- A structural review of the main topics of Bhagavatam. Lect.3 - Bhakti Vijnana Goswami

ŚB . Ten topics of Srimad Bhagavatam निरोधोऽस्यानुशयनमात्मन: सह शक्तिभि: । मुक्तिर्हित्वान्यथारूपं स्वरूपेण व्यवस्थिति: ॥ ६ ॥ nirodho ’syānuśayanam ātmanaḥ saha śaktibhiḥ muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ Synonyms nirodhaḥ — the winding up of the cosmic manifestation; asya — of His; anuśayanam — the lying down of the puruṣa incarnation Mahā-Viṣṇu in mystic slumber; ātmanaḥ — of the living entities; saha — along with; śaktibhiḥ — with the energies; muktiḥ — liberation; hitvā — giving up; anyathā — otherwise; rūpam — form; sva-rūpeṇa — in constitutional form; vyavasthitiḥ — permanent situation. Translation The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Mahā-Viṣṇu is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies. There are two schools in the ancient Vedic philosophy: 1) purva-mimamsa - all the scriptures teach us how to live happily in this world; 2) uttara-mimamsa - all the scriptures teach us how to attain liberation. There is the third and the highest possible way of understanding the message of the scriptures - all the scriptures teach us how to be connected with God in love. “Srimad-Bhagavatam“ explains the quintessence of all Vedic literature from bhakti point of view. There are two kinds of knowledge: 1) paroksa-jnana or theoretical knowledge; 2) aparoksa-jnana or direct knowledge. Our ignorance is direct, it can only be removed by practical realization. “Srimad-Bhagavatam“ explains nine topics starting with sarga, they are described in “Srimad-Bhagavatam“ as an indication of the tenth topic - Bhagavan, that the Lord is behind everything. Manvantara is sad-dharma, or the eternal dharma, which is not changeable. Dharma has no independent value, it is valuable only insofar as it brings us closer to God. The essence of dharma is guru-bhakti, guru knows what to do, and what not to do. Isanukatha - different avatars of the Lord are coming with Their devotees and because of Their devotees. Lord comes to give bhakti to His devotees, to give bliss to His devotees by engaging them in direct service to Himself. Nirodha takes place because the Lord goes to sleep, therefore all His energy goes inside, including all the living entities. Mukti - we come in contact with svarupa of God in a beautiful murti form, or in a form of the Holy name, or in a form of the Holy dhama, or in a form of “Srimad-Bhagavatam“, then we give up our attachment to the gross and subtle body and become established in our spiritual identity. In “Srimad-Bhagavatam“ the Lord is described in a very general way. But then after this general description Krisna appears, His beauty and sweetness comes. Asraya is the Supreme Lord in two features: aisvarya and madhurya. Nine topics of “Srimad-Bhagavatam“ are very practical, they explain our position in this world, and also they explain the highest topic, which is not obvious, because the Lord does not reveal Himself, but He reveals Himself through “Srimad-Bhagavatam“.