Foreword The Puranas came into existence to explain the meaning of the Vedas to the com- mon people. While instructing about Dharma to the people, the Veda acts like a king, who commands his subjects. The same instruction is imparted to the people by the Puranas like friends. In the process of their teaching the Puranas use various ancient stories.

We have 18 Puranas. But, the Bhagavata Purana is the most important of them all.

Vedavyasa, even after completing the writing of the Maha Bharata, could not get mental peace. He composed Srimad Bhagavata, as per the instruction of sage Narada, and thereby derived the required mental peace. This holy book is considered to be the essence of all the Vedas.

Srimad Bhagavata explains the devine stories, qualities, actions and names of the Lord Sriman narayana. The story of Sri Krishna is vividly described in this scripture. Like Ramayana and Maha Bharata, Bhagavata has gained immense popularity amongst the Hindus.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams started the Sri Bhagavata Project, with the intention of bringing out the critical edition of the work. The services of eminent scholars like Dr. P. Radhakrishna Sarma, and Dr. N.C.V. Narasimhacharya were utilized in this onerous task and the editing of the work has been completed successfully by the grace of Lord Venkateswara.

This is the Second Skandha of Srimad Bhagavata. It was decided to publish the entire text with the commentaries in 14 volumes. With the present volume, 9 volumes are released. The other 5 volumes would also be released shortly.

It is hoped the readers would receive them whole-heartedly.

Introduction Veda Akhila Dharma Mulam is an aphorism of a Maharishi. The Vedas are authorless and eternal scriptures. All the Vedas along with their innumerable branches are looked upon as the fountain-head of the Dharmas; on which the world depends for its sustenance. But they are formed in Vedic Sanskrit language; as such they cannot be understood by the people who are acquainted with the classical language, in which the Ramayana the first and foremost Sanskrit work was composed. The Rishis being aware of the linguistic drawback had composed the Itihasas (the Bharata etc.) and puranas with a compassionate view to make the people understand the spirit and purport of the Vedas. Both these texts i.e. the Itihasas and the puranas expound the Vedic ideas and thus they saved the people from the ignorance of the Vedic Dharmas. The motto" Itihasa Puranabhyam Veda Samupabranhayet testify to the above fact. That which cannot be understood from the Vedas, can be understood in the light of the puranas. The puranas are very elaborate texts and they are 18 in number. Total number of verses of all the puranas is 4 lakhs. Everything contained in the Vedas can be known through puranas. So it is discerned that puranas occupy an important role in the Dharmic world.

Of all the puranas, such as Kunna, Matsya, Varaha, Vaishnava and the like, the Bhagavata Purana .is the most important one for its range of subjects and its authenticity.

Sri Bhagavata is rightly called Puranaratna, the Gem of puranas. The importance of this purana depends upon the following facts. Almost the whole of Vaishnava population of India look upon it as their main scripture on par with the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita. It has been cited by the founder representative teachers of all sects even outside the vaishnava fold for their learned commentaries just like the Gita and Upanishads in order to prove the support to their respective teachings. Although there are 18 puranas the Bhagavata surpassed all the others and has become unique work of this class, studied reverently and interpreted and worshipped by devotees all over India. Apart from its superb poetry and the very wide range of its devotional teachings, the reason for its forceful and ever expanding appeal lies in its elaborate exposition of the life and message of Sri Krishna. . The Word Bhagavata is very significant as it is replete with various meanings. If I quote a sloka and interpret, the importance of the purana will sufficiently be understood.

This stanza can be expressed thus. The 'five letters Bha, ga, va, ta, m suggest the quintessence of the Bhagavata. The letter 'Bha' stands for Bhakti, devotion, 'gal for Jnana, knowledge, 'va' for Vairagya the renouncement of worldly wishes and passions, 'tal for Tattva, the real nature of the supreme and 'm' for Moksha, the emancipation from the worldly bonds. Hence the Bhagavata throws much light on the above five subjects.

The understanding of the nature of the above subjects helps people very much. Thus this purana reveals five-fold knowledge, which leads them to salvation. The Bhagavata is an indispensable text, because it deals with all the varieties of Bhakti, which is a must for the human beings who want to get rid of worldly troubles.

The Bhagavata can be called as Bhakti bhashya.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages