Bhagavata Purana is also known as Srimad Bhagavatam, is a great epic which was first written in Sanskrit, and now it is available in all other regional languages including in English, Hindi and Tamil, and it initiates the Sri Krishna Bhakti, and it is praised by several scholars, saints and sages for its simplicity, easy readability, significance and for its popularity.
The Bhagavata Purana, covers lot of areas including devotional stories, importance of Lord Vishnu, details about famous rishis and rishi pathnis, and also about the famous Bhagavatas like Dhuruva and Prahalada. This Purana tells about the greatness of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and according to this epic, Krishna is considered as the supreme controller of the whole universe. It is believed that by reading this Purana, devotees would be relieved from their various problems like diseases, unnecessary fear in their mind, enemy related problems and from their bad habits like lust, anger and greed etc.
The Bhagavata Purana is a big Purana, and this was narrated by the great Shuka Brahma Rishi, son of Vyasa Bhagavan, to King Parikshit, approximately before 5,000 years ago. After hearing this Purana from the mouth of the holy sage Shuka, King Parikshit had attained salvation after his death, and merged with Lord Vishnu.
This Purana tells about the childhood plays of Lord Krishna during the Dwapara Yuga, about the killing of demons, and also about his interaction with his Yadava cowherd friends and with the Gopikas. He embraced his friends and Gopikas, and gave them a great sense of spiritual satisfaction, which they could not get anywhere else. Through his divine touch, his friends and the Gopikas had attained great spiritual enlightenment, and in course of time, they had reached the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.
Without realising about the essentials of Lord Krishna, our life would turn into full of darkness. So first, we have to understand about the supreme qualities of Lord Krishna in order to be happy, which the Bhagavatas like Prahalada and Dhruva had already attained it, even before several lakhs of years.
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of the Vedas. Any person who is desirous in reading Srimad-Bhagavatam would be able to joyfully read the fruitful contents present in that holy text.
By chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Mahaprabhu, one can taste the sweetness of the divine nectar. Then the devotee would become the humble servant of the Lord, and in course of time, he would become very much attached with the Lord. As his heart melts with divine love, he used to shed joyful tears, happily dance, embrace others with motherly affection, and would even behave like a mad person, out of his selfless bhakti on Lord Krishna.
At the end of the Yuga, Lord Krishna destroys and recreates the entire universe, and he does this tough act, very easily. All the beings in the earth and in the heaven, including the celestials like Indra, Brahma and Shiva are being treated as the divine attendants of Lord Vishnu, who has taken the form of Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna tells to us, Think only about me, as mentioned in the Scriptures, and don’t get diverted on anything else.
The great Sri Prahlad Maharaj tells: “Hearing and chanting the holy names of Lord Vishnu, always remembering about him, wilfully serving at his lotus feet, offering the Lord with flowers, flower garlands and the Holy Prasad items, would make the god to get fully satisfied, and hence, those who do it dedicatedly, would become the best servant and also would become the best friend of the god, since he surrenders his entire belongings at the lotus feet of the god”.
One should praise the Lord along with other devotees, sanctify him by telling his wonderful divine plays, must dedicate his entire life towards worshipping him.
Lord Krishna tells, “Oh my dear devotees, open your heart and find whether I have been present in that”. Lord Krishna is very fond of his devotees, and he is of sweet nature. He loved his foster Mother Yasoda so much, even when she punished him gently. Lord Krishna tells, “I am the Lord of the Lords, and I am the king of the Kings, and I present even in sand, as well as in the big mountains. My powers cannot be judged by anyone, since I am that I am, which you could be able to realise it fully, only through your sincere dedication and devotion on me”.
I am showing my true love to my sincere devotees like Garuda, Prahalada, Dhruva and Narada, and I am also showing my true love even to my enemies like Kamsa and Sisubala, since I have granted salvation to them after their death.
Lord Krishna tells, “Even Lord Brahma’s and Indra’s life would come to an end on one particular day, but for me, there is no beginning or end. I would be there even after the completion of several Yugas, and those who understand about significance and admire about my good qualities, would always protected by me, since I consider these types of devotees as my faithful devotees, thus in order to become my staunch devotee, fix your mind only towards me, and forget about everything in your life. Human life is very short. At one point of time, humans would attain their old age and during that time, they would have to suffer from their old age ailments, and at that time, their only medicine is to keep on thinking about me, hence, don’t waste your time simply by paying more and more attention on worldly matters. Give up all these unwanted things in your life, and, in this life, try to do lot of spiritual services, and if you do that, I would surely shower my entire blessings on you”.
“OM SRI KRISHNA BHAGAVANE NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR