Full Course: First canto of Srimad Bhagavatam
"This beautiful Bhagavatam is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture?"
Srila Prabhupada and other Vaishnava acaryas before him put great emphasis on the study of the Srimad Bhagavatam as an essential part of our spiritual practice. Even if one doesn’t have time to study any other book, it’s said that one can attain perfection just by studying Srimad Bhagavatam.
Srila Vyasadeva himself argues (on SB 1.1.2): śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ, “This beautiful Bhāgavatam is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture?”
The words “kiṁ vā parair” mean, literally, “What is the need for any other scripture?” This comes directly from the person who compiled the Vedas and understood their meaning better than anyone else.
In this course, we will go deep into the meaning of all the 12 cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Here we have the complete course on the first canto, including text, the PDFs, and the lessons in both audio and video format:
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Srimad Bhagavatam #01: Bhagavatam is the conclusion of the Vedas
In this first part, we discuss how the Srimad Bhagavatam is the conclusion of the Vedas. To understand why the Srimad Bhagavatam is so important, it’s useful to understand a little about two other books: The Vedanta Sutra, by Vyasadeva, and the Tattva-Sandarbha, by Srila Jiva Goswami.
In his Tattva-Sandarbha, Srila Jiva Goswami makes a long analysis of the process by which we can obtain perfect knowledge. Nowadays of course it’s easy since we have the books from Srila Prabhupada, but it used to be harder.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #02: questions of the sages (chapter 1.1)
In the first part, we discussed how we can obtain perfect knowledge, and how the Srimad Bhagavatam is the conclusion of all the Vedas. If one has time, he may gradually study all Vedic literature, starting from the four Vedas, then the Mahabharata, the Upanisads, all the Puranas, etc. However, people of our age, who have limited attention and short lives can attain perfection by just studying the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The Srimad Bhagavatam brings the highest knowledge, directly describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Srimad Bhagavatam is considered thus the essence or the ripened fruit of all Vedic literature.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #03: Devotional service (chapter 1.2)
In the second part of the course, we studied the sex questions the sages asked Sukadeva Goswami and their answers.
After answering that the process of devotional service is the essence of all scriptures and explaining that the goal of performing our duties is to gradually elevate ourselves to that platform, Suta Goswami describes the process of devotional service in more detail. In one sense, all these verses are still part of the answer to the second question, but to make it easier to follow we first studied the short answers for all six questions and now we will study the details of the process of devotional service given in the second chapter, describing how can we attain this ultimate goal, and how to surpass the difficulties we can come upon on this path.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #04: Incarnations of Krishna (chapter 1.3)
Just like the second chapter gives a concise description of the process of devotional service, the third chapter gives us a description of the incarnations of Krsna which will be explained in more detail during the whole Srimad Bhagavatam. The third chapter also includes a special verse, the paribhasa-sutra of Srimad Bhagavatam.
The paribhasa-sutra is the verse that gives the essence of the whole book. Just like a king reigns over all subjects, the paribhasa-sutra is the verse that reigns over all other verses. All the verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam must be understood under the optics of this paribhasa-sutra if one hopes to understand the correct conclusion of the text.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #05: Narada instructs Vyasadeva (chapters 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6)
The Srimad Bhagavatam started with Saunaka Rishi asking questions to Suta Goswami. He wanted to know about the ultimate goal for all people, the essence of all scriptures, the pastimes of the Lord, and the shelter for people living in Kali-yuga. During the course of the answers of Suta Goswami, it became clear that the answer to all these questions is the same: The Srimad Bhagavatam. Saunaka Rishi then becomes interested in hearing more and begins the 4th chapter by congratulating Suta Goswami and asking him to narrate the Srimad Bhagavatam to them.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #06: Aswattama punished (chapters 1.7 and 1.8)
At the end of chapter 6, Narada Muni leaves after instructing Vyasadeva. Chapter 7 starts with Śaunaka Ṛṣi inquiring about what happened after that. What did he do after receiving these instructions from his spiritual master? Indirectly, Śaunaka Ṛṣi is asking how the Srimad Bhagavatam was compiled.
Suta Goswami answers by describing the meditation of Vyasadeva before starting his work in compiling the Srimad Bhagavatam. Meditating on the bank of the river Sarasvati, he was able to see the Lord along with His external energy.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #07: Passing away of Bhismadeva (chapters 1.9, 1.10, and 1.11)
Bhismadeva was defeated by Arjuna and Srikandi during the 10th day of the battle of Kuruksetra. Dozens of arrows transpassed his body, but he landed in such a way that the arrows supported the weight of his body, and he didn’t touch the ground. It looked like he was lying on a bed of arrows. Later, at his request, Arjuna added three arrows under his head, that served as a pillow. Any regular person would die instantly in this situation, but because Bhismadeva had the blessing he would not die until the time he had chosen, he remained alive and conscious, even in this situation. He was waiting for an auspicious moment to leave his body.
It’s mentioned in the Bhagavad-Gita that a yogi should leave his body during the months the sun travels in the northern hemisphere, so Bhismadeva was patiently waiting for the right period to come.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #08: Drtarashtra leaves home (chapters 1.12, 1.13, and 1.14)
In this chapter, we have the story of Vidhura returning to the palace to preach to his brother Dhrtarastra and thus save him from a degrading position. Chronologically speaking, this happens after the discussions between Vidhura and Maitreya on the 3rd and 4th cantos. However, it is included here in the first canto because it is connected with the pastimes of the Pandavas. The narrations of the Srimad Bhagavatam are organized by topic and not in chronological order, since the concern of Sukadeva Goswami and Suta Goswami are instructing us in the spiritual science, and not on writing a history book. In any case, during the lessons, we will also try to understand the chronological order so that you can get both sides.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #09: The disappearance of Krishna (chapter 1.15)
Arjuna is the constant companion of Krsna. Every time Krsna appears in some universe of this material world, Arjuna appears with Him. They are always together. In the Bhagavad-Gita, when Arjuna asks Krsna how could he have spoken the Bhagavad-Gita to Vivasvan, millions of years ago, Krsna answers that Arjuna was also present when this happened, but he had forgotten, while He still remembered.
Now, facing the separation from the Lord, Arjuna is completely devastated. The inquiries from Maharaja Yudhisthira in chapter 14 just increased his grief. Nor was it possible for him to reply properly, because his voice was completely choked-up.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #10: Pariksit meets Kali (chapters 1.16, and 1.17)
Chronologically, the age of Kali began just after the battle of Kuruksetra, but its effects were been checked due to the presence of Krsna. As soon as Krsna left, the effects of the age of Kali manifested, which was noticed by Maharaja Yudhisthira. However, when Pariksit ascended to the throne he decided to fight with Kali, checking his influence. In his purport, Srila Prabhupada connects the root cause of Kali-yuga with low-class men in the modes of passion and ignorance coming to power. These ignorant leaders hurt both the cows and the Brahminical culture, which are the basis of any progressive society. When the basis is destroyed, people can easily fall under the degrading influence of Kali. Pariksit Maharaja was well aware of it, therefore he wanted to cut it from the root.
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Srimad Bhagavatam #11: Pariksit cursed (chapters 1.18 and 1.19)
As long as Pariksit was on the planet, there was no chance Kali could flourish. However, at the same time, Kali-yuga is part of the universal cosmic order. The degradation of Kali-yuga creates an opportunity for the most degraded souls, who don’t have enough pious merits to take birth in other eras, to take birth and have the opportunity of receiving the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Another factor is that Pariksit was Krsna’s pure devotee, and Krsna wanted him back. We often think that living a long life is a blessing, but this is not exactly true for a pure devotee, because a long life means staying more time in this world. Krsna allows His pure devotees to stay for some time amongst us to give us association, but this is only for a limited time. Pure devotees don’t belong to this world, and eventually, Krsna takes them back.
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