I have said before that Harivamsha consists of the life and miracles of Srikrishna together with an account of his family. I think, I should say a few words whether the central hero of this great work as well as of many other works is a historical person or a myth. Foreigners who have no access to the literature of the Hindus consider him as a creation of imagination, an ideal of lust. Several poetical works and Brahma Vaivarta Purana in the list of Puranas are responsible for this opinion. Any impartial student, of Mahabharata and other authentic writings regarding his life, will admit that he was a real historical personage—a man of wonderful power and superhuman intellect. He was a great politician and a great prophet. Such a combination is rare in the history of men. If the battle of Kurukshetra is a historical incident which many inscriptions prove we fail to see why the central figure should not be a historical character. Srikrisna is a grand figure in the history of the Aryans—his life teems with lofty moral precepts which have been still shedding lustre upon the greatness of our forefathers; his teachings have been not only swaying over the vast millions of India but have arrested the admiration and veneration of the people of the West. Writers like Messrs Dupuis and Volney have even gone the length of arguing in their respective works that the history of life and miracles of Christ have been borrowed from those of Indian Krishna. If then for many miracles attributed to him he is to be considered a myth, what claim then can any other prophet have for being considered a historical character whose life also has been interwoven with many such miracles? Harivamsha is an account of the life and family of this Greatest Prophet of the Hindus and therefore it is hoped an English Translation of such a work will be welcome to the public. With His Highness’ kind permission this English Translation of Harivamsha Is most humbly and respectfully dedicated to Col. H. H. Maharajah Sir Pertab Sing, Inday Mahindar Bahadur G. G. S. T. Maharajah of Cashmere As a token of appreciation of His Highness’ sympathy for Such works, his vast scholarship and liberality By his most obedient and humble Servant and admirer The author. HARIVAMSHA THE PRELUDE.