The Harivamsha and the Vishnu Purana

The Harivamsha, an appendix to the Mahabharata, and the Vishnu Purana are, with the Bhagavatam, the main ancient sources for the life of Shri Krishna.

In the Mahabharata, Shri Krishna appears mainly as the friend and guide of the Pandavas. A detailed account of his childhood and his leelas in Vraja is not found there. This gap is filled by the Harivamsha, which is regarded as a khila, an appendix or supplement, to the Mahabharata. According to tradition it too forms part of the narration given by Vaishampayana to King Janamejaya.

The Harivamsha is traditionally divided into three parts: the Harivamsha Parva, the Vishnu Parva and the Bhavishya Parva. The first describes creation and the royal lineages, including the Yadu dynasty. The Vishnu Parva tells of Krishna's birth, his leelas in Gokul and Vrindavan, the end of Kamsa, the move from Mathura to Dwarka and his life there. The Bhavishya Parva speaks of later times and other stories. It is regarded as one of the oldest connected accounts of Krishna's life.

The Vishnu Purana is one of the most important of the eighteen Mahapuranas. In it the sage Parashara narrates to his disciple Maitreya. It is divided into six books, called amshas, covering creation, the glory of Lord Vishnu, the stories of Dhruva and Prahlada, the structure of the worlds, the royal dynasties and the age of Kali. Its fifth amsha is devoted entirely to the life of Shri Krishna.

The core events in the Bhagavatam, the Harivamsha and the Vishnu Purana are the same, though details and order sometimes differ. Devotees see these texts as complementing one another, together giving a fuller picture of Krishna's divine life.

Source

Harivamsha; Vishnu Purana, Amsha 5