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The great Saga Vyasa – the writer of the epic of Mahabharata and the Puranas was an eminent writer of his times, the parallel of whom is difficult to be found in the religious history of India. Inspite of his composing his epic of Mahabharata comprising of a lac of verses, it is believe that he still felt, dissatisfied and intended to create further literature. With this end in view he composed the Harivamsa which is believe to be an appendix to the great epic of Mahabharata.

The main object for the composing of Harivamsa has been apparently to sing the praise of Lord Visnu which is divided into three Parvas viz. Harivamsa Visnu Parva and Bhavisya Parva. The three Parvas deal with subjects of the creations of the world, the king of the solar and lunar dynasties, the Yadu race besides the birth of Lord Krsna and his childhood sports. In fact Visnu Parva deals with the childhood sports of Si Kesna. Though traces of some future events are found at the start of the Bhavisya Parva, the matters like the creation of the world, the incarnation, of Visnu Vamana and Narsimha are also mentioned besides Siva and Visnu constitute the main theme of the Parva.

The Adi Parva, chapter 2 of the Mahabharata testified about the authorship of Harivamsa which rests with the sage Vyasa, as follows.