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Read Bhagavata Purana Part 2 of 5 – Srimad Bhagavatam in English

What is Bhagavata Purana? Or, Srimad Bhagavatam

Srimad Bhagavatam or the Bhagavata Purana is considered to be the essence of all the Vedas.

Bhagavata Purana Part 2 – Mahapurana Bhāgavata Purāṇa in English – Read Srimad Bhagavatam Part 2 of 5

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is a voluminous 5th mahāpurāṇa consisting of 18,000 ślokas divided into 335 chapters and 12 skandhas, that describe 10 topics.

These topics are sarga (primary creation of the universe by the Lord), visarga (secondary creation by Brahmā and his sons), sthānam (universal cosmology), poṣaṇam (protection by the Lord), ūti (inclination to act)

Manvantara (reign of the fathers of mankind), īśānukatha  (the stories of the Lord and His devotees), nirodha (destruction of the universe), mukti (liberation) and āśraya (the supreme shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa)

These skandhas present essential guidelines for the spiritual well-being of humanity.

Who wrote the Srimad Bhagavatam?

Who narrated the Bhagvata Purana?

Despite having written rich pieces of literature such as the Vedas, the Purāṇas and so on, Vyāsa felt an incompleteness at heart.

It was then that his guru Nārada Muni came to him and suggested that he write Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in a way that bhakti yoga is repeatedly emphasized and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s qualities and activities are vividly described.

After writing the Bhāgavatam, Vyāsadeva taught it to his son Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who later narrated it to King Parīkṣit in seven days.

Who published the Bhagavata Purana?

Who are the publishers for Srimad Bhagavatam?

The Translation of Srimad Bhagavatam in English was published in five parts by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi during 1950-1955.
As you read, you will find The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle of the various avatars of Lord Vishnu. There are ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Every Avatara aims to save the world from some great danger, destroy the wicked, and protect the virtuous.

The ten avatars of Lord Vishnu are

  1. Matsya (The Fish) – The objective of the Matsya Avatara was to save Vaivasvata Manu from destruction by a deluge.
  2. Kurma (The Tortoise) – The objective of Kurma Avatara was to enable the world to recover some precious things which were lost in the deluge. The Kurma gave its back for keeping the churning rod when the Gods and the Asuras churned the ocean of milk.
  3. Varaha (The Boar) – The purpose of Varaha Avatara was to rescue, from the waters, the earth which had been dragged down by a demon named Hiranyaksha.
  4. Narasimha (The Man-Lion) – The purpose of Narasimha Avatara, half-lion, and half-man, was to free the world from the oppression of Hiranyakasipu, a demon, the father of Bhakta Prahlada.
  5. Vamana (The Dwarf) – The objective of Vamana Avatara was to restore the power of the gods, which had been eclipsed by the penance and devotion of King Bali.
  6. Parasurama (Rama with the axe, the destroyer of the Kshatriya race) – The objective of Parasurama Avatara was to deliver the world from the oppression of the Kshatriya rulers who follow the adharmic path. Parasurama destroyed the Kshatriya race twenty-one times.
  7. Ramachandra (The hero of Ramayana—the son of Dasaratha), who destroyed Ravana, the objective of Rama was to destroy the wicked Ravana.
  8. Sri Krishna, The teacher of the Gita – The objective of Sri Krishna Avatara was to destroy Kamsa and other demons, to deliver His wonderful message of the Gita in the Mahabharata war, and to become the centre of the Bhakti schools of India.
  9. Buddha (The prince-ascetic, founder of Buddhism) – The objective of Buddha Avatara was to prohibit animal sacrifices and teach piety.
  10. Kalki (The hero riding on a white horse, which is to come at the end of the Kali Yuga) – The objective of the Kalki Avatar is the destruction of the wicked and the re-establishment of virtue.

What are the Contents of Bhagavata Purana Part 2?

Srimad Bhagavatam was published in five (5) parts in New Delhi, India through 1950-1955

The present Srimad Bhagavatam volume contains the Bhagavata Purana Part 2. It covers three (3) Skandha in English Translation.

    • Skandha 4 – Chapeters 1-31
    • Skandha 5 – Chapters 1-26
    • Skandha 6 – Chapters 1-19

What is a Skandha?

Skandha is a Sanskrit word with a multitude of meanings. It is typically translated as “aggregate,” “heap” or “multitude,” but it also means the upper part of the back, typically the shoulder.

It can also mean “king,” “sage” or “teacher.”

In Hinduism, it refers to chapters in literature; for example, the Bhagavata Purana has 12 skandhas or main chapters. Find & read the skandha 4,5 & 6 here.

What do the Skandhas in Bhagavata Purana Part 2 describe?

What do skandha 4 - 6 elaborate on?

The Fourth Skandha is very rich in its con­tents. It unveils inspiring and instructive stories of admired personalities like Lord Shiva, Suniti, Dhruva, Narada, Anga, Prithu, and the Pracetas, who all showed extraordinary examples of bhakti.

We also learn about unfavourable attitudes in bhakti from the mistakes of characters like Daksha, Suruci, Vena, Indra, and Pracinabarhi.

We get to witness how the positive transformation undergone by many of these personalities, mainly due to the intervention of devotees, adds to the glory of bhakti.

The Fifth Skandha corresponds to the lotus navel of the Supreme Lord.

In this skandha, Shukadeva Goswami continues the topic of visarga and describes the dynasty of Priyavrata, the second son of Manu.

Priyavrata’s dynasty consists of several notable personalities, such as Agnidhra, Nabhi, Lord Rishabhadeva, and Bharata in his three lives as a king, a deer, and a brahmana.

All these episodes culminate in the glorification of bhakti. The latter half of this canto discusses sthanam, the positioning of various planetary systems within the structure of the universe for the inhabitation of various living entities.

The skandha concludes with a description of hellish planets. The majesty and grandeur of the Lord’s creation are unfathomable for an ordinary human being.

It is recommended that one faithfully adhere to the teachings of the scriptures and pursue the spiritual path.

Furthermore, the prayers of pure devotees like Dhruva, Prithu, and the Pracetas uncover the highest aspiration of a devotee – to hear Krishna-Katha in the association of devotees.

The Sixth Skandha represents the chest of Lord Krishna.

It is primarily centred on the theme of poshanam, or protection offered by the Lord to His devotees, even if they sometimes transgress the laws of dharma accidentally.

This skandha begins with the glorification of the Lord’s holy names through the episode of Ajamila.

Later Shukadeva Goswami resumes the topic of visarga and describes the living entities generated through the sixty daughters of Daksha.

As a part of those descriptions, Indra’s offences and struggles are described along with the glories of the pure devotee Vritrasura.

Vritrasura’s previous life as King Citraketu reveals the insubstantial nature of material relationships, the compassion of a devotee in uplifting a struggling soul, the care needed in dealing with devotees

And, the Supreme Lord’s eagerness to reclaim His devotees. The skandha concludes with the transformation of Diti and Indra by devotional service.

FInally! To Sum It Up

Srimad Bhagavatam or the Bhagavata Purana is considered to be the essence of all the Vedas. The Vedas are compared to a desire tree because all kinds of knowledge that one may desire are available in them.

Bhagavata Purana Part1 | Srimad Bhagavatam | Srimad Bhagavata Purana

Bhagvata Purana Part 2 | Srimad Bhagavatam | Srimad Bhagavata Purana

Bhagavata Purana Part 2 – Bhāgavata Purāṇa in English – Read Srimad Bhagavatam Part 2 of 5

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is a voluminous 5th mahāpurāṇa consisting of 18,000 ślokas divided into 335 chapters and 12 skandhas, that describe 10 topics.

As you read, you will find The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle of the various avatars of Lord Vishnu. There are ten Avataras of Vishnu.

Every Avatara aims to save the world from some great danger, destroy the wicked, and protect the virtuous.

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