Srimad Bhagavatam is written by Srila Vyasadeva. It has 12 Cantos.
Who is the speaker and listener of Bhagavatam?
The speaker of Bhagavatam for the first time is Sukadeva Goswami and the second speaker is Suta Goswami, while the listener of Bhagavatam for the first time is Pariksit Maharaj and for the second time is to brahmanas in Naimasaranya, headed by Saunaka
Rishi...
Who is the writer of Bhagavatam?
The writer of Bhagavatam is Srila Vyasadeva. He wrote this under the direction of his spritual master, Sri Narada Muni. He got the advice from Narada to describe the pastimes of the Lord.
Following is my personal notes prepared by myself based on my understanding of the translation and purport given by Srila Prabhupada. I suggest readers to visit authorized source Bhaktivedanta Vedabase at https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/ for detailed study on Srimad Bhagavatam by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.
Canto – 1, Creation, Chapter – 1, Questions by Sages
Verse 1
Krishna is the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. Here Vyasa dev says Krsna is the original Supreme Personality of God head. ‘Krsna means all attractive”.
Out of innumerable names of the lord, Krsna is the principle one. Krsna is the cause of all causes.
Author of Srimad Bhagavatam is Vyasadeva, he authored it as per instruction of Narada Muni. The first created being was Brahma, down to the living entities.
Vyasadeva worships Krsna, who’s transcendental pastimes are described in 10th canto. Vyasadeva gives a change to the readers to attain spiritual realization. Therefore, he invokes Gayatri Mantra. This is meant for spiritual advanced people.
The Lord has 2 potencies. Internal and external.
The internal potency is real, while the external potency is illusionary and temporary. The Lord knows everything directly and indirectly.
The Lord is fully independent. Nothing or anyone is equal to the Supreme Lord or above him.
All living beings are parts and parcels of the Lord. Unless one does not surrender to the Lord, bewilderment is certain.
Verse 2
Human life begins with religion begins.
Eating, sleeping, mating and defending are the four principles of human life which are common to humans and animals. But religion is the extra function for humans.
Human life no better than animal life without religion.
The impersonal aspect of the lord is not the highest, above this, there is a paramatma feature, and above is the feature of the absolute truth, or Bhagavan.
There are three modes of material nature, Goodness, Passion and Ignorance.
There are three-fold miseries, the 1st one is miseries which arise from the mind and body, 2nd one is those inflicted by other living entities, third, are those arising from the nature and disasters.
When one comes to know his position as a servant, he is liberated from all miseries.
The proper method to receive this message of Krsna is to hear it submissively. One must be anxious to hear the transcendental message.
Srimad Bhagavatam is meant to be heard from very beginning.
Verse 3
This Srimad Bhagavatam came from the lips of Sukadeva Goswami.
Here it s stated that Srimad Bhagavatam is the fruit of all the vedas which is very ripe than any other literature.
It is transcendental to all mundane activities.
The person must hear the message of Srimad Bhagavatam carefully and from the right source.
Verse 4
In holy place called Naimisaranya some sage were performing a Yagna.
The sages are always well wishers of the people in general and desire the best for them.
All the sages assembled there were ready to hear Srimad Bhagavatam from the second speaker, Suta Goswami.
Verse 5
Morning is the best time to hold spiritual services.
Verse 6
A true devotee must be free from all vices. Vices are four regulative principles, they are Animal slaughter, illicit connection with woman, intoxication and gambling.
Verse 7
[……]
Verse 8
The secret of success in spiritual life is to please his spiritual master and get his blessings.
Verse 9
In Bhagavad Gita, worship of Acharya is recommended. They take care of the spiritual well being of the people in general.
Verse 10
Human Life is meant for self-realization. Because of this age of Kali, people are not having piece of mind. This is due to lack of Krishna consciousness.
Verse 11
Atma (soul) or self is distinguished from matter and material elements. There are innumerable revealed scriptures related to Krishna.
Verse 12
Bhagvan means, the almighty God who is the controller of all opulence, fame, beauty, knowledge, power and renunciation.
Verse 13
The condition for hearing the message of Krishna, are set forth here, (1) Audience must be very eager to hear and should be sincere. (2) Speaker must be in the line of disciplic succession from the recognized acharya.
Verse 14
Everything is related to Krishna and everything has its identity in Krishna. The name ‘Krishna’ is non different from Krishna himself.
Verse 15
Pure devotees are more powerful than the sacred water of the river Ganges.
Verse 16
This age of Kali is most condemned because of its quarrelsome features, if we want peace, we must open the door of understanding Krishna and practicing Krishna consciousness and worship him.
Verse 17
The creation created by Krishna, material and spiritual are of full opulence, beauty, face, knowledge, bliss, renunciation etc.
Verse 18
For the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe, Lord appears in many forms.
Verse 19
Those who have developed a taste for hearing the transcendental subject matter are never tired of such narrations. Mundane literatures are in the mode of darkness or ignorance while the transcendental literature is above the mode of darkness
and is quite different, for example mayavada philosophy, Srimad Bhagavatam is transcendental.
Verse 20
Krishna says that his birth and deeds are transcendental and anyone who hears about it is liberated.
Verse 21
Age of kali is not suitable for self-realization as was Satya yuga, Treta Yuga or Dwapara Yuga.
In Treta yuga, people lived for 100,000 years and mode of worship was Meditation
In Satya yuga, people lived for 10,000 years and mode of worship was Sacrifice (Yagna)
In Dwapara yuga, people lived for 1,000 years and mode of worship was worship of Lord.
In Kali yuga, max life of human is 100 years and mode of worship is Chanting and Hearing.
Verse 22
Human life is meant for self-realization, but due to the age of kali, people have forgotten the aim of the life. Because of this, the duration of the life decreases. One must, therefore, follow the footsteps of these sages here and hear the
message of Krishna.
Verse 23
When are where there is the neglect of the religion, the supreme lord comes and restores the dharma.
The end of the first chapter of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Coming up next “Divinity and Divine Service.”