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Bhagavata Purana
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{{Short description|Sanskrit Hindu text}}{{other uses|Bhagavata Puranas (disambiguation)}}{{distinguish|Devi-Bhagavata Purana|Bhagavad Gita}}{{EngvarB|date=July 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}{{italic title}}{{multiple image| direction = vertical| width = 275- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
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Bhagavata Purana manuscripts from 16th- to 19th-century, in Sanskrit (above) and in Bengali language>Bengali| image1 = Rajasthan manuscript page of Bhagavata Purana.jpg| image2 = Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of the Lord) Manuscript LACMA M.88.134.4 (2 of 2).jpg}}{{Vaishnavism}}{{Hindu scriptures and texts|Puranas}}The Bhagavata Purana (; {{IAST3|BhÄgavata PurÄá¹a}}), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam (ÅrÄ«mad BhÄgavatam), Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana ({{IAST|ÅrÄ«mad BhÄgavata MahÄpurÄá¹a}}) or simply Bhagavata (BhÄgavata), is one of Hinduism’s eighteen great Puranas (Mahapuranas).BOOK, Thompson, Richard L.,books.google.com/books?id=3TZmDSr-1msC&pg=PA10, The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana ‘Mysteries of the Sacred Universe, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2007, 978-81-208-1919-1, 10, Dominic Goodall (1996), Hindu Scriptures, University of California Press, {{ISBN|978-0520207783}}, page xli Composed in Sanskrit and traditionally attributed to Veda Vyasa,{{harvp|Bryant|2007|pages=112}} it promotes bhakti (devotion) towards Krishna,{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=53}}{{harvp|Kumar Das|2006|pages=172â173}}{{sfnp|Bryant|2007|p=111â113}} an avatar of Vishnu, integrating themes from the Advaita (monism) philosophy of Adi Shankara, the Vishishtadvaita (qualified monism) of Ramanujacharya and the Dvaita (dualism) of Madhvacharya.{{harvp|Brown|1983|pages=553â557}}{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|pp=1â2, 17â25}}{{harvnb|Katz|2000|pp=184â185}}: “The five classical Vaiá¹£á¹ava schools (sampradÄyas) recognize the authority of this devotional text, and each school has accordingly produced commentaries to demonstrate the BhÄgavata’s support of its particular viewsâthe ViÅiá¹£á¹Ädvaita school of RÄmÄnuja (eleventh century), the Dvaita school of Madhva (thirteenth century), the DvaitÄdvaita school of NimbÄrka (twelfth-thirteenth century), the ÅuddhÄdvaita school of Vallabha (sixteenth century), and the Gauá¸Ä«ya Vaiá¹£á¹ava school of the GosvÄmins (sixteenth century).” It is widely available in almost all Indian languages.The Bhagavata Purana, like other puranas, discusses a wide range of topics including cosmology, astronomy, genealogy, geography, legend, music, dance, yoga and culture.{{harvp|Rocher|1986|pp=138â151}} As it begins, the forces of evil have won a war between the benevolent devas (deities) and evil asuras (demons) and now rule the universe. Truth re-emerges as Krishna (called “Hari” and “VÄsudeva” in the text) first makes peace with the demons, understands them and then creatively defeats them, bringing back hope, justice, freedom and happiness â a cyclic theme that appears in many legends.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=3-19}}The Bhagavata Purana is a central text in Vaishnavism.Constance Jones and James Ryan (2007), Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Infobase, {{ISBN|978-0816054589}}, page 474 The text presents a form of religion (dharma) that competes with that of the Vedas, wherein bhakti ultimately leads to self-knowledge, salvation (moksha) and bliss.{{harvp|Kumar Das|2006|page=174}} However the Bhagavata Purana asserts that the inner nature and outer form of Krishna is identical to the Vedas and that this is what rescues the world from the forces of evil.Barbara Holdrege (2015), Bhakti and Embodiment, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415670708}}, page 114 An oft-quoted verse (1.3.40) is used by some Krishna sects to assert that the text itself is Krishna in literary form.Barbara Holdrege (2015), Bhakti and Embodiment, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415670708}}, pages 109â110WEB, ÅB 1.3.40,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/3/40/, 2020-09-02, vedabase.io, en, The text consists of twelve books (skandhas or cantos) totalling 335 chapters (adhyayas) and 18,000 verses.Richard Thompson (2007), The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana ‘Mysteries of the Sacred Universe’, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120819191}} The tenth book, with about 4,000 verses, has been the most popular and widely studied. It was the first Purana to be translated into a European language, as a French translation of a Tamil version appeared in 1788 and introduced many Europeans to Hinduism and 18th-century Hindu culture during the colonial era.{{sfnp|Bryant|2007|p=111â113}}Jean Filliozat (1968), Tamil Studies in French Indology, in Tamil Studies Abroad, Xavier S Thani Nayagam, pages 1â14{{TOC limit|2}}The Bhagavata Purana has been among the most celebrated and popular texts in the Puranic genre, and is, in the opinion of some, of non-dualistic tenor.BOOK, Thompson, Richard L., The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana ‘Mysteries of the Sacred Universe,books.google.com/books?id=3TZmDSr-1msC&pg=PA10, 2007, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 978-81-208-1919-1, 10, Dominic Goodall (1996), Hindu Scriptures, University of California Press, {{ISBN|978-0520207783}}, page xli But, the dualistic school of Shriman Madhvacharya has a rich and strong tradition of dualistic interpretation of the Bhagavata, starting from the Bhagavata Taatparya Nirnaya of the Acharya himself and later, commentaries on the commentary. The Chaitanya school also rejects outright any monistic interpretation of the purana.Nomenclature
DatingModern scholarshipModern scholarship dates its composition to between 500 CE to 1000 CE, but most likely between 800 and 1000 CE. A version of the text existed no later than 1030 CE, when it is mentioned by al Biruni{{harvp|Sheridan|1986|p=6}} and quoted by Abhinavagupta. The Bhagavata Purana abounds in references to verses of the Vedas, the primary Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra of Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, and the Bhagavad Gita, suggesting that it was composed after these texts. The text contains more details of Krishna’s biography than the 3rd- 4th-century Harivamsha and Vishnu Purana, and is therefore likely to have been composed after these texts, suggesting a chronological range of 500â1000 CE.BOOK, 1966, van Buitenen, J. A. B, The Archaism of the Bhagavata Purana, Milton Singer, Krishna: Myths, Rites, and Attitudes, 23â40, . Reprinted in {{harvp|van Buitenen|1996|pages=28â45}} Within this range, scholars such as R. C. Hazra date it to the first half of the 6th century CE, Bryant as well as Gupta and Valpey citing epigraphical and archaeological evidence suggest much of the text could be from the 4th to 7th century,{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=13}}{{harvp|Bryant|2007|pp=5â9, 113â114}} while most others place it in the post-Alvar period around the 9th century.{{Sfn|Matchett|2003|p=129-144}}Estimated dates given by some notable scholars include: R. C. Hazra â 6th century, Radhakamal Mukherjee â 9thâ10th century, Farquhar â 10th century, Nilakanta Sastri â 10th century, S. N. Dasgupta â 10th century {{harvp|Kumar Das|2006| pages=172â173}} Parts of the text use an archaic Vedic flavour of Sanskrit, which may either suggest that its authors sought to preserve or express reverence for the Vedic tradition, or that some text has an earlier origin.{{harvp|Sheridan|1986|page=10â12}} There are two flavors of Krishna stories, one of warrior prince and another of romantic lover, the former composed in more archaic Sanskrit and the later in a different linguistic style, suggesting that the texts may not have been composed by one author or over a short period, but rather grew over time as a compilation of accretions from different hands.{{sfnm|Rocher|1986|1pp=141â144|Sheridan|1986|2pp=5â11}}The Bhagavata Purana contains apparent references to the South Indian Alvar saints and it makes a post factum prophecy of the spread of Vishnu worship in Tamil country (BP XI.5.38â40);{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-16}} these facts, along with its emphasis on “emotional Bhakti to Krishna” and the “Advaita philosophy of Sankara”, lead many scholars to trace its origins to South India.{{sfnp|Kumar Das|2006|p=172-173}} However, J. A. B. van Buitenen points out that 10thâ11th CE South Indian Vaishnava theologians Yamuna and Ramanuja do not refer to Bhagavata Purana in their writings, and this anomaly must be explained before the geographical origins and dating are regarded as definitive.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-16}}Since the 19th-century, most scholars believe that the Bhagavata Purana was written by a group of learned Brahmin ascetics, probably in South India, who were well versed in Vedic and ancient Indian literature and influenced by the Alvars.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=11-14}} Postmodern scholars have suggested alternate theories.Edwin Bryant (2002), The Date and Provenance of the Bhagavata Purana, Journal of Vaishnava Studies, Vol 2, Issue 1, pages 51-80Content and structureThe Bhagavata Purana consists of twelve skhandas or cantos consisting of 18,000 verses of several interconnected, interwoven, and non-linear dialogues, teachings, and explanations espousing Bhakti Yoga that go back and forth in time:{{Blockquote|We have alluded to the Bhagavata’s identity as a Purana, an important feature of which is its multilevel dialogical structure... the layered arrangement of dialogues, in which a speaker (typically Suka, the main reciter, addressing his interlocutor, King Pariksit) quotes an “earlier” speaker (for example, Narada, addressing King Yudhisthira, Pariksit’s granduncle, in a dialogue understood to have taken place earlier and elsewhere), who may in turn quote yet another speaker. Two or three such layers are typically operative simultaneously... the compounding of voices serve to strengthen the message delivered; and second, one is left with the sense that one cannot, and indeed need not, trace out the origin of the message.|source=Ravi M. Gupta and Kenneth R. Valpey, The BhÄgavata PurÄna: Selected ReadingsBOOK,books.google.com/books?id=jrwxDQAAQBAJ&q=Ravi+Gupta+and+Kenneth+Valpey+%282013%29%2C+The+Bhagavata+Purana, The BhÄgavata PurÄna: Selected Readings, Gupta, Ravi M., Valpey, Kenneth R., 2016-11-29, Columbia University Press, 9780231542340, 7, en, }}Stated authorship and purposeFrom the N.P. Jain for Motilal Banarsidass translation:{{Blockquote|The divine seer, Vedavyasa, composed this Purana, known by the name of Srimad Bhagavata, which stands on a par with the Vedas and contains the stories of the Lord of excellent renown. |source=ÅrÄ«mad BhÄgavatam 1st Canto, Chapter 3, Verse 40|author=|title=}}A unique and especial emphasis is placed on fostering transcendental loving devotion to Krishna as the ultimate good, i.e. for its own sake rather than for fruitive results or rewards such as detachment or worldly or heavenly gains, a practice known as Bhakti Yoga:{{Blockquote|What makes the Bhagavata unique in the history of Indian Religion... is its prioritization of Bhakti. The main objective of this text is to promote Bhakti to Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna referred to variously, and to illustrate and explain it... what makes the Bhagavata special is its emphasis on an intense personal and passionate Bhakti...|source=Sisir Kumar Das, A History of Indian LiteratureBOOK,books.google.com/books?id=BC3l1AbPM8sC&q=The+main+Objective+of+the+Text, A History of Indian Literature, 500â1399: From Courtly to the Popular, Das, Sisir Kumar, 2005, Sahitya Akademi, 9788126021710, 173, en, }}Puranic characteristicsAs detailed in the Matsya Mahapurana, all Puranas must cover at least five specific subjects or topics - referred to in Sanskrit as Pancha Lakshana (literally meaning ‘consisting of five characteristics’WEB,learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pancha&dir=se, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, learnsanskrit.cc, 2022-02-27, WEB,learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=lakshana&dir=se, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, learnsanskrit.cc, 2022-02-27, â in addition to other information including specific deities and the four aims or goals of life. From the K.L. Joshi (editor) translation:{{Blockquote|The following are the five characteristics of the Puranas: They describe (1) the creation of the universe, (2) its genealogy and dissolution, (3) the dynasties, (4) the Manvantaras, (5) the dynastic chronicles. The Puranas, with these five characteristics, sing the glory of Brahma, Vishnu, the Sun and Rudra, as well as they describe also the creation and dissolution of the Earth. The four [aims of human life] (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa) have also been described in all the Puranas, along with evil consequences following from sin. In the sattvika Puranas there is largely a mention of Hari’s glory.|source=Matsya Mahapurana, Chapter 53BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=yS1AAQAAIAAJ&q=bhagavata+purana, Matsya MahÄpurÄá¹a: Chapters 1â150, JoÅÄ«, KanhaiyÄlÄla, 2007, Parimal Publications, 9788171103065, 213â214, en, }}The Srimad Bhagavatam adds another five characteristics, expanding this list to ten.WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/2/10/, CHAPTER TEN, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-22, The Bhagavata further elaborates on the differences between lesser and greater Puranas possessing five or ten characteristics, respectively.WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/12/7/9-10/, ÅB 12.7.9â10, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-26,Manuscripts(File:Bhagavata Purana manuscript, 18 century.jpg|thumb|220x220px|A Bhagavata Purana manuscript.)According to Hariprasad Gangashankar Shastri, the oldest surviving manuscript dates to c. 1124-25 and is held in the Sampurnananda Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya in Varanasi.BOOK, Edelmann, Jonathan, Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, Brill, 2018, Jacobsen, Knut A., BhÄgavatapurÄá¹a, Basu, Helene, Malinar, Angelika, Narayanan, Vasudha, Contrary to the western cultural tradition of novelty, poetic or artistic license with existing materials is a strong tradition in Indian culture, a tradition of several hundred years of linguistic creativity.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=2osmDwAAQBAJ&q=indian+tradition+poetic+license&pg=PA32, Text and Tradition in South India, Rao, Velcheru Narayana, 2017-06-01, SUNY Press, 9781438467757, 32, en, There are variations of original manuscripts available for each Purana, including the Srimad Bhagavatam.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=npCKSUUQYEIC&q=Gregory+Bailey+%282003%29%2C+The+Study+of+Hinduism&pg=PA139, The Study of Hinduism, Sharma, Arvind, 2003, Univ of South Carolina Press, 9781570034497, 142â143, en, The common manuscript for translations of the Bhagavata Purana - seemingly used by both Swami Prabhupada and Bibek Debroy- is the BhÄgavatamahÄpurÄá¹amBOOK, शà¥à¤°à¥à¤®à¤¦à¥à¤à¤¾à¤à¤µà¤¤à¤®à¤¹à¤¾à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤£à¤®à¥: ठनà¥à¤µà¤¿à¤¤à¤¾à¤°à¥à¤¥à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤à¤¾à¤¶à¤¿à¤à¤¾à¤à¥à¤¯à¤µà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¸à¤®à¥à¤¤à¤ = The BhÄgavatamahÄpurÄá¹am, Sharma, Rajendra Nath, Singh, Nag Sharan, Gaá¹ gÄsahÄya, 1987, Nag Publishers, Delhi, sa, 17508743, a reprint of Khemraj Shri Krishnadas’ manuscript.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=sLh9DwAAQBAJ&q=bhagavata+purana+debroy, The Bhagavata Purana 1, 2019-01-05, Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 9789353053789, xix-xxi, en, . In regards to variances in Puranic manuscripts, academic Dr. Gregory Bailey states:{{Blockquote|[S]ignificant are the widespread variations between manuscripts of the same Purana, especially those originating in different regions of India... one of the principal characteristics of the genre is the status of Purana as what Doniger calls “fluid texts” (Doniger 1991, 31). The mixture of fixed form [the Puranic Characteristics] and seemingly endless variety of content has enabled the Purana to be communicative vehicles for a range of cultural positions... [the] idea of originality is primarily Western and belies the fact that in the kind of oral genres of which the Puranas continue to form a part, such originality is neither promoted nor recognised. Like most forms of cultural creation in India, the function of the Puranas was to reprocess and comment upon old knowledge...|source=The Study of Hinduism (Arvind Sharma, Editor), Chapter 6 (’The Puranas: A Study in the Development of Hinduism’)}}CantosSB 1.1.3 original Sanskrit:{{Blockquote|निà¤à¤®à¤à¤²à¥à¤ªà¤¤à¤°à¥à¤°à¥à¤à¤²à¤¿à¤¤à¤ फलà¤à¤¶à¥à¤à¤®à¥à¤à¤¾à¤¦à¤®à¥à¤¤à¤¦à¥à¤°à¤µà¤¸à¤à¤¯à¥à¤¤à¤®à¥ ।पिबत à¤à¤¾à¤à¤µà¤¤à¤ रसमालयà¤à¤®à¥à¤¹à¥à¤°à¤¹à¥ रसिà¤à¤¾ à¤à¥à¤µà¤¿ à¤à¤¾à¤µà¥à¤à¤¾: ॥ ३ ॥O ye devotees possessing a taste for divine joy, Srimad Bhagavata is the fruit (essence) of the wish-yielding tree of Veda, dropped on earth from the mouth of the parrot-like sage Suka, and is full of the nectar of supreme bliss. It is unmixed sweetness (devoid of rind, seed or other superfluous matter). Go on drinking this divine nectar again and again till there is consciousness left in you.}}First CantoConsisting of 19 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/, Canto 1: Creation, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-23, the first canto opens with an invocation to Krishna and the assertion that the Srimad Bhagatavam, compiled by Vyasadeva, is sufficient alone to realise God. The overarching narration begins at the onset of Kali Yuga as a dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami (the son of Vyasadeva) and a group of sages headed by Saunaka, as they perform a thousand-year sacrifice for Krishna and his devotees in the forest of Naimisaranya. Questioned by the sages, topics covered by Suta Gosvami include the:
Second CantoFile:Suka Dev and Parikshit.jpg|thumb|220x220px|Sukadeva Gosvami addressing PariksitPariksitConsisting of 10 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/2/, Canto 2: The Cosmic Manifestation, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-23, the second canto opens with an invocation to Krishna. The second layer of overarching narration begins as a dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river (narrated by Suta Gosvami to a group of sages headed by Saunaka in the forest of Naimisaranya). Questioned by Pariksit, the topics covered by Sukadeva Gosvami include the:
Third CantoConsisting of 33 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/, Canto 3: The Status Quo, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-23, the third canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. Vidura, the sudra incarnation of Yama and devotee of Krishna, is the main protagonist narrated. After being thrown out of his home by King Dhritarashtra (his older half-brother) for admonishing the Kaurava’s ignoble behaviour towards the Pandavas, Vidura went on a pilgrimage where he met other devotees of Krishna such as Uddhava and the sage Maitreya; their dialogues form a third layer of narration. Topics covered by Sukadeva Gosvami, Uddhava, and Maitreya include the:
Fourth CantoFile:Story of dhruva.jpg|thumb|210x210px|Vishnu appears before alt=Consisting of 31 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/, Canto 4: The Creation of the Fourth Order, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-24, the fourth canto continues the dialogues of Sukadeva Gosvami, Uddhava, and Maitreya. There are additional layers of dialogue, such as between the sage-avatar Narada and King Pracinabharhisat (as narrated by Maitreya to Vidura). Focusing on the female descendants of Svayambhuva Manu, topics covered include the:
Fifth CantoFile:Lustration of a Jina Rishabhanatha (Adinatha), Folio from a Bhaktamara Stotra (Hymn of the Immortal Devotee) LACMA AC1992.170.2 (1 of 6).jpg|alt=|left|thumb|200x200px|Rsabha.]]Consisting of 26 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/5/, Canto 5: The Creative Impetus, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-24, the fifth canto focuses on the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. Notable additional layers of dialogue are between the avatar Rsabha and his sons, and between Bharata and King Rahugana (the former was perceived as a fool and made to carry the latter’s palanquin). Topics covered include the:
Sixth CantoFile:Vritra try to eat indra.jpg|thumb|Vrtrasura attacks alt=|230x230pxConsisting of 19 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/6/, Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-24, the sixth canto continues with the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. A notable additional layer of dialogue is between Yama and his messengers (called the Yamadutas). With the main focus on the battles of the demon-devotee Vrtrasura and his armies against the demigods led by Indra, as well as the life of King Citraketu, topics covered include the:
Seventh CantoFile:Lakshmi narasimha swamy idol.jpg|left|thumb|240x240px|Nrsimha and alt=Consisting of 15 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/, Canto 7: The Science of God, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-25, the seventh canto continues with the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. A notable additional layer of dialogue is between Narada and Yudhishthira about Prahlada, the devotee-son of the demon-King Hiranyakasipu (brother of Hiranyaksa, destroyed by the Varaha avatar in the third canto; the demonic brothers are incarnations of Jaya and Vijaya). Prahlada, protected by Krishna, survives multiple attempts to kill him until the arrival of the Nrsimha avatar to destroy his father, who could not be killed by any weapon, by any man or beast, or in the water, air, or on land. Topics covered include the:
Eighth CantoFile:Vamana Bali Shukra.jpg|thumb|232x232px|Vamana with Bali.]]Consisting of 24 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/8/, Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-25, the eighth canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. A notable additional layer of dialogue is between the Vamana avatar and King Bali about the demon-King Hiranyakasipu. Topics covered include the:
| text=29. The five sacred (Vedic) texts (known by the names of TatpuruÅa, Aghora, Sadyojäta, Vämadeva and IÅÄna), O Lord, from (the thirty- eight parts of) which the thirty-eight fragmentary Mantras came into existence, constitute Your (five) faces (bearing the same names as the sacred texts themselves). Again, that self- effulgent Principle, constituting the supreme Reality, which is known by the name of Åiva, O Deity, is (nothing but) Your absolute state.|source=Canto 8, Chapter 7, Verse 29}}Ninth CantoFile:Parashurama with axe.jpg|left|thumb|200x200px|alt=Consisting of 24 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/9/, Canto 9: Liberation, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-25, the ninth canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. With no notable additional layers of dialogue, the primary focus is upon the male dynasties of various ruling figures (the female sides are covered in the fourth canto). Topics covered include the:
Tenth CantoFile:Krishna and Balarama Studying with the Brahman Sandipani (1525-1550 CE).jpg|thumb|Krishna and Balarama Studying with the Brahman Sandipani (Bhagavata Purana, 1525-1550 CE print). Krishna in blue is seated next to Balarama, both wearing peacock-feather headdresses, in front of their teacher SandipaniSandipani(File:Kuvalayapida Slain.jpg|thumb|Kuvalayapida Slain)Consisting of 90 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/10/, Canto 10: The Summum Bonum, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-25, the tenth canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. Notable additional layers of dialogue all involve the lila (divine play) of the supreme and transcendental Krishna avatar. Thus focusing on the appearance and pastimes of Krishna, topics covered include the:
StudyThe largest canto with 4,000 verses, the tenth canto is also the most popular and widely studied part of the Bhagavata.{{sfnp|Bryant|2007|p=112}} It has also been translated, commented on, and published separately from the rest of the Srimad Bhagavatam.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=YtaexZ_ekpQC&q=Krishna%3A+The+Beautiful+Legend+of+God, Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God: Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Bryant, Edwin F., 2003-12-04, Penguin Books Limited, 9780140447996, en, BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=gzKX9aWCLc8C&q=krishna+the+supreme+personality+of+godhead, Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, PrabhupÄda, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, 1994-04-01, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 9780892131365, en,Eleventh Canto(File:Hamsa, the Swan-Incarnation of Vishnu.jpg|left|thumb|180x180px|Hamsa|alt=)Consisting of 31 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/11/, Canto 11: General History, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-25, the eleventh canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river. Notable additional layers of dialogue are between Narada and Vasudeva, and between Krishna and Uddhava (and in turn, other dialogues such as that between the Hamsa (swan) avatar and Brahma). Topics covered include the:
The Uddhava or Hamsa GitaContaining the final teachings of Krishna to His devotee Uddhava, the eleventh canto is also referred to as the ‘Uddhava Gita’ or ‘Hamsa Gita’. Like the tenth canto, it has also been translated and published separately, usually as a companion or ‘sequel’ to the Bhagavad Gita.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=gipfAwAAQBAJ&q=uddhava+gita, The Uddhava Gita, Saraswati, Swami Ambikananda, 2002, Ulysses Press, 9781569753200, en, BOOK, The Uddhava-GÄ«tÄ: ultimate companion to Bhagavad Gita by the same speaker : original Sanskrit text, roman transliterations, and translations featuring SÄrÄrtha darÅinÄ« commentary by ÅrÄ«la ViÅvanÄtha CakravartÄ« ṬhÄkura, chapter summaries and Gauá¸iya bhÄá¹£ya purport by ÅrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, Purnaprajna Das, ViÅvanÄtha CakravartÄ«, 2007, Touchstone Media, 9788187897194, Kolkata, 191006938, ’Hamsa’ means ‘swan’ or ‘spirit’,WEB,learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=hamsa&dir=se, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, learnsanskrit.cc, 2022-02-27, and:
Twelfth CantoFile:Kalki Avatar by Ravi Varma.jpg|thumb|230x230px|alt=Consisting of 13 chapters,WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/12/, Canto 12: The Age of Deterioration, vedabase.io, en, 2019-10-26, the twelfth and final canto completes the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river, and ends with the overarching dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and the group of sages led by Saunaka, at the forest of Naimisaranya. Focusing on prophecies and signs of Kali Yuga, topics covered in this canto include the:
PhilosophyWhile Bhakti Yoga and Dvaita Vedanta are the prominent teachings, states T. S. Rukmani, various passages show a synthesis that also includes Samkhya, Yoga, Vedanta, and Advaita Vedanta.{{harvp|Rukmani|1993|pp=217â218}}BhaktiCutler states the Bhagavata Purana is among the most important texts on bhakti, presenting a fully developed teaching that originated with the Bhagavad Gita.{{harvp|Cutler|1987|p=1}} Bryant states that while classical yoga attempts to shut down the mind and senses, Bhakti Yoga in the Bhagavata teaches that the mind is transformed by filling it with thoughts of Krishna.{{harvp|Bryant|2007|page=117}}Matchett states that in addition to various didactic philosophical passages the Bhagavata also describes one of the activities that can lead to liberation (moksha) as listening to, reflecting on the stories of, and sharing devotion for Krishna with others.{{harvp|Matchett|1993|page=103}} Bhakti is depicted in the Purana, adds Matchett, as both an overpowering emotion as well as a way of life that is rational and deliberately cultivated.{{harvp|Matchett|1993|page=104}}SamkhyaFile:Kapila muni.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|130x130px|KapilaKapilaSurendranath Dasgupta describes the theistic Samkhya philosophy taught by Kapila in the Bhagavata as the dominant philosophy in the text.{{harvp|Dasgupta|1949|p=30}}Sheridan points out that in the Third Canto, Kapila is described as an avatar of Vishnu, born as the son of the Prajapati Kardama, in order to share the knowledge of self-realization and liberation with his mother, Devahuti; in the Eleventh Canto, Krishna also teaches Samkhya to Uddhava, describing the world as an illusion, and the individual as dreaming, even while in the waking state. Krishna expounds Samhkhya and Yoga as the way of overcoming the dream, with the goal being Krishna Himself.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=42-43}}Sheridan also states that the treatment of Samkhya in the Bhagavata is also changed by its emphasis on devotion, as does Dasgupta, adding it is somewhat different from other classical Samkhya texts.{{sfnp|Dasgupta|1949|p=24}}{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=42-43}}AdvaitaFile:Advaita Vedanta Hindu monastery gopuram, Sringeri matha, Karnataka.jpeg|thumb|270x270px|Sringeri Sharada Peetham is one of the Hindu Advaita Vedanta matha or monastery established by Adi ShankaraAdi ShankaraKumar Das and Sheridan state that the Bhagavata frequently discusses a distinctly advaitic or non-dualistic philosophy of Shankara.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-22}} Rukmani adds that the concept of moksha is explained as Ekatva (Oneness) and Sayujya (Absorption, intimate union), wherein one is completely lost in Brahman (Self, Supreme Being, one’s true nature). This, states Rukmani, is proclamation of a ‘return of the individual soul to the Absolute and its merging into the Absolute’, which is unmistakably advaitic. The Bhagavata Purana is also stated to parallel the non-duality of Adi Shankara by Sheridan.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-22}} As an example:{{Blockquote|The aim of life is inquiry into the Truth, and not the desire for enjoyment in heaven by performing religious rites,Those who possess the knowledge of the Truth, call the knowledge of non-duality as the Truth,It is called Brahman, the Highest Self, and Bhagavan. | Bhagavata Purana 1.2.10â11, Translated by Daniel Sheridan{{sfnp | 1986|p=23 with footnote 17}}}}Scholars describe this philosophy as built on the foundation of non-dualism in the Upanishads, and term it as “Advaitic Theism”.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-22}}{{harvp|Brown|1998|p=17}} This term combines the seemingly contradictory beliefs of a personal God that can be worshiped with a God that is immanent in creation and in one’s own self. God in this philosophy is within and is not different from the individual self, states Sheridan, and transcends the limitations of specificity and temporality. Sheridan also describes Advaitic Theism as a “both/and” solution for the questions of whether God is transcendent or immanent, and credits the BhÄgavata with a ‘truly creative religious moment’ for introducing this philosophy.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1-22}} The text suggests that God Vishnu and the soul (atman) in all beings is one in quality (nirguna).Bryant states that the monism in Bhagavata Purana is certainly built on Vedanta foundations, but not exactly the same as the monism of Adi Shankara. The Bhagavata asserts, according to Bryant, that the empirical and the spiritual universe are both metaphysical realities, and manifestations of the same Oneness, just like heat and light are “real but different” manifestations of sunlight.Edwin Bryant (2004), Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God: Srimad Bhagavata Purana Book X, Penguin, {{ISBN|978-0140447996}}, pages 43â48 Bryant notes that the tenth book of the Bhagavata does not, as is conventional for non-dualist schools, understand Krishna’s form to be a “secondary derivation,” which can be subsumed within the impersonal absolute. Rather than describe Brahman to be ultimately formless, the tenth book ascribes an “eternal personal element” to Brahman.{{sfnp|Bryant|2007|p=114}}DharmaFile:Dharma wheel.svg|alt=|thumb|The left|135x135pxKurmas Das states the Bhagavata Purana conceptualizes a form of Dharma that competes with that of the Vedas, suggesting that Bhakti ultimately leads to Self-knowledge, Moksha (salvation) and bliss.{{harvp|Kumar Das|2006|page=174}} The earliest mention of bhakti is found in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad verse 6.23,Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, page 326Max Muller, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, The Upanishads, Part II, Oxford University Press, page 267 but scholars such as Max Muller state that the word Bhakti appears only once in this Upanishad; and that being in one last verse of the epilogue it could be a later addition, and that the context suggests that it is a panentheistic idea and not theistic.Max Muller, The Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Oxford University Press, pages xxxiv and xxxviiPaul Carus, {{Google books|96sLAAAAIAAJ|The Monist|PA514}}, pages 514â515Scholarly consensus sees bhakti as a post-Vedic movement that developed primarily during the Puranas era of Indian history.Karen Pechilis Prentiss (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195351903}}, page 17, Quote: “Scholarly consensus today tends to view bhakti as a post-Vedic development that took place primarily in the watershed years of the epics and Puranas.” The Bhagavata Purana develops the Bhakti concept more elaborately, states Cutler,Norman Cutler (1987), Songs of Experience, Indiana University Press, {{ISBN|978-0253353344}}, pages 1â5 proposing “worship without ulterior motive and with kind disposition towards all” as Dharma.{{harvp|Kumar Das|2006| pp=173â175}}{{harvp|Bryant|2007|page=382}} T.R. Sharma states the text includes in its scope intellectual and emotional devotion as well as Advaita Vedanta ideas.TR Sharma (1993), Psychological Analysis of Bhakti, Love Divine: Studies in Bhakti and Devotional Mysticism (Editor: Karel Werner), Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0-7007-0235-0}}, pages 103â107The text does not subscribe, states Gupta and Valpey, to context-less “categorical notions of justice or morality”, but suggests that “Dharma depends on context”.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|pp=8-10, 30-32|2013}} They add that in a positive or neutral context, ethics and moral behavior must be adhered to; and when persistently persecuted by evil, anything that reduces the strength of the “evil and poisonous circumstances” is good.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|pp=8-10, 30-32|2013}} That which is motivated by, furthers, and enables bhakti is the golden standard of Dharma.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|pp=8-10, 30-32|2013}}YogaSarma states that the Bhagavata Purana describes all steps of yoga practice, and characterizes yoga as bhakti, asserting that the most important aspect is the spiritual goal.RÄma Karaá¹a ÅarmÄ (1993), Researches in Indian and Buddhist Philosophy, Motilal Barnarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120809949}}, pages 218â221 According to Sarma and Rukmani, the text dedicates numerous chapters to yoga, such as Canto 10 (chapter 11), which begins with a declaration that Siddhi results from concentrating one’s mind on Krishna, adding this substitutes the concept of a “personal god” in the Yogasutras of Patanjali, and contrasts with Patanjali’s view that Siddhi is considered powerful but an obstacle to Samadhi.{{harvp|Rukmani|1993|pp=220, 224}}In other chapters of the text, Rukmani states, Åuka describes different meditations on aspects of Krishna, in a way that is similar to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. However, adds Bryant, the Bhagavata Purana recommends the object of concentration as Krishna, thus folding in yoga as a form of bhakti and the “union with the divine”.{{harvp|Bryant|2007|pages=117â118}} Bryant describes the synthesis of ideas in Bhagavata Purana as:{{Blockquote|The philosophy of the Bhagavata is a mixture of Vedanta terminology, Samkhyan metaphysics and devotionalized Yoga praxis. (...) The tenth book promotes Krishna as the highest absolute personal aspect of godhead â the personality behind the term Ishvara and the ultimate aspect of Brahman. | Krishna: A Sourcebook{{harvp | 2007|pages=114}}}}Sheridan as well as Pintchman affirm Bryant’s view, adding that the Vedantic view emphasized in the Bhagavata is non-dualist, as described within a reality of plural forms.Tracy Pintchman (1994), The rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition, State University of New York Press, {{ISBN|978-0791421123}}, pages 132â134{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=17â21}}MayaIn Vedanta, Maya is frequently depicted as a deceptive or deluding energy. Conversely, the Bhagavata Purana presents Maya as divine energy through which Krishna manifests the material universe, including its elements, universes, bodies, senses, and minds, contributing to the richness and diversity of the phenomenal world. This process is not just entrapment but also a path to liberation for beings caught in the cycle of birth and death. Maya’s illusionary powers, though binding individuals to temporal existence, ultimately facilitate their spiritual growth and release.BOOK, Gupta, Gopal K.,books.google.com/books?id=fS8DEAAAQBAJ, MÄyÄ in the BhÄgavata PurÄá¹a: Human Suffering and Divine Play, 2020-10-21, Oxford University Press, 978-0-19-259905-6, 6, en,SufferingIn explaining suffering, the Bhagavata Purana acknowledges karma as a central principle, where actions in past lives influence current and future existences, shaping one’s destiny and experiences in subsequent lifetimes. However, it also critiques the adequacy of karma in fully explaining suffering and explores time (kala) as a significant factor in suffering. Time, personified by Sudarshana Chakra, is shown as an unstoppable force that brings both end and renewal, acting indiscriminately upon all beings. Despite time’s overwhelming power, the text suggests that sincere devotion (bhakti) to God and surrender to the divine can enable devout souls to overcome the influence of time and karma, ultimately leading to spiritual liberation (moksha).BOOK, Gupta, Gopal K.,books.google.com/books?id=fS8DEAAAQBAJ, MÄyÄ in the BhÄgavata PurÄá¹a: Human Suffering and Divine Play, 2020-10-21, Oxford University Press, 978-0-19-259905-6, 141â145, en,SignificanceThe source of many popular stories of Krishna’s pastimes for centuries in the Indian subcontinent,{{sfnp|Bryant|2007|p=111â113}} the Bhagavata Purana is widely recognized as the best-known and most influential of the Puranas, and as a part of Vedic literature (the Puranas, Itihasa epics, and Upanishads) is referred to as the “Fifth Veda”.{{sfnp|Sheridan|1986|p=1â16}}{{harvp|Matchett|2001|pages=107}}BOOK, India through the ages,archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada, Gopal, Madan, Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1990, K.S. Gautam, 76, It is important in Indian religious literature for its emphasis on the practice of devotion compared to the more theoretical approach of the Bhagavad Gita, for challenging the ritualism of the Vedas, and for its extended description of a God in human form.{{Blockquote|The Srimad Bhagavatam is the very essence of all the Vedanta literature. One who has enjoyed the nectar of its rasa never has any desire for anything else. | Translated by David Haberman{{harvp | RÅ«pagÅsvÄmÄ« | page=65}}}}Relation to other textsThe Bhagavata Purana aligns itself with canonical texts like Brahma Sutras and Rigveda by echoing their verses at various points throughout its narrative. It claims equality with the Vedas and reinterprets their themes to emphasize the supremacy of Krishna. It transforms the descriptions of Vishnu’s deeds found in the Vishnu Sukta into narratives centered around Krishna’s actions (verse 10.51.38). The Bhagavata Purana does not directly reference the Bhagavad Gita, which is part of the Mahabharata. Instead, it includes the teachings similar to those found in the Bhagavad Gita in the form of dialogues between Krishna and Uddhava in Canto 11.BOOK, Matchett, Freda,books.google.com/books?id=ut8rBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA108, Krsna: Lord or Avatara?: The Relationship Between Krsna and Visnu, 2013-01-11, Routledge, 978-1-136-11834-0, 108, en,Hindu FestivalsThe stories in the Bhagavata Purana are also the legends quoted by one generation to the next in Vaishnavism, during annual festivals such as Holi and Diwali.Usha Sharma (2008), Festivals In Indian Society, Mittal, {{ISBN|978-8183241137}}, page 177Selina Thielemann (1998), Sounds of the Sacred Music in India, APH, {{ISBN|978-8170249900}}, pages 96â98The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) celebrates the promise of Canto 12, Chapter 13, Verse 13 by distributing sets of Srimad Bhagavatam leading up to the full-moon day of the month of BhÄdra (BhÄdra Purnima) in India and around the world.WEB, Bhadra Campaign 2020,www.bhadracampaign.com/, 2020-09-01, Bhadra Campaign, en, 7 August 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200807150153/https://www.bhadracampaign.com/, dead,VaishnavismFile:Chaitanya-Mahabrabhu-at-Jagannath.jpg|left|thumb|180x180px|ChaitanyaChaitanyaGaudiya VaishnavismThe Bhagavata has played a significant role in the emergence of the Krishna-bhakti (Gaudiya Vaishnavism) movement of Chaitanya (1486â1534 CE), in Bengal.Edwin Francis Bryant and Maria Ekstrand (2004), The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant, Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|978-0231122566}}, page 15 The scriptural basis for the belief that Chaitanya is an avatar of Krishna is found in verses such as the following (Disciples of Swami Prabhupada translation):{{blockquote|In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Ká¹á¹£á¹a. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Ká¹á¹£á¹a Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.|source=Canto 11, Chapter 5, Verse 32WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/11/5/32/, ÅB 11.5.32, vedabase.io, en, 2019-11-14, }}Chaitanya is commonly referred to as ‘Gauranga’ in regards to His golden complexion (as detailed in the Gauranga article, the Sanskrit word ‘Äká¹á¹£á¹aá¹’ means ‘not blackish’ and ‘golden’), and is most notable for popularising the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In regards to not being explicitly named as an avatar (unlike others such as Kalki) in the Bhagavata, this is also explained (A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada translation):{{blockquote|In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the Age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.|source=Canto 7, Chapter 9, Verse 38WEB,vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/9/38/, ÅB 7.9.38, vedabase.io, en, 2019-11-15, }}The key word in this verse in regards to Krishna incarnating in the age of Kali Yuga is ’channaḥ’ (Sanskrit à¤à¤¨à¥à¤¨), which means ‘ hidden’, ‘secret’, or ‘disguised’.WEB,learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=channa&dir=se, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, learnsanskrit.cc, 2022-02-27, In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Chaitanya is accepted as a hidden avatar of Krishna who appeared in the age of Kali (also known as ‘the Iron Age’ and ‘the age of quarrel’) as His own devotee to show the easiest way to achieve Krishna Consciousness.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=4CQiBgAAQBAJ&q=the+hidden+incarnation&pg=PT9, The Golden Volcano of Divine Love: The Highest Conception of Ultimate Reality, Sridhar, Bhakti Rakshak, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, 36, en, Modern Gaudiya movements such as the Gaudiya Math (established by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in 1920) and others established by disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, such as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966) and the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math (by Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar in 1941), trace their disciplic lineages back directly to Lord Chaitanya.Other Vaishnava TraditionsIn the 15thâ16th century Ekasarana Dharma in Assam, a panentheistic tradition whose proponents, Sankardeva and Madhavdeva, acknowledge that their theological positions are rooted in the Bhagavata Purana,WEB,atributetosankaradeva.org/greatest_expression.pdf, The Eka-sarana Dharma of Sankaradeva: The Greatest Expression of Assamese Spiritual Outlook, Chatterji, Suniti Kumar, 29 October 2012, purged of doctrines that find no place in Assamese VaishnavismSN Sarma (1966), The Neo-Vaisnavite Movement and the Satra Institution of Assam, Gauhati University, {{ISBN|978-8173310263}}, page 27, Quote: “the Chapters of the Bhagavata Purana, where the Pancharatra theology is discussed, have been omitted by Assamese translators” and adding a monist commentary instead.“...the influence of the Bhagavata Purana in forming the theological backbone of Assam Vaishnavism in quite clear and the monistic commentary of Sridhara Swami is highly popular amongst all sections of Vaishnavas” SN Sarma (1966), The Neo-Vaisnavite Movement and the Satra Institution of Assam, Gauhati University, {{ISBN|978-8173310263}}, page 26In northern and western India the Bhagavata Purana has influenced the Hari Bhakti Vilasa and Haveli-style Krishna temples found in Braj region near Mathura-Vrindavan. The text complements the Pancharatra Agama texts of Vaishnavism.Edwin Francis Bryant and Maria Ekstrand (2004), The Hare Krishna Movement, Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|978-0231122566}}, pages 48â51 While the text focuses on Krishna “Lord Narayana (Vishnu) himself appears and explains how Brahma and Shiva should never be seen as independent and different from him”.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=149-150}} The sixth book includes the feminine principle as Shakti, or goddess Devi, conceptualizing her as the “energy and creative power” of the masculine yet a manifestation of a sexless Brahman, presented in a language suffused with Hindu monism.Jainism and BuddhismThe fifth canto of the Bhagavata Purana is significant for its inclusion of legends about the first Tirthankara of Jainism, Rishabha, as an avatar of Vishnu.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=151-155}} Further, his father Nabhi is mentioned as one of the Manus and his mother Marudevi also finds a mention. It further mentions the 100 sons of Rishabha including Bharata.{{sfnp|Doniger|1993|p=243}} While homage to Shakyamuni Buddha is included in by declaring him as an avatar of Vishnu,{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=157-159}} the interpretation of Buddhism-related stories in the Purana range from honor to ambivalence to polemics wherein prophecies predict some will distort and misrepresent the teachings of the Vedas, and attempt to sow confusion.John Holt (2004), The Buddhist Visnu, Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|978-0231133227}}, pages 13â31Ludo Rocher (1986), The Puranas, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, {{ISBN|978-3447025225}}, pages 110â111Gail Adalbert (1968), Buddha als Avatara Visnus im Spiegel der Puranas, Deutscher Orientalistentag, Vol. 17, pages 917â923 According to T. S. Rukmani, the Bhagavata Purana is also significant in asserting that Yoga practice is a form of Bhakti.T. S. Rukmani (1993), Researches in Indian and Buddhist Philosophy (Editor: RK Sharma), Motilal Barnarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120809949}}, pages 217â224, Quote (page 218): “The Bhagavata emphasizes yoga as bhakti and it is in the method of realization of its spiritual goal that yoga becomes important”.The Arts{{multiple image| direction = horizontal| width1 = 125| width2 = 129| width3 = 125 | bhakti movement and the culture of India.{{Sfn>Gupta | 2013 | Kathakali (left), Kuchipudi (middle) and Odissi (right) portray legends from the Purana.ML Varadpande (1987), History of Indian Theatre, Vol 1, Abhinav, {{ISBN>978-8170172215}}, pages 98â99{{Sfn | Valpey | pp=162-180}}| image1 = | image2 = Flickr - dalbera - Danseuse de Kuchipudi jouant Krishna (musée Guimet).jpg| image3 = Shrinika Purohit.jpg}}The Bhagavata Purana played a key role in the history of Indian theatre, music, and dance, particularly through the tradition of Ras Leela. These are dramatic enactments about Krishna’s pastimes. Some of the text’s legends have inspired secondary theatre literature such as the eroticism in Gita Govinda.Graham Schweig ( 2007), Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions (Editor: Yudit Kornberg Greenberg), Volume 1, {{ISBN|978-1851099801}}, pages 247â249 While Indian dance and music theatre traces its origins to the ancient Sama Veda and Natyasastra texts,{{sfnp|Beck|1993|pp=107â108}}PV Kane, History of Sanskrit Poetics, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120802742}} (2015 Reprint), pages 10â41 the Bhagavata Purana and other Krishna-related texts such as Harivamsa and Vishnu Purana have inspired numerous choreographic themes.{{harvp|Varadpande|1987|pages=92â94}}Many Ras plays dramatise episodes related in the Rasa Panchadhyayi (“Five chapters of the Celestial Dance”; Canto 10, Chapters 29â33) of the Bhagavatam.{{harvp|Datta|2006|page=33}} The Bhagavatam also encourages theatrical performance as a means to propagate the faith (BP 11.11.23 and 36, 11.27.35 and 44, etc.), and this has led to the emergence of several theatrical forms centred on Krishna all across India.{{harvp|Varadpande|1987|pages=95â97}} Canto 10 of Bhagavatam is regarded as the inspiration for many classical dance styles such as Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri and Bharatnatyam.{{harvp|Varadpande|1987|page=98}} Bryant summarizes the influence as follows,{{Blockquote|The Bhagavata ranks as an outstanding product of Sanskrit literature. Perhaps more significantly, the Bhagavata has inspired more derivative literature, poetry, drama, dance, theatre and art than any other text in the history of Sanskrit literature, with the possible exception of the Ramayana. | Krishna: A Sourcebook{{harvp | 2007|pages=118}}}}Modern ReceptionIn the 20th century, the Bhagavata Purana became widely popular as it spread beyond India, translated into over twenty languages and respected by people worldwide.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|p=222}}Bhaktivedanta SwamiBhaktivedanta Swami significantly impacted the global recognition of the Bhagavata Purana. Bhaktivedanta Swami, raised in a devout Vaishnava family, embraced the Caitanya tradition in 1932. Between 1962 and 1965, he devoted himself to translating the Bhagavata Purana into English, a departure from earlier works focusing on Caitanya’s life and teachings.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=235-236}} While lacking formal traditional education, he was deeply familiar with the teachings of Caitanya and the insights of ancient commentators through self-study. He made the Bhagavata Purana meaningful to modern readers, and his way of explaining the text made it easier to understand and relevant to modern world. He appealed to young people who were looking for something different from mainstream religion.{{Sfn|Gupta|Valpey|2013|pp=240-242}}Commentaries and translationsCommentariesThe Bhagavata Purana is one of the most commented texts in Indian literature. There is a saying in Sanskrit â vidyÄ bhÄgavatÄvadhi â BhÄgavatam is the limit of one’s learning. Hence throughout the centuries it attracted a host of commentators from all schools of Krishna worshippers. Over eighty medieval era BhÄá¹£ya (scholarly reviews and commentaries) in Sanskrit alone are known, and many more commentaries exist in various Indian languages. The oldest exegetical commentary presently known is Tantra-Bhagavata from the Pancaratra school. Other commentaries include:Advaita Vedanta commentaries
According to Ravi M. Gupta, this commentary “exerted extraordinary influence on later BhÄgavata commentaries, and indeed, on Vaiá¹£á¹ava traditions more generally.” This influence is “particularly true of the Caitanya Vaiá¹£á¹ava commentaries by SanÄtana GosvÄmi, JÄ«va GosvÄmÄ«, ViÅvanÄtha CakravartÄ«, and others.”
Acintya-bhedÄbheda Commentaries
Dvaita commentaries
DvaitÄdvaita Commentaries
SuddhÄdvaita Commentaries
ViÅiá¹£á¹Ädvaita Commentaries
Others
TranslationsThe Bhagavata has been rendered into various Indian and non-Indian languages. A version of it is available in almost every Indian language, with forty translations alone in the Bengali language. From the eighteenth century onwards, the text became the subject of scholarly interest and Victorian disapproval,{{harvp|Bryant|2007|pages=118}} with the publication of a French translation followed by an English one. The following is a partial list of translations:Assamese
Bengali
Hindi
Kannada
Telugu
English
English (partial translations and paraphrases)
French
See also
ReferencesCitations{{Reflist|30em}}Sources
Further reading
External links{{commons category|Bhagavata Purana}}English
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