Read Bhagavata Purana Part 3 of 5 – Srimad Bhagavatam in English

Bhagavata Purana Part 3 – Mahapurana Bhāgavata Purāṇa in English – Read Srimad Bhagavatam Part 3 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.

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.

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.

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

• • Skandha 7 – Chapeters 1-15
  • Skandha 8 – Chapters 1-24
  • Skandha 9 – Chapters 1-24

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 7,8 & 9 here.

The Seventh and Eighth Skandha represent the arms of the Supreme Lord. The Seventh skandha describes uti, or inclination, which is of two types – auspicious and inauspicious.

The auspicious and inauspicious inclinations of the jivas lead them to perform pious and impious acts, which cause their future happiness and distress in various births.

The Seventh Skandha presents two types of bhakti: shuddha-bhakti, or pure devotional service, as shown by Prahlada (for whom Lord Nrisimhadeva appeared and killed the demon Hiranyakashipu).

This is described in the first ten chapters, and mishra-bhakti or mixed devotional service done by varnashriama followers is described in the last five chapters.

In mishra-bhakti, bhakti is mixed with karma or jnana as a major or minor element.

The Eighth Skandha vividly presents the theme of manvantara, or the reign of the Manus, the chief administrators of the universe, appointed by the Supreme Lord.

Fourteen Manus rule in one kalpa, or day of Lord Brahma, which spans one thousand catur-yugas (the four yugas Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali). Thus each Manu rules for about seventy-one catur-yugas.

In every manvantara six kinds of personalities manage various functions of the universe: Manu, the sons of Manu, the demigods, Indra, the seven great sages, and the manvantara avatar of the Lord.

In this Skandha, Shukadeva describes the six types of main persons in each of the fourteen manvantaras (past, present, and future) in the current day of Brahma.

It also elaborates on selected pastimes of the Lord in some manvantaras.

Thus we hear the episodes of Gajendra, the churning of the milk ocean, Bali Maharaja’s deliverance by Lord Vamanadeva, and the pastimes of Matsya avatar.

In all these episodes the Lord’s protection aspect is vividly described.

The Ninth Skandha represents the throat of Lord Krishna and predominantly presents the topic of ishanukatha or the topics of the Lord and His devotees.

This skandha tells the stories of various devotees and the Lord’s incarnations in the sun dynasty and the moon dynasty.

Some prominent kings of the Sun dynasty were Sudyumna, Ambarisha, Sagara, Ikshvaku, and Lord Ramachandra.

The Moon dynasty had kings like Pururava, Yayati, and Yadu, and Lord Krishna appeared in this dynasty. However glorious a dynasty may be, none of its kings or members forever enjoy its opulence.

Only the devotional service one has rendered with a sincere heart remains with the self as a permanent asset.