The Agni Purana, that is the cream of all sciences and the cause of all (13) [Containing an account of] creation and dissolution, of various families, periods of Manu and genealogies. The Lord Vishnu assumes the forms of fish, tortoise etc. There are two sciences, superior and inferior. O twice-born one, the Veda, ¡Rik, Yajush, Saman and Atharvan, the six auxilliaries of the Vedas, namely (Siksha), the science of proper articulation and pronunciation, (Kalpa) ritual or ceremonial, (Vyakarana) grammar, (Nirukta) etymological explanation of difficult Vedic words (Jyotish) astronomy, (Chandas) science of prosody, (Abhidhana) lexicon, Mimamsa, Dharma Shastras, Nyaya, medical science, musical science, the science of archery and Political economy- these all are the inferior sciences. The superior science is that by which Brahman is comprehended (14-17). I will describe unto thee the great Purana, Agni, containing the great and eternal knowledge of Brahman, that which is invisible, incomprehen-sible, stable and eternal.