Reading Srimad Bhagavatam: An Incredible Journey (B dasa)

[PADA: Looks like original editions mixed with post 1977 GBC "translated" editions. Anyway he is on the road so hopefully he will get to understand the different editions over time. This is the result of most of my God brothers saying PADA is "making offenses" for objecting to all these changed up and dubious translated versions, it enabled the BBTI editing. ys pd]


B Dasa: Today, I have completed my studies of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which I began four years ago in India. It has been an incredible journey. As I read more and more, I had increasing realizations, a notable increase in day-to-day peace and bliss, and experienced my karma dissolving. It is simply the most interesting and enlightening literature I have ever read! 

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or Bhāgavata Purāṇa, is the ripened fruit of all Vedic literatures. It is the cream of all Vedic knowledge. It contains 18,000 verses, and is considered an essential anthology of all the Purāṇas. It is the essence of all Vedānta philosophy because its subject matter is the Absolute Truth, which, while nondifferent from the spirit soul, is the ultimate reality, one without a second. 

The goal of this literature is exclusive devotional service unto that Supreme Truth. In this literature, the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are systematically narrated by the sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Thus, the subject matter is appealing to all classes of persons, including those who seek liberation and those who seek to become one with the supreme whole.

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a masterpiece in many fields, including religion, spirituality, yoga, culture, philosophy, psychology, history, civilization. anthropology, sociology, literature, cosmology, astronomy, geography, genealogy, and literature.

Readers will find this work of value for many reasons. For those interested in the classical roots of Indian civilization, it serves as a vast reservoir of detailed information on virtually every one of its aspects. For students of comparative philosophy and religion, the Bhāgavatam offers a penetrating view into the meaning of India's profound spiritual heritage. To sociologists and anthropologists, the Bhāgavatam reveals the practical workings of a peaceful and scientifically organized Vedic culture, whose institutions were integrated on the basis of a highly developed spiritual world view. 

Students of literature will discover the Bhāgavatam to be a masterpiece of majestic poetry. For students of psychology, the text provides important perspectives on the nature of consciousness, human behavior and the philosophical study of identity. Finally, to those seeking spiritual insight, the Bhāgavatam offers simple and practical guidance for attainment of the highest self-knowledge and realization of the Absolute Truth. 

The entire multivolume text, presented by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, promises to occupy a significant place in the intellectual, cultural and spiritual life of modern man for a long time to come. It is like candy: sweet and relishable wherever one tastes it. It is recommended for all colleges and universities.
The wonderful story speaks of a saintly King (Parīkṣit) sitting down for a week to fast until death in response to the curse of a brāhmaṇa’s son, and the conversations between Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is the best of all mystic sages. 

He mercifully spoke this supreme Purāṇa, which is the bright light of the Absolute Truth. The history of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also very glorious. It was compiled by Śrī Vyāsadeva after he had attained maturity in transcendental knowledge. He wrote this under the instructions of Narada Muni, his spiritual master. Vyāsadeva compiled all Vedic literatures, containing the four divisions of the Vedas (Ṛg, Yajur. Atharva, and Sāma), the Vedānta-sūtras (or the Brahma-sūtras), the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata (which includes the Bhagavad-Gītā), and the Upanishads. 

Nevertheless, he was not satisfied. His dissatisfaction was observed by his spiritual master, and thus Nārada advised him to write on the transcendental activities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Long ago, The Supreme Absolute Truth personally revealed this incomparable torchlight of knowledge to Brahmā, who then spoke it to the sage Nārada, who narrated it to Vyāsadeva, who in turn revealed it to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Śukadeva mercifully spoke it to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

This literature fully glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It describes the wonderful pastimes of Krishna and his devotees. It describes the mystery of the Supreme Absolute Truth, the source of the creation and annihilation of this universe. Also presented are divine knowledge of Him together with the process of its cultivation, and the transcendental realization one achieves, and the process of devotional service, together with its subsidiary feature of renunciation. 

It explains how one can attain liberation at the time of death by practicing fixed meditation in yoga. It also contains an enumeration of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and a description of how the universe was created in progressive sequence, beginning from the unmanifest stage of material nature. It describes the subtle and gross movements of time. 

It gives an elaborate description of the earth’s continents, regions, oceans, mountains and rivers. Also described are the arrangement of the celestial sphere and the conditions found in the subterranean regions and in hell. It describes the science of the self in complete detail, people’s characteristics and behavior in the different ages, the chaos men experience in the Age of Kali, the four kinds of annihilation and the three kinds of creation. 

It purifies the heart and gives the perfection of spiritual knowledge. One who with undeviating attention constantly recites this literature at every moment of every hour, as well as one who faithfully hears even one verse or half a verse or a single line or even half a line, certainly purifies his very self.

I highly recommend this literature for anyone and everyone, without exception. Although it might take a long time to read, it will surely be worthwhile. I will post a link to a free online version in the comments. In these crazy times, more than ever, we must inquire into the Absolute Truth and seek liberation from suffering and illusion, as well as aim for the re-spiritualization of the entire human society. 

All suffering comes from disconnection from spirit and God’s laws, and thinking oneself as separate, which leads to exploitation of each other and mother nature. By the scientific process of yoga and meditation, we can change the world and create a happier, healthier, more peaceful, more loving population, united with God, the universe, mother nature, humanity, animals, and the entire energy of all living beings.

Hare Krishna!

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