srimadbhagavatha-Introduction

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Introduction to srimadbhagavatham

 

Ithihasas and Puranas are composed for the purpose of explaining the

messages in the vedas in such a way that even common people can

understand. That is why they are known as suhrdsamhitha, counselling

like a friend,suhrd, while vedas are called prabhu samhitha, command

of the master as they contain injunctions and prohibitions.Hence

Puranas are not fairy tales.

 

Leelasuka in his krishna karnamrtha advises those who are tired of

trying to learn the difficult meanings of upanishads to go to Gokula

and see the essence of the upanishads tied to the mortar. This shows

the lucidity of the puranas in teaching the obtruse truths thst are

contained in the upanishads.

 

PurAnam means purA api navam, it is ever new. This explains the

popularity of the ithihasas and puranas even now.Of all the puranas

Bhagavathapurana is most important as it is the only one prefixed

with 'sri' as Srimadbhagavatha puranam.

 

Bhagavatha purana was composed by Vyasa advised by the sage Narada

to cure him of his mental depression and he taught this to his son

Suka who told it to Parikshit. Sootha pouranika who belonged to the

clan of story tellers of yore retold it to the sages in Naimisaranya

and thus it was spread in the world.

The Bhagavathapurana is extolled as the essence of the vedas,is of

supreme merit and is called adhyAthmadeepa, the light of the self,it

is loved by good men free from blemishes of character. It is

beneficial to the whole humanity,and removes the three kinds of

duhkha, namely, Adhidaivika, calamities due to karma or fate,

Adhibouthika,obstacles due to other beings, and adhyAthma, troubles

that come from one's own nature.It is said that when one wishes to

read or hear Bhagavatha the Lord appears in his heart.

 

Bhagavathapuranam is an incomparable work on bhakthi. It is related

by Suka who is a brahmajnani. Bhakthi is extolled as being even

greater than mukthi.

 

Bhagavathapurana was told to Parikshit in seven days. On the first

day, it was till varahavathara, on second day till jatabharatha

episode, on the third till amrthamathanam,on the fourth till

krishnavathara, on the fifth till Rukminikalyanam, on the sixth day

it was till uddhavasamvAdha and the last day the purana was finished.

It has been the practice to read Bhagavatham in the same order for

seven days which is known as BhagavathasapthAham. We shall now enjoy

the nector of srimadbhAgavatham in detail.