Srimad Bhagavatam discussion---- part 2

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uddhava dushyant wrote:

>compare its descriptions of krishnalila to the vishnu purana's rather

quaint descriptions, and the

> sheer antiquity of the vishnu purana compared to the other is readily

> evident. the bhagavatam seems to spend so much time with decidedly

> moralistic points, while the vishnu purana seems more concered with

> relating events, regardless of metaphorical value. this is especially true

> in descriptions of krishna lila. of course the VP does gloss over the

> entire kurukshetra event in little more than few lines; yet the point

> remains.

 

decidedly moralistic points? Read below and judge for yourself.

 

Caitanya Caritamrta

Adi 2.91-92 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead

( Translation: His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

 

" 'Here [in Srimad-Bhagavatam] ten subjects are described: (1) the

creation of the ingredients of the cosmos, (2) the creations of Brahma, (3)

the maintenance of the creation, (4) special favor given to the faithful,

(5) impetuses for activity, (6) prescribed duties for law-abiding men, (7) a

description of the incarnations of the Lord, (8) the winding up of the

creation, (9) liberation from gross and subtle material existence, and (10)

the ultimate shelter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The tenth item is

the shelter of all the others. To distinguish this ultimate shelter from the

other nine subjects, the mahajanas have described these nine, directly or

indirectly, through prayers or direct explanations.'

PURPORT

These verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.10.1-2) list the ten subject

matters dealt with in the text of the Bhagavatam. Of these, the tenth is the

substance, and the other nine are categories derived from the substance.

These ten subjects are listed as follows:

(1) Sarga--the first creation by Visnu, the bringing forth of the five

gross material elements, the five objects of sense perception, the ten

senses, the mind, the intelligence, the false ego and the total material

energy, or universal form.

(2) Visarga--the secondary creation, or the work of Brahma in producing

the moving and unmoving bodies in the universe (brahmanda).

(3) Sthana--the maintenance of the universe by the Personality of

Godhead, Visnu. Visnu's function is more important and His glory greater

than Brahma's and Lord Siva's, for although Brahma is the creator and Lord

Siva the destroyer, Visnu is the maintainer.

(4) Posana--special care and protection for devotees by the Lord. As a

king maintains his kingdom and subjects but nevertheless gives special

attention to the members of his family, so the Personality of Godhead gives

special care to His devotees who are souls completely surrendered to Him.

(5) Uti--the urge for creation, or initiative power, that is the cause of

all inventions, according to the necessities of time, space and objects.

(6) Manvantara--the regulative principles for living beings who desire to

achieve perfection in human life. The rules of Manu, as described in the

Manu-samhita, guide the way to such perfection.

(7) Isanukatha: scriptural information regarding the Personality of

Godhead, His incarnations on earth and the activities of His devotees.

Scriptures dealing with these subjects are essential for progressive human

life.

(8) Nirodha: the winding up of all energies employed in creation. Such

potencies are emanations from the Personality of Godhead who eternally lies

in the Karana Ocean. The cosmic creations, manifested with His breath, are

again dissolved in due course.

(9) Mukti: liberation of the conditioned souls encaged by the gross and

subtle coverings of body and mind. When freed from all material affection,

the soul, giving up the gross and subtle material bodies, can attain the

spiritual sky in his original spiritual body and engage in transcendental

loving service to the Lord in Vaikunthaloka or Krsnaloka. When the soul is

situated in his original constitutional position of existence, he is said to

be liberated. It is possible to engage in transcendental loving service to

the Lord and become jivan-mukta, a liberated soul, even while in the

material body.

(10) Asraya: the Transcendence, the summum bonum, from whom everything

emanates, upon whom everything rests and in whom everything merges after

annihilation. He is the source and support of all. The asraya is also called

the Supreme Brahman, as in the Vedanta-sutra (athato brahma-jijnasa, janmady

asya yatah). Srimad-Bhagavatam especially describes this Supreme Brahman as

the asraya. Sri Krsna is this asraya, and therefore the greatest necessity

of life is to study the science of Krsna.

Srimad-Bhagavatam accepts Sri Krsna as the shelter of all manifestations

because Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate

source of everything, the supreme goal of all.

Two different principles are to be considered herein--namely asraya, the

object providing shelter, and asrita, the dependents requiring shelter. The

asrita exist under the original principle, the asraya. The first nine

categories, described in the first nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam, from

creation to liberation--including the purusa-avataras; the incarnations; the

marginal energy, or living entities; and the external energy, or material

world--are all asrita. The prayers of Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, aim for

the asraya-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. The great

souls expert in describing Srimad-Bhagavatam have very diligently delineated

the other nine categories, sometimes by direct narrations and sometimes by

indirect narrations such as stories. The real purpose of doing this is to

know perfectly the Absolute Transcendence, Sri Krsna, for the entire

creation, both material and spiritual, rests on the body of Sri Krsna.