Srimad Bhagavatam 12 Cantos Website

[Guest guest]

Preface of www.bhagavatam.net

 

 

Srimad Bhagavatam by Srila Prabhupada

 

We must know the present need of human society. And what is that need? Human society is no longer bounded by geographical limits to particular countries or communities. Human society is broader than in the Middle Ages, and the world tendency is toward one state or one human society. The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, of the entire energy of living beings. The need is felt by great thinkers to make this a successful ideology. Srimad-Bhagavatam will fill this need in human society. It begins, therefore, with the aphorism of Vedanta philosophy janmady asya yatah [sB 1.1.1] to establish the ideal of a common cause.

 

Human society, at the present moment, is not in the darkness of oblivion. It has made rapid progress in the field of material comforts, education and economic development throughout the entire world. But there is a pinprick somewhere in the social body at large, and therefore there are large-scale quarrels, even over less important issues. There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. Srimad-Bhagavatam will fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam should be introduced also in the schools and colleges, for it is recommended by the great student-devotee Prahlada Maharaja in order to change the demoniac face of society.

 

kaumara acaret prajnodharman bhagavatan ihadurlabham manusam janmatad apy adhruvam arthadam (SB 7.6.1)

 

Disparity in human society is due to lack of principles in a godless civilization. There is God, or the Almighty One, from whom everything emanates, by whom everything is maintained and in whom everything is merged to rest. Material science has tried to find the ultimate source of creation very insufficiently, but it is a fact that there is one ultimate source of everything that be. This ultimate source is explained rationally and authoritatively in the beautiful Bhagavatam, or Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the transcendental science not only for knowing the ultimate source of everything but also for knowing our relation with Him and our duty toward perfection of the human society on the basis of this perfect knowledge. It is powerful reading matter in the Sanskrit language, and it is now rendered into English elaborately so that simply by a careful reading one will know God perfectly well, so much so that the reader will be sufficiently educated to defend himself from the onslaught of atheists. Over and above this, the reader will be able to convert others to accepting God as a concrete principle.

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam begins with the definition of the ultimate source. It is a bona fide commentary on the Vedanta-sutra by the same author, Srila Vyasadeva, and gradually it develops into nine cantos up to the highest state of God realization. The only qualification one needs to study this great book of transcendental knowledge is to proceed step by step cautiously and not jump forward haphazardly like with an ordinary book. It should be gone through chapter by chapter, one after another. The reading matter is so arranged with its original Sanskrit text, its English transliteration, synonyms, translation and purports so that one is sure to become a God-realized soul at the end of finishing the first nine cantos.

 

The Tenth Canto is distinct from the first nine cantos because it deals directly with the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. One will be unable to capture the effects of the Tenth Canto without going through the first nine cantos. The book is complete in twelve cantos, each independent, but it is good for all to read them in small installments one after another.

 

I must admit my frailties in presenting Srimad-Bhagavatam, but still I am hopeful of its good reception by the thinkers and leaders of society on the strength of the following statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.11):

 

tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo

yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api

namany anantasya yaso 'nkitani yac

chrnvanti gayanti grnanti sadhavah

 

"On the other hand, that literature which is full with descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, form and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a transcendental creation meant to bring about a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though irregularly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest."

 

Om tat .

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Dated at Delhi

December 15, 1962

[Guest guest]

Gopaldas. This site is very good. I have one question for you. Do you know who did the translations after chapter 10?

[gHari 0]

I seem to recall that it was Hridyananda Swami.

[stonehearted 0]

After Canto 10, Chapter 13, Pradyumna was supposed to translate. When he was ostracized, a team led by Hridayananda and Gopiparanadhana took over.

[Guest guest]

If Hridayananda was one of the parties that drove Pradyumna out, and then "stole" his service, how can one accept his translations and purports? I personally have avoided reading the 11th and 12 cantos translated with purports by Hridayananda, but I have a friend who reads them and feels inspired by them. I have another friend who is initiated by Hridayananda and is likewise inspired by that guru and disciple relationship. So, I find this whole situation to be somewhat of a conundrum. It seems to me that if there is guru aparadha, then one loses his qualification, so how can these friends of mine (whom I consider to be sincere souls) be inspired by Hridayananda's purports and instructions?

[stonehearted 0]

I can't remember for sure whether Hridayananda was one of the parties who drove Pradyumna out. It happened because he questioned their "guru system." Considering Hrid's facility with debate, though, it's hard to imagine he wasn't involved.

 

What to make of things? I avoided even buying the Bhagavatams after C 10 v. 3 for a long time; then I realized I was missing all this Bhagavatam stuff. I read the "purports" very carefully. I appreciate the acaryas' insights and let all the political, "Yay for us!" stuff go. I also have friends who find his guidance very inspiring and who have rejected him as inauthentic. Whatcha gonna do?

[gHari 0]

I gave them two thumbs up. Although of course, I was always aware that it wasn't the Prabhupada who had won my heart and earned my adoration. But I found nothing not to my liking. In fact, I appreciated the way the author showed preference for any words by his master that he could possibly fit in.

[Guest guest]

..But were those translators sanskrit scholars like prabhupada?

[Guest guest]

Real 10th Canto purports are never outwardly revealed. There are two levels regarding Krsna consciousness on the whole. One level gives the external meaning, the other level is realized and is known as the internal meaning. This realization only achieved when one is in the direct association of a maha bhagavata devotee of the Lord. We have to continue to seek out a maha bhagavata devotee and hear from and associate with him. Now to know gold, one has to know the qualities of gold. To know a maha bhagavata devotee one must hear from a maha bhagavata devotee. If the tenth canto translated buy H.G.Maharaja is different from what Srila A C Bhaktivedant Swami wrote in the Krsna Books, then we have to be very careful. If the purports are in line with that, then it is ok to read the tenth canto translated by Hridyananda Goswami. If he has described more internal meaning for the tenth canto, then the real question is where did he get that internal meaning and who he associated with to get it. My own opinion,is that it is the same meaning Srila Prabhupada gave in the Krsna books which is nothing else but the full tenth canto including chapter 34 four main verses. Not only that he gave this quite early in the movement. Still there are internal meanings unexplained because of who he preached too at that time. Very young boys and girls who just came to Krsna consciousness. If we want to have the internal meaning we must seek out a maha bhagavata rasika vaisnava who is continuing the raganuga bhakti path which was introduced by Srila Prabhupada. We must hear from someone who was very friendly with Srila Prabhupada and who wrote the last rites on his transcendental body and who was commissioned by Srila Prabhupada to help us understand deeper things. The question is are we sincere to know that maha bhagavata devotee exist in our presence. That maha bhagavata is now in the midst of translating Ujvala Nilamani by Srila Rupa Goswami. Who can give us the inner and internal meaning of the tenth canto more than Rupa manjari herself? This is the meaning of hearing from a maha bhagavata devotee instead of staying on one platform. We must advance.