How to read Srimad Bhagavatam

Date: 14 Apr, 2025

About Srimad Bhagavatam

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam consists of 12 cantos. To truly benefit from it, one must hear it without envy and with a sincere heart. At the very least, approaching it free from envy allows the Bhāgavatam to purify even those with lingering impurities. It is also essential to approach the Bhāgavatam in a submissive mood, with surrender to Vāsudeva—who is both pure consciousness and Kṛṣṇa Himself.

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gradually elevates the sincere and unbiased reader to the highest stage of transcendence. It empowers one to rise above the three modes of material nature—namely fruitive work, dry philosophical speculation, and the ritualistic worship of functional deities, as prescribed in various Vedic texts. In truth, no living being—not even the demigods or great sages—is fully abhijña (completely cognizant) or svarāt (truly independent). We are all dependent on the Supreme Lord.

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will gradually elevate the unbiased reader to the highest perfectional stage of transcendence. It will enable him to transcend the three modes of material activities: fruitive actions, speculative philosophy, and worship of functional deities as inculcated in Vedic verses. Generally people are neither Abhijnah (Fully cognizant) nor svarat (Fully independent) including the demigods and sages. We are all dependent on the lord.

• Another name for God is asamordhva - which means that no one is equal to or greater than the lord.
• Paraṁ satyam, or the Supreme Truth, is He who has no equal or superior.
• This is confirmed in the śruti-mantras. It is said that before the creation of the material universe there existed the Lord only, who is master of everyone. That Lord instructed Brahmā in Vedic knowledge.
• The supreme lord Sri Krishna has to be obeyed in all respects. Anyone who wants to get rid of the material entanglement must surrender unto Him. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā.

Cause of all causes

• Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, Sarva karana karanam. Therefore one must surrender to Krishna. Only through complete surrender can such an intelligent person become a mahātmā.
• Parama means the ultimate truth - All other truths are relative to the supreme personality of godhead - He is OOO - Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent. For Him, there is no illusion.

From Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

Avoid Māyāvādī scholars

Some Māyāvādī scholars argue that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was not compiled by Śrī Vyāsadeva. Also, some of them suggest that this book is a modern creation written by someone named Vopadeva. In order to refute such meaningless arguments, Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmī points out that there is reference to the Bhāgavatam in many of the oldest Purāṇas.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted Sridhara Swami’s Bhagavatam commentary as bona fide despite its occasional Advaita-vada slant.

Heart & Soul of Vaishnavism

The foundation of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism is firmly rooted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is revered as the ripened fruit of all Vedic literature. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the founding spiritual force of the Gauḍīya tradition, accepted the Bhāgavatam as the spotless Purāṇa (amala purāṇa) and the highest authority on spiritual truth. While there are scriptures that emphasize karma or jñāna, the Bhāgavatam exclusively glorifies pure unalloyed devotional service (bhakti) to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Its philosophical depth, poetic beauty, and devotional emphasis make it the very heart and soul of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theology and practice.

Process of surrendering

Prior to reading the below bhagavatgita verses that have inspired me, I would recommend one to approach an authorized siksha guru for advise (One may have many siksha gurus but only one diksha guru). In absence of an authorized guru, Please consider reading this article from ISKCON Bangalore on the process of surrendering

1. Abaondon all varieties of religions.

From Bhagavatgita Chapter 18, Verse 66

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा श‍ुच: ॥ ६६ ॥

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Translation

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

2. Approaching a spiritual master

From Bhagavatgita Chapter 2, Verse 7

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः ।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्‍चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥ ७ ॥

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam

Translation

Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

3. True knowledge

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते ।
वासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: ॥ १९ ॥

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

Translation

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

4. Becoming a devotee of Sri Krishna

मन्मना भव मद्भ‍क्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥ ६५ ॥

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me

Translation

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

This section definitely needs revision and in due course of time, I will ensure that I capture the best information on the process of surrender. My goal is to surrender to krishna and then listen to bhagavatam.

When reading Srimad Bhagavatam

• One must approach an authorized guru (Siksh guru or Diksha guru).
• One must surrender unto the supreme personality of godhead.
• One must not have envy.
• One must avoid bias.
• One must be sincere in their approach or at least attempt their best to be sincere.