The Puranas are sacred texts. Much of what goes by the name of Hinduism today can be traced to the Puranas. There are many of these Puranas, but eighteen of them are major and therefore known as the Mahapuranas. The Bhagavata Purana is such a major Purana and is usually placed fifth in any list of the Mahapuranas. Sometimes, it is also referred to as the Shrimad-Bhagavata.

The Bhagavata Purana has 18000 (eighteen thousand) couplets (Shloka). As Puranas go, it is thus a medium-sized Purana, not terribly long and not too short. The text is split up into twelve sections (skandha) and each skandha has several chapters (adhyaya). The first skandha has nineteen chapters, the second ten, the third thirty-three, the fourth thirty-one, the fifth twenty-six, the sixth nineteen, the seventh fifteen, the eighth twenty-four, the ninth twenty-four, the tenth ninety, the eleventh thirty-one and the twelfth thirteen. The tenth skandha is the longest. It is also the most popular amongst the faithful because it describes many of Krishna’s exploits.

In fact, the Bhagavata is very much of a “Krishna” or “Vishnu” Purana. What do we mean by that? The Hindu Trinity consists of Brahma,Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiva). Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Since all three are important gods, any Purana will talk about all three. But the relative emphasis given to one, as compared to the other two, varies across the Puranas. The Bhagavata Purana is about Lord krishna or Vishnu.

Shrimad Bhagwad has vivid and comprehensive description of Bhakti (devotion). No action, worship and knowledge can exist without devotion. Presentation style of Shrimad Bhagwad is also remarkable; it’s every page is flowing in the stream of devotion. All the forms and appearances of God have been described exhaustively. It is such a benevolent scripture that mere hearing of it even without getting it’s meaning, is beneficial for the listener. If however one reflects on the meaning of the content, it would be a bonus. There are many examples in the past (when even the most dreaded sinister received salvation by mere hearing of Shrimad Bhagwad. Sinister Dhundhukari, who was in ghost form, is one such example. King Parikshit too, had a sight of his own soul by listening to Shrimad Bhagwad. Such examples are getting scarcer now days. Even then the devotees who really relish Bhagwad get free from the fears of death.

Shrimad Bhagwad makes a man fearless. Dhruv rode the death itself for his heavenly departure. Pitamah Bheeshma turned away the inevitable death many times. Hence, those devotees who have taken a shelter at Shrimad Bhagwad develop faith in themselves. Then they have no fear of death. Shrimad Bhagwad is an immortal scripture that generates devotion. It is a means to find God without Yoga and Tapa.

Virtues like unconditional love, generosity, grace, kindness and protection of the refugee, that are the adornments of God, have been described in simple, easy to grasp way in Shrimad Bhagwad. Virtues of God like His playing and chatting with ordinary people and helping them in every circumstance sympathetically, naturally attract the people towards him. Bhagwad makes a man free from doubts. It is a supreme creation by Vyasaji. Bhagwad is in fact an appearance of Narayana. It is a complete scripture. Fiddles get guidance by listening to it, while the infidels become fiddle. Even the sage like Shukdevji, who deserted everything, couldn’t give up the temptation to hear Shrimad Bhagwad. It is a life giver to all kind of people. It has a beautiful balance between the practice and altruism. It has a comprehensive content regarding the knowledge, action, social duties, women’s duties, religion and politics etc. Having heard and reflected over Shrimad Bhagwad, there remains nothing to know then. In the present era the society has neglected the knowledge, devotion and spirituality. It regards physical achievements as everything. Bhagwad does not forbid or deny the physical achievements, but it gives a message to acquire a balanced view for them-neither too much indifference nor too much indulgence.