GARUDA PURANA

...to further the work of the Devas the celestial beings or gods, He was born as a king—Rama—who built a bridge over the ocean and performed other miraculous feats. In His nineteenth and twentieth incarnations, the Lord was born as Balarama The text simply says "Rama" here, referring to Krishna's elder brother to distinguish him from the previous Rama. and Krishna, and thereby relieved the earth of her heavy burden. Then, at the junction of the Kali Yuga the current age of spiritual darkness and discord, for the purpose of confusing the enemies of the gods, He was born as Buddha, the son of Jina original: "Jina"; in Puranic accounts, Buddha is sometimes referred to as the son of Ajina or associated with the lineage of the "Jinas" or conquerors.. In the period of the eighth junction the transition between cosmic cycles, when all the kings will be on the verge of destruction, He will be born as Kalki, the son of Vishnuyasa original: "Vishnujasa", the lord of the world.

Innumerable are the incarnations of Hari a popular name for Vishnu, meaning "The Remover of Sin", who is the very mine of Sattva the quality of goodness, purity, and harmony, O twice-born ones A term for those who have undergone spiritual initiation, typically the priestly or warrior classes.. The prime Manus the ancestral progenitors of humanity and the knowers of the Vedas the most ancient and sacred scriptures are all said to have originated from Vishnu. From them proceeded the work of creation. And they should be adored with vowed observances and other sacred rites. This Garuda Purana, consisting of eight thousand and eight hundred verses, was narrated to me in former times by the sage Vyasa.

CHAPTER II.

THE RISHIS the forest-dwelling sages said:—Why did Vyasa describe the Garuda Purana to you? Please describe that most excellent theme relating to Vishnu.

THE SUTA the traditional title for a bard or storyteller said:—In the company of the ascetics, I had gone to the hermitage of Badarika original: "Vadarika"; known today as Badrinath, a sacred site in the Himalayas.. There I saw Vyasa meditating on the great Ishwara the Supreme Lord. Having bowed unto him, I took my seat and addressed that foremost of ascetics, saying:—

“O Vyasa, relate unto me the form of Hari from which the creation of the universe has emanated. I believe that while you meditate on the Lord, you must surely know it.”