Krishna Vishwaroopam image
Advaita
The Bhāgavata frequently discusses the merging of the individual soul with the Absolute Brahman, or “the return of Brahman into His own true nature”, a distinctly advaitic or non-dualistic philosophy. In the same passages, the Bhagavata still recommends Bhagavan as the object of concentration for reaching that goal. Scholars describe this philosophy as “Advaitic Theism”, which combines the seemingly contradictory beliefs of a personal God that can be worshiped with a God that is immanent in creation and in one’s own self. Daniel P. Sheridan describes Advaitic Theism as a “both/and” solution for the question of whether God is transcendent or immanent- in relation to creation, and credits the Bhāgavata with a “truly creative religious moment” for introducing this philosophy.
Dharma
Bh- gavata extends the concept of dharma that had previously been regarded either as the duty to follow Vedic injunctions, as a moral code that emphasizes ahimsa (non-injury), satya (truthfullness) etc., or as the idea of self-realization throughyoga. Breaking with these senses of the term, Bhāgavata considers dharma to consist of sincere worship and devotion towards God without any ulterior motive. Such worship is said to cleanse the spirit of all impurities—motives, jealousies, pretensions, etc.—and reveal man’s nature as part of the absolute, leading to supreme bliss. Conversely, Bhāgavata teaches that simply following Vedic injunctions that do not produce devotion towards God are of transitory benefit and are fruitless labour.
Yoga
A classical approach to yoga is taught in the beginning of the second chapter, when Śuka tells Parikshit to prepare for death by making an asana (place to sit) in a solitary place and meditating on Om, without regard for the distractions caused by the lower qualities of raja and tamo guna. Śuka also describes different meditations on the gross and subtle aspects of Bhagavan, or God, in a way that is similar to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Several passages describe the merging of the individual soul with the Absolute Brahman. The Bhāgavata, in explaining the method of reaching that goal, recommends the object of concentration as Bhagavan, with an emphasis on yoga as a form of bhakti.
Siddhis, or spiritual powers developed through yoga practice, are described in many passages in ways that echo the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The tenth chapter of the eleventh skanda teaches that the yogi who has controlled his senses and concentrated his mind on Bhagavan develops these siddhis. Patanjali describes siddhis as obstacles to reaching the ultimate goal of yoga (union)—the Bhāgavata describes them as blessings that are present in Bhagavan in infinite form, and given to the yogi in varying degrees depending on the yogi’s devotion.
The Bhāgavata is a recounting of events by the storyteller Ugrasrava Sauti (Sūta) to Saunaka and other sages assembled in the Naimisha Forest. As Sūta explains, Veda Vyasa was feeling unsatisfied, even after he made divine knowledge available to humans by writing the Vedas and the Mahabharata. The sage Narada, in his role as intermediary between gods and men, visited Vyasa to inform him that his unease was because he had not yet described the highest goal of knowledge—bhakti, or devotion to God.
Sūta recounts the first recital of Vyasa’s work, given by Vyasa’s son Śuka to King Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna. Parikshit, who owed his life to Krishna, had angered a rishi’s son for being disrespectful to the rishi’s father. He was cursed to be bitten by a poisonous snake and had only seven days to live. Fasting by the banks of the Ganges River, and with Krishna no longer alive, Parikshit longed to hear of him. The Bhāgavata introduces the life of Parikshit as background, thus bringing Krishna into the story, and is presented as part of Śuka’s recital over the course of seven days. It concludes with Śuka asking Parikshit the standard, “What more do you want?”(12.5.13) Completely satisfied with what he has heard and his purpose in life fulfilled, Parikshit dies (12.6.12–15).