(
Hinduism,
Sanskrit)
One of the Puranas, or histories, and one of the principal Hindu Scriptures. It was written by Vyasadeva specifically to bring one to pure devotional service to Lord Krishna. At twelve Cantos, and with 18,000 shlokas (or, verses) the text is very thorough, and deals with a great deal of subjects. This, the Bhagavatapurana, was called the "spotless Purana" by the Bengali saint Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and is now one of the principle scriptures of the Hare Krishna movemement of Vaishnava Hinduism (the followers of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu). It "presents the entire
science of God consciousness", apparently without a tinge of material religiousity. After compiling the Vedas, Vyasadev set forth their essence in the
aphorisms known as Vedanta-sutras. The Bhagavata Purana is Vyasadeva's commentary on his own Vedanta-sutras, and was written in the maturity of his spiritual life under the direction of Narada Muni, his spiritual master. It was reputedly recounted by Shukadeva Gosvami, to Maharajah Parikshit, five thousand years ago.
The current edition put out by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust consists of eighteen volumes, each with the Sanskrit original, a transliteration, translation, and the elaborate commentary of Bhaktivedanta Swami, viz.:
- Canto I: Creation
- Canto II: The Cosmic Manifestation
- Canto III, part One: The Status Quo
- Canto III, part Two:ditto
- Canto IV, part One: The Creation of the Fourth Order
- Canto IV, part Two: ditto
- Canto V: The Creative Impetus
- Canto VI: Prescribed Duties for Mankind
- Canto VII: The Science of God
- Canto VIII: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations
- Canto IX: Liberation
- Canto X, part One: The summum bonum
- Canto X, part Two: ditto
- Canto X, part Three: ditto(*)
- Canto X, part Four: ditto(*)
- Canto XI, part One: General History(*)
- Canto XI, part Two: ditto(*)
- Canto XII: The Age of Deterioration(*)
(*) At the time of
Prabhupada's death in 1977, the commentary of Cantos 10, 11, and 12 were unfinished. It was completed by his disciple
Hridayananda dasa Gosvami, with the
Sanskrit editing by
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari.
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