Does Bhagavatam contain 18,000 verses?

[Pankaja_Dasa]

Hare Krishna,

 

Does the PRESENT Bhagavatam actually contain 18,000 verses, or are they reduced by way of disicplic succession. Sukadeva Goswami [i love the way Aamala Bhakta dasa pronounces His name!] recited them to Maharaja Parakshit in 7 Days flat. But I'm already on Canto 4 while hearing it. I don't think it took me more than 2 days I think. Only hearing it cause Lord Gauranga says we should.

[Guest guest]

Where can I hear it, too?

[Pankaja_Dasa]

I asked a great devotee about this this-

 

 

Our Bhagavatam Version has not 18000, but even less than 15000.

 

this is because the anustubh has 32 syllables.

But many verses in the Bhagavatam are written in vasant tilaka (which has 56 syllables) or upendra vajra which has 44 syllables.

 

So in total there are 18000 slokas (anustubh).

 

If one counts all syllables of the Bhagavatam and divides it in 32 then we

will have 18000.

 

Different Opinion-

 

Gangasahaya philosopher

Even if one counts all the syllables in the Bhagavatam and divides it by 32 will not get the 18000 but 16207.

 

But if you count all the uvacas and take them as whole anustubh (1332 pieces) and add the chapter endings taking as upendra vajra (460,6) then you get 17999,6 "slokas". That is the method of Gangasahaya who was a Bhagavatam

commentator from the 19th century.

 

___

Shukadeva recited almost 2000 verses daily to complete it in 7 days. In the heavenly planets Shrimad Bhagavatam has many more verses

 

There are emany styles of verses in Shrimad Bhagavatam vasant tilaka, upendra vajra and Anustubh. Anustubh is the normal verse style for small verses. Our Acharyas have accepted it is unchanged.

If someone changes the style, they have to change the verse also, no one can change..so easily.

 

Sankaracharya did not write commentary on Shrimad Bhagavatam because he could not interpret

Sarirakya bhasaya is commentary on the Gita