In Vaishnavism, a Hindu sect that worships Vishnu, the Bhagavata Purana is a treasured book. The book proposes a competing type of religion (dharma) to the Vedas, in which bhakti leads to self-knowledge, liberation (moksha), and happiness.
Scholars agree that the Bhagavata-purana was written in the 10th century in the Tamil region of South India, and that its statement of bhakti (religious devotion) is similar in emotional ardour to that of the South Indian devotional poets, the Alvars. The Purana is made up of 18,000 stanzas separated into 12 books, but it is Book X, which deals with Krishna's boyhood and years spent among the cowherds of Vrindavana, that is responsible for the Purana's enormous popularity among Vaishnavas across India.Scholars agree that the Bhagavata-purana was written in the 10th century in the Tamil region of South India, and that its statement of bhakti (religious devotion) is similar in emotional ardour to that of the South Indian devotional poets, the Alvars. The Purana is made up of 18,000 stanzas separated into 12 books, but it is Book X, which deals with Krishna's boyhood and years spent among the cowherds of Vrindavana, that is responsible for the Purana's enormous popularity among Vaishnavas across India.
The composition date is most likely between the ninth and eleventh
centuries CE, but it might be as early as the sixth century CE. Manuscripts exist
in a variety of inconsistent versions that were updated during the 18th
century, resulting in multiple recensions in the same languages as well as
across Indian languages.
The Bhgavata is sometimes referred to as
the "Fifth Veda" since it is the most well-known and important of the
Puranas. It is unusual in Indian religious literature for its focus on bhakti
practise, as opposed to the Bhagavad Gita's more theoretical bhakti; for its
redefinition of dharma; and for the breadth of its depiction of God in human
form. Understanding the discourse between Krishna Dvaipayan Vyas and Narad Muni
will help you grasp the glory of Srimad Bhagavatam. It's also the source of
many of the popular childhood legends about Krishna that have been passed down
through the generations in India.The Bhgavata is referred to as "the
actual Bible of Krishnaism" by Charlotte Vaudeville, and it asserts itself
to be the core of Vedanta:
The Sri Bhgavata is the most important
piece of Vedanta literature. Anyone who has tasted the honey of its rasa would
never want anything else.
The Bhgavata and the Bhagavad Gita are the
primary sources of scriptural authority utilised by Gaudiya Vaishnavas to
demonstrate Krishna's superiority over other manifestations of God. Krishna
cults utilise an often quoted phrase from the Bhgavata as a representational
statement to indicate that Krishna is "Bhagavan Svayam," or God
himself:
"These [previous incarnations] are amsha, orkala, partial
incarnations, but krishnas tu bhagavan svayam, 'Krishna is Bhagavan, God
himself,'" says the author.
The primary scripture of
the Ekasarana Dharma, a monotheistic religion in Assam, is Srimanta
Sankardeva's and colleagues' 15th–16th century Assamese translation of the
Purana (Bhagavat of Sankardeva). Sankardeva's version of the tenth Book, known
as daxama in the region, is particularly popular.
The text is divided into twelve books (skandhas), each with 332 chapters (adhyayas) and 16,000 to 18,000 verses, depending on the recension. The eleventh book, which contains around 4,000 verses, is the most well-known and researched.
Bhagavata Purana (Devanagari: भागवतपुराण; IAST: Bhāgavata Purāṇa) also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahā-purāṇa,
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata, is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (Mahapuranas).
The Bhgavata is a tale told by Ugrasrava Sauti (Sta) to Saunaka
and other sages gathered in the Naimisha Forest by the storyteller Ugrasrava
Sauti (Sta). Veda Vyasa was dissatisfied, as Sta recounts, even after he made
divine wisdom accessible to humanity by writing the Vedas and the Mahabharata.
In his capacity as a god-to-man conduit, the sage Narada visited Vyasa to warn
him that his uneasiness stemmed from his failure to articulate the greatest aim
of knowledge—bhakti, or devotion to God.
The first narration of Vyasa's work, delivered by Vyasa's son uka to King Parikshit, Arjuna's grandson, is recounted by Sta. Parikshit, who owed his life to Krishna, had enraged a rishi's son for treating the rishi's father with contempt. He had just seven days to live after being bitten by a deadly snake. Parikshit was fasting by the Ganges River, and he yearned to hear from Krishna, who was no longer living. The Bhgavata provides Parikshit's life as backdrop, thereby bringing Krishna into the tale, and it is given as part of Uka's seven-day recital. It comes to a close with Uka asking Parikshit, "What else do you want?" (12.5.13). Completely satisfied with what he has heard and his purpose in life fulfilled, Parikshit dies.(12.6.12–15)
1449 pages
19 x 8.9 x 28.4 cm
Sanskrit
The Bhagavata Purana is composed of eighteen thousand slokas and twelve kandas by Veda Vyasa. On the banks of the Ganga, he imparts it to his enlightened son Suka, who relates the Secret Purana to Yudhishtira's heir, King Parikshit.
Rupa & Co.
5 April 2011.
5 April 2011