Bhagavata

[Guest guest]

I have often been told and it is widely known that the vaishnava

Bhagavata is a very important text capable of generating bhakti. I

wanted some opinions on if its study would be helpful for Ma bhaktas

as well. I know Ma is herself described in the Bhagavata with the

different forms of the avataras but i would like the opinion of more

knowledgable persons about its study by non vaishnavas.

[Guest guest]

It is one of the recommended books by traditional smArta schools.

There is nothing wrong for a non-vaishhNava to read it, lest you are

worried that you will get converted. Even then, I see no harm in

that. shivaanandalaharii verse starting with word "baaNatvam ..."

categorically identifies ambaaL as lord nArAyaNa.

 

But you have to cautious of fanatical vaishhNava schools, pick a

translation by someone in advaita-vedAnta line. It will save you lot

frustrations from reading about demi-god, semi-god etc.

 

 

You can learn a lot about bhakti from works such as shivAnandalaharI.

There are fantastic prayers/sections on bhakti and sharaNagati in

devii bhaagavata also. And there are beautiful verses on sharaNagati

and bhakti is works such as abhiraami antaadi If one can keep his

mind open one can learn about it from various sources.

 

However, discussion on this forum is limited to works directly on

shiva-dampati. The only exceptions are works on mahaalaxmii and

sarasvatii.

 

--

To come to second part of your question, a text cannot generate

bhakti. It may enhance it, that is all. bhakti comes due to grace of

God.

 

Ravi

 

 

 

 

 

, "omshrimatrenamah"

<omshrimatrenamah> wrote:

> I have often been told and it is widely known that the vaishnava

> Bhagavata is a very important text capable of generating bhakti. I

> wanted some opinions on if its study would be helpful for Ma

bhaktas

> as well. I know Ma is herself described in the Bhagavata with the

> different forms of the avataras but i would like the opinion of

more

> knowledgable persons about its study by non vaishnavas.

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Ravi. I am posting after a long gap, since the Divine Mother

in the form of Sadguru Sainath of Shirdi has been keeping this child

of Her very busy.

 

I fully agree with you Ravi about Bhagavatha of Vishnu. I have read

portions of it (the telugu translation by Bammera Potanamatya is

considered a classic by itself and is supposed to be a must for every

household along with Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharat), when I was in

school and college and even now can (and do) recite a few poems.

 

Bhakti as you have rightly said comes due to God's grace. And when

God's grace is more, you get a Guru. And when the Guru is pleased,

God will show you your own true Self, which is not different from God

and Guru.

 

So, by all means pl. take up the study of Vishnu Bhagavatham with a

spirit of Bhakti.

 

With prostrations to the Lotus Feet of Divine Mother,

 

Swamy

 

, "M. S. Ravisankar"

<miinalochanii> wrote:

> It is one of the recommended books by traditional smArta schools.

> There is nothing wrong for a non-vaishhNava to read it, lest you

are

> worried that you will get converted. Even then, I see no harm in

> that. shivaanandalaharii verse starting with word "baaNatvam ..."

> categorically identifies ambaaL as lord nArAyaNa.

>

> But you have to cautious of fanatical vaishhNava schools, pick a

> translation by someone in advaita-vedAnta line. It will save you

lot

> frustrations from reading about demi-god, semi-god etc.

>

>

> You can learn a lot about bhakti from works such as

shivAnandalaharI.

> There are fantastic prayers/sections on bhakti and sharaNagati in

> devii bhaagavata also. And there are beautiful verses on

sharaNagati

> and bhakti is works such as abhiraami antaadi If one can keep his

> mind open one can learn about it from various sources.

>

> However, discussion on this forum is limited to works directly on

> shiva-dampati. The only exceptions are works on mahaalaxmii and

> sarasvatii.

>

> --

> To come to second part of your question, a text cannot generate

> bhakti. It may enhance it, that is all. bhakti comes due to grace

of

> God.

>

> Ravi

>

>

>

>

>

> , "omshrimatrenamah"

> <omshrimatrenamah> wrote:

> > I have often been told and it is widely known that the vaishnava

> > Bhagavata is a very important text capable of generating bhakti.

I

> > wanted some opinions on if its study would be helpful for Ma

> bhaktas

> > as well. I know Ma is herself described in the Bhagavata with the

> > different forms of the avataras but i would like the opinion of

> more

> > knowledgable persons about its study by non vaishnavas.