An humble offering to

the assembled
devotees!

All Glories to Srila

Prabhupada!
• Çrémad-Bhägavatam
begins with the
definition of the
ultimate source. It is a
bona fide commen-
tary on the Vedänta-
sütra by the same
author, Çréla
Vyäsadeva, …
…written
by him in
this
cave….
…at the dawn of the age of kali...
…in the Himalayas…
…to give light to the people in this world, who
are in darkness due to Kali’s influence…
 Prelude

p NaMaae oà namo
bhagavate
>aGavTae väsudeväya

vaSaudevaY
janmädy asya yato ’nvayäd itarataç
cärtheñv abhijïaù svaräö
tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye
muhyanti yat sürayaù
tejo-väri-mådäà yathä vinimayo
yatra tri-sargo ’måñä
dhämnä svena sadä nirasta-
kuhakaà satyaà paraà dhémahi
O my Lord, Çré Kåñëa, son of
Vasudeva, O all-pervading
Personality of Godhead, I offer my
respectful obeisances unto You. I
meditate upon Lord Çré Kåñëa
because He is the Absolute Truth and
the primeval cause of all causes of
the creation, sustenance and
destruction of the manifested
He is directly and indirectly
conscious of all
manifestations, and He is
independent because there
is no other cause beyond
Him.
It is He only who
first imparted the
Vedic knowledge
unto the heart of
Brahmäjé, the
original
living

being.
By Him even the great sages and
demigods are placed into illusion, as
one is bewildered by the illusory
representations of water seen in fire, or
land seen on water.
Only because of Him do the
material universes, temporarily
manifested by the reactions of
the three modes of nature,
appear factual, although they
are unreal.
I therefore
meditate upon
Him, Lord Çré
Kåñëa, who is
eternally existent
in the
transcendental
abode, which is
forever free from
the illusory
representations of
the material world.
I meditate upon
Him, for He is the
Absolute Truth.
O expert and thoughtful men,
relish Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
the mature fruit of the desire
tree of Vedic literatures. It
emanated from the lips of Çré KRISHNA
Çukadeva Gosvämé.

BRAHMA

NARADA

VYASA DEVA

SUKADEVA GOSWAMI
Therefore this fruit has
become even more
tasteful, although its
nectarean juice was
already relishable for all,
including liberated souls.
SB 1.1.3
 end of invocation; begin of first scenario

•Once, in a holy place in

the forest of
Naimiñäraëya, great sages
headed by the sage
Çaunaka assembled to
perform a great thousand-
year sacrifice for the
satisfaction of the Lord
and His devotees. SB
1.1.4
The sages addresse Suta Goswami:

O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have

but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy,
misguided, unlucky and, above all, always
disturbed.
O Süta Gosvämé, you can tell us all that you have
scientifically learned from your spiritual
masters…
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
 6 question by the sages…
1) What is the ultimate 4) What kind of pastimes
good for people? perform His expansions
in relation to creation?

2) What is the essence of 5) What are the activities

all scriptures? of His incarnations?

3) For what purpose did 6) To whom have

Lord Krishna appear? religious principles gone
for shelter after His
departure
The sages conclude:
We think that we have
met Your Goodness by
the will of providence,
just so that we may
accept you as captain
of the ship for those
who desire to cross the
difficult ocean of Kali,
which deteriorates all
the good qualities of a
human being.
SB 1.1.22
 vyäsa uväca

• Ugraçravä [Süta
Gosvämé], the son of
Romaharñaëa, being
fully satisfied by the
perfect questions of
the brähmaëas,
thanked them and thus
attempted to reply.
 näräyaëaà namaskåtya
naraà caiva narottamam
devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà
tato jayam udérayet

Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam,

which is the very means of conquest, one
should offer respectful obeisances unto
the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa,
unto Nara-näräyaëa Åñi, the supermost
human being, unto mother Sarasvaté, the
goddess of learning, and unto Çréla
Vyäsadeva, the author. SB 1.2.4
 What is the ultimate good for people?

Answer to Question One:

• SB 1.2.6
The supreme occupation
[dharma] for all humanity is
sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo that by which men can attain
to loving devotional service
yato bhaktir adhokñaje unto the transcendent Lord.
ahaituky apratihatä Such devotional service must
yayätmä suprasédati be unmotivated and
uninterrupted to completely
satisfy the self.
 SANATANA DHARMA
‘Dharma’ means ‘that which cannot be given up’ or ‘that
which is a constant companion’.
Water and liquidity cannot be separated.

What is the constant companion of living being?’

to love and ‘to render service’.

 SANATANA DHARMA ==
ETERNAL “RELIGION”

SANATANA DHARMA - COMING FROM DAWN OF CREATION

BHAGAVAD GITA SPOKEN TO ARJUNA 5000 yrs.

BUDDHISM 2500 yrs.

CHRISTIANITY 2000 yrs.

ISLAM 1300 yrs.

NUMBER OF YEARS
 DIFFERENT RELIGIONS -
SAME MESSAGE

OTHER RELIGIONS : SANATANA DHARMA

POCKET DICTIONARY : CHAMBER’S
DICTIONARY

“THERE IS MUCH THAT I

HAVE TO TELL YOU BUT
YOU CANNOT BEAR IT
NOW” -
JESUS IN BIBLE

“I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge both

phenomenal & noumenal by knowing which there shall
remain nothing further to be known.” [B.G.7.2]
By rendering devotional
service unto the
Personality of Godhead,
Çré Kåñëa, one
immediately acquires
causeless knowledge and
detachment from the
world. SB 1.2.7
Life’s desires should never be
directed toward sense gratification.
One should desire only a healthy
life, or self-preservation, since a
human being is meant for inquiry
about the Absolute Truth. Nothing
else should be the goal of one’s
works.
SB 1.2.10

And what is that Truth?

 vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaà yaj jïänam advayam

brahmeti
paramätmeti
bhagavän iti
çabdyate

Learned transcendentalists who

know the Absolute Truth call this
nondual substance Brahman,
Paramätmä or Bhagavän.
SB 1.2.11
nañöa-präyeñv abhadreñu
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
bhagavaty uttama-çloke
bhaktir bhavati naiñöhiké
SB
1.2.18
 What is the essence of all scriptures?

Answer to Question Two:

• SB 1.2.28-29 In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate
väsudeva-parä vedä object of knowledge is Çré Kåñëa, the
väsudeva-parä makhäù Personality of Godhead. The purpose
of performing sacrifice is to please
väsudeva-parä yogä
Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All
väsudeva-paräù kriyäù fruitive activities are ultimately
väsudeva-paraà jïänaà rewarded by Him only. He is supreme
väsudeva-paraà tapaù knowledge, and all severe austerities
are performed to know Him. Religion
väsudeva-paro dharmo [dharma] is rendering loving service
väsudeva-parä gatiù unto Him. He is the supreme goal of
life.
Väsudeva means
the all-pervading or
localized Supreme
Personality of
Godhead. That
Supersoul enters
into the bodies of
the created
beings…

He manifest His transcendental

pastimes amongst them just to
create the desire to go back to
Godhead. SB 1.2.33
For what purpose did Lord Krishna appear?
Answer to Question Three:

….assuming the roles of incarnations, He

performs pastimes to reclaim those in the
mode of goodness. SB 1.2.34
What kind of pastimes do the Lord’s expansions
perform (in relation to creation)?

Answer to Question Four:

He is the Purusa Avatara
 Answer to Question Five:
What are the activities of his incarnations?

avatärä hy asaìkhyeyä…
…the incarnations of the Lord are
innumerable, like rivulets flowing from
inexhaustible sources of water
ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaù
kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam
indräri-vyäkulaà lokaà måòayanti yuge yuge
All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or
portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa is the
original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever
there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to
protect the theists.
 To whom have religious principles gone for
shelter after His departure ?

Answer to Question Six:

kåñëe sva-dhämopagate dharma-jïänädibhiù saha

kalau nañöa-dåçäm eña puräëärko ’dhunoditaù
SB 1.3.43
Reviewing the sequences of
events:

Sages at Naimiñäraëya listen to

Suta Goswami …

Suta Goswami says that he had been

present when Sukadeva Goswami
spoke to King Pariksit and had
listened with rapt attention….
Previously,
Vyasadeva spoke the
Srimad Bhagavatam
to his son Sukadeva
Goswami …

…and he in turn
spoke it to King
Pariksit for seven
days…
 …thus the sages at Naimiñäraëya
wonder…

…why a meeting
between King
Pariksit and
Sukadeva took
place …
 Sukadeva past by naked girls who where undisturbed
in their bathing. He was so pure. And he spend time
with householders just enough to milk a cow. But he
agreed to spend 7 days with a king….?

The sages
conclude that
the talk between
the two must
have been about
the pastimes of
the Lord. They
wish to hear …
They also wonder who
inspired Vyasadeva to
compile the Srimad
Bhagavatam which he then
instructed to Sukadeva.

We learn that it was the great Narada who

had instructed Vyasa to broadcast the
Glories of the Lord for the good of All
O Vyäsadeva, your vision is
completely perfect. Your
good fame is spotless. You
are firm in vow and situated
in truthfulness. And thus you
can think of the pastimes of
the Lord in trance for the
liberation of the people in
general from all material
bondage.
SB 1.5.13
…thus in trance he saw the Lord and His
external energy under His full control…..
Vyasadeva, seeing the age of Kali fast approaching, took the
instruction of his guru Narada to hearth and composed the
Srimad Bhagavatam for the uplift of mankind.
…thus we too are fortunate to hear
the pastimes of the Lord …
 Chapter 19

overview

Begin of Krishna’s pastimes

in the Srimad Bhagavatam

The Son of Drona Punished; Prayers by Kunti Chapter 7

Narada and Vyasadeva Chapter 4

Question by the sages Chapter 1

Lord Krishna is seen as the Chariot Driver of His Devotee.
They are chasing Açvatthämä

First Glimpse into Pastimes

Bhima is
ready to
kill
Açvat-
thämä…
…Drau-
padi has
com-
passion..
…and by
Lord
Krishna’s
plan he is
let free.
Açvatthämä then releases his brahmästra weapon to kill
King Pariksit in the womb

When the Lord saw that there was no time for the
Päëòavas to counteract the brahmästra of
Açvatthämä, He took up His weapon even at the risk
of breaking His own vow. Although the Battle of
Kurukñetra was almost finished, still, according to
His vow, He should not have taken up His own
weapon. But the emergency was more important
than the vow. He is better known as the bhakta-
vatsala, or the lover of His devotee, and thus He
preferred to continue as bhakta-vatsala than to be a
worldly moralist who never breaks his solemn vow.
King Pariksit in the Womb
of Uttara protected by the
Lord.

Uttara’s prays:
Except You no one else
can protect me in this
word of dualities.
SB 1.8.9
After saving Pariksit, Lord Krishna is ready to leave for His
own city, Dwaraka.
Queen Kunti requests Him to stay…

O Kåñëa, puruñaà
namasye I offer my
obeisances
tvädyam unto You
because You are the
éçvaraàpersonality
original prakåteù param
and
are unaffected
alakñyaà sarva-by the
qualities
bhütänäm of the material
world. You are existing
antarwithin
both bahirand
avasthitam
without
everything, yet You are
invisible to all. SB 1.8.18
My dear Kåñëa, Your Lordship has
protected us from a poisoned cake,
from a great fire, from cannibals,
from the vicious assembly, from
sufferings during our exile in the
forest and from the battle where
great generals fought. And now
You have saved us from the
weapon of Açvatthämä.
vipadaù santu täù çaçvat tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darçanaà yat syäd apunar bhava-darçanam
I wish that all those calamities would happen again and
again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing
You means that we will no longer see repeated births and
deaths. SB 1.8.25
My Lord, Your
Lordship can easily be
approached, but only
by those who are
materially exhausted.
One who is on the
path of [material]
progress, trying to
improve himself with
respectable parentage,
great opulence, high
education and bodily
beauty, cannot
approach You with
sincere feeling.
SB 1.8.26
 çåëvanti gäyanti gåëanty bhékñëaçaù
smaranti nandanti tavehitaà janäù
ta eva paçyanty acireëa tävakaà
bhava-pravähoparamaà padämbujam

O Kåñëa, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat

Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others’
doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can
stop the repetition of birth and death. SB 1.8.36
 tvayi me ’nanya-viñayä
matir madhu-pate ’sakåt
ratim udvahatäd addhä
gaìgevaugham udanvati

O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to

the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be
constantly drawn unto You without being diverted
to anyone else.SB 1.8.42
end of queen Kunti’s prayers

On the request of
King Yudhisthira,
Lord Krishna agrees to
further delay His
departure for Dwaraka
 Yudhisthira, under the influence of Krishna’s covering
potency (just as Arjuna was covered before the war) can’t be
pacified for killing all the soldiers in the war. By Krishna’s
arrangement the King will now be instructed by Bhisma.

Krishna causes Yudhisthira’s bewilderment for the

following reasons:

1) Bhisma should get to see Lord Krishna at the time of

leaving this world.

2) Bhisma should get to see the Pandavas as Kings

(his own cherished desired)

3) Bhisma’s knowledge should be know to the whole world

 Therefore, the Pandavas return back to the
Battlefield of Kuruksetra, to be present at the
passing away of Bhéñmadeva.
 O best among the
descendants of Bharata
[Yudhiñöhira], I maintain
that all this is within the
plan of the Lord. Accepting
the inconceivable plan of
the Lord, you must follow
it. You are now the
appointed administrative
head, and, my lord, you
should now take care of
those subjects who are now
rendered helpless.
Bhéñma, in the presence of many great sages, thus declares:
 eña vai bhagavän säkñäd

This Çré Kåñëa is no other than the

inconceivable, original Personality
of Godhead. He is the first
Näräyaëa, the supreme enjoyer. But
He is moving amongst the
descendants of King Våñëi just like
one of us and He is bewildering us
with His self-created energy.
SB 1.9.17+18
Let my mind be fixed
upon Lord Çré Kåñëa,
whose motions and
smiles of love attracted
the damsels of
Vrajadhäma
[the gopés].
…SB 1.9.40.

Bhéñma’s breathing stops; flowers fall from the

 Lord Krishna journeys back to
His own city Dwaraka

Hastinapura

Dwaraka
Süta Gosvämé said: Upon reaching the border of His most
prosperous metropolis, known as the country of the Änartas
[Dvärakä], the Lord sounded His auspicious conchshell,
heralding His arrival and apparently pacifying the dejection of
the inhabitants.
End of Chapter Eleven

“Return to Dwaraka”
 Chapter 19

overview

Return to Dwaraka; Parékñit’ s birth Chapter 11

The Son of Drona Punished; Prayers by Kunti Chapter 7

Narada and Vyasadeva Chapter 4

Question by the sages Chapter 1

Setting the scene for talks
about King Pariksit
 The sages at Naimiñäraëya had
wondered…

…why a meeting
between King
Parékñit and
Sukadeva took
place …
 …but in the course of the narration
other topics were discussed. The
sages were absorbed in hearing
such descriptions, but now they
wanted to turn to the original
topic, and thus Çaunaka Åñi
inquired:

How did King Yudhisthira rule?

Suta Goswami said: Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira, after being
enlightened by what was spoken by Bhéñmadeva and Lord
Çré Kåñëa, ruled over the earth and seas and was followed by
his younger brothers. SB 1.10.3
 During the reign of Mahäräja
Yudhiñöhira, the clouds showered all
the water that people needed, and the
earth produced all the necessities of
man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk
bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used
to moisten the grazing ground with
milk. SB 1.10.4

Because of the King’s having

no enemy, the living beings
were not at any time disturbed
by mental agonies, diseases, or
excessive heat or cold.
 Birth of King Parékñit

King Yudhiñöhira, who

was very satisfied with
the birth of Mahäräja
Parékñit, had the
purificatory process of
birth performed. Learned
brähmaëas, headed by
Dhaumya and Kåpa,
recited auspicious
hymns. SB 1.12.13
Learned Brahmanas give astrological insight
about the Child:

viŠu-r€ta
(protected by
Vishnu)

mah€-
bh€gavata
(first class
devotee)
Some time after:

Arjuna does not

return from
Dwaraka.
Yudhisthira and
Bhima observe
inauspicious omens.
Meanwhile in Dwaraka:
Lord Brahmä approaches Lord Krishna

The Supreme Lord said: O lord

My dear Lord, previously
of the demigods, Brahmä, I
we requested You to remove
understand your prayers and
the burden of the earth. O
request. Having removed the
unlimited Personality of
burden of the earth, I have
Godhead, that request has
executed everything that was
certainly been fulfilled. SB
required on your behalf.
11.6.21
 That very Yädava
dynasty in which I
appeared became greatly
magnified in opulence,
especially in their
physical strength and
courage, to the extent
that they threatened to
devour the whole world.
Therefore I have stopped
them, just as the shore
holds back the great
ocean.
 Uddhava hears of the Lord’s pending departure:
O saintly My dear
Uddhava, in Uddhava, you
the near should not remain
future I will here on the earth
abandon this once I have
earth. Then, abandoned this
being world.
overwhelmed
by the age of O Lord Keçava, my dear master, I
Kali, the earth cannot tolerate giving up Your lotus
will be bereft feet even for a fraction of a moment. I
of all urge You to take me along with You to
piety. Your own abode.
Before the Lord’s
departure, Uddhava
meets Him again
near Prabhäsa-kñetra
There, the great sage
Maitreya Muni is
also present and the
Lord instructs to both
the Catur-Sloka
(Bhakti-Yoga).
 The Disappearance of Lord Krishna

Lord Brahmä arrived at

Prabhäsa along with Lord Çiva
and his consort, the sages, the
Prajäpatis and all the demigods,
headed by Indra to witness the
Lord mystical departure. SB
11.31.1

Jara (former
Bgu
Muni)
After the Lord’s Departure
 Maitreya instructs Vidura

Çré Süta Gosvämé said:

While traveling on a
pilgrimage, Vidura
received knowledge of
the destination of the self
from the great sage
Maitreya and then
returned to Hastinäpura.
He became as well versed
in the subject as he
desired. SB 1.13.1
 Vidura arrives in Hastinäpura.

bhavad-vidhä
Yudhisthira said: While bhägavatäs
traveling on the surface
of the earth, how did tértha-bhütäù
you maintain your svayaà vibho
livelihood? At which térthé-kurvanti
holy places and térthäni
pilgrimage sites did you
render service? sväntaù-sthena
gadäbhåtä
SB 1.13.10
Vidura then instructs his blinded
brother, Dhtar€˜ra
 Dhtar€˜ra Quits Home

Vidura says: Insurmountable,

eternal time imperceptibly
overcomes those who are too
much attached to family affairs
and are always engrossed in their
thought…. My dear King, please
get out of here immediately. Do
not delay. Just see how fear has
overtaken you…Verily, you are
living just like a household dog
and are eating remnants of food
given by Bhéma. SB 1.13.17-23
 The Pandavas Retire Timely

Having learned
about the
departure of Lord
Krishna,
Yudhisthira
enthrones Pariksit
and leaves home,
together with the
other Pandavas.
 Chapter 19

overview
How Pariksit received the age of Kali Chapter 16

Return to Dwaraka; Parékñit’ s birth Chapter 11

The Son of Drona Punished; Prayers by Kunti Chapter 7

Narada and Vyasadeva Chapter 4

Question by the sages Chapter 1

How Pariksit received the age of Kali

Oh, who are you? You

appear to be strong and yet
you dare kill, within my
protection, those who are
helpless! By your dress you
pose yourself to be a godly
man [king], but by your
deeds you are opposing the
principles of the twice-born
kñatriyas.
Kali surrenders and gets five places to stay
Pariksit says: O friend of irreligion, you do not deserve
to remain in a place where experts perform sacrifices
according to truth and religious principles for the
satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 1.17.33
The age of Kali: It is the age for
persons who wish to fulfill their
sinful desires.
The wise persons look for shelter,
as one who has intelligence will
take shelter from an upcoming
storm.
What happens to King Pariksit is
part of the Lord’s plan.
 Maharaja Pariksit cursed by a Brahman boy

O Suta Goswami! We have

begun this sacrifice. We are
unsure of the result. Our
bodies became black.
Hearing from you is far
better…

Please describe those topics of the

Lord by which Pariksit attained the
lotus feet of the Lord.
 The Good Sages said:
tulayäma lavenäpi
na svargaà näpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saìgi-saìgasya
martyänäà kim utäçiñaù

The value of a moment’s association

with the devotee of the Lord cannot
even be compared to the attainment
of heavenly planets or liberation
from matter, and what to speak of
worldly benedictions in the form of
material prosperity, which are for
those who are meant for death.
SB
1.18.13
 The appearance of Sukadeva Goswami

King Pariksit decides to

fast until death. He ask
the assembled sages
about the duty for
everyone and specifically
of those who are just
about to die. At that
moment there appeared
the powerful son of
Vyasadeva (Sukadeva).
Thus ends the First Canto of
the Çrémad-Bhägavatam

oà tat sat

a lot !!!