 The textual tradition claims that the original "Vishnu Purana" had 23,000 verses, but the surviving manuscripts have just a third of these, about 7,000 verses.The text is composed in metric verses or "sloka", wherein each verse has exactly 32 syllables, of which 16 syllables in the verse may be free style per ancient literary standards.The "Vishnu Purana" is an exception in that it presents its contents in Vishnu worship-related "Pancalaksana" format – "Sarga" (cosmogony), "Pratisarga" (cosmology), "Vamśa" (mythical genealogy of the gods, sages and kings), "Manvañtara" (cosmic cycles), and "Vamśānucaritam" (legends during the times of various kings).