahman, eternal, arose in many forms. Now hear of Viṣṇu’s wondrous deeds, celebrated and praised among people. In the Kṛta Yuga, after the slaying of Vṛtra, there arose the great battle called Tārakāmaya, renowned throughout the three worlds. Fierce Dānavas, unconquerable in battle, struck down the hosts of gods, along with Yakṣas, serpents, and Rākṣasas. Defeated and exhausted, the gods, their weapons spent, sought a protector—the god Nārāyaṇa. Meanwhile, clouds with the brilliance of extinguished embers covered the sky, obscuring the sun, moon, and all the planets. Fierce, lightning-filled clouds roared dreadfully, struck by each other’s force, blowing together with the winds. The sky seemed ablaze with water, thunderbolts, fire, and winds, accompanied by terrible sounds and omens. Meteors fell in thousands, divine aerial cars descended and ascended, and at the end of the four ages, when fear seized the worlds, forms lost their shapes—a sign of impending calamity. All things appeared dull and without luster; nothing could be discerned, for the ten directions were enveloped in masses of darkness. Then Kālī entered, veiled in clouds of time, and dreadful darkness covered everything—the sky did not shine, the sun was overpowered. At that moment, the Lord seized the masses of darkness with his two arms and revealed his divine form—Hari, radiant and dark. His form was like a rain-cloud, his hair like the filaments of clouds, his body shining dark as a mountain of blackness. He wore a shining yellow garment, adorned with ornaments of molten gold, his body dark as smoke and shadow, rising like fire at the end of an age. His shoulders were four times enlarged, his hair crowned, and he shone, adorned with golden weapons. He radiated with the light of moon and sun, towering like a mountain peak, his hand delighting in the Nandaka sword, bearing arrows like venomous serpents. Resplendent with various weapons and great strength, he held conch, discus, and mace—the mountain of Viṣṇu, the root of the earth, the tree of fortune, bearing the Śārṅga bow as his horn. He granted the wishes of the gods, his branches as lovely as the women of heaven, beloved of all worlds, enchanting to all beings. He was adorned with the peaks of many flying palaces, dripping with the nectar of clouds and water, established in the essence of knowledge and ego, the great sprouting of the elements. Covered with special leaves, blossoming with planets and stars, he was the great trunk of the world of demons, illuminating the world of mortals. He roared like the ocean, his foundation vast as the underworld, stretched out by the cords of lion-lords, attended by winged creatures. Rich with the fragrance of virtue and meaning, he was the great tree of all worlds, with unmanifest, endless waters, and manifest ego as its foam. Such is the vision of Hari, the Lord, in his divine manifestation, the source and protector of all.