#bhagavata

[jinglejangle123]

The Mahabarata Show

[leviathan6116]

An Illustration to the Bhagavata Purana: Vasudeva Crosses the Yamuna with the Infant Krishna, Basholi-Guler style, ca. 1860-65

[vishnavishivaa]

VaasudevaVasudaa- Chapter 1 snippet

“I do, Madhavi,” Satyabhama smiled at Her friend, both grateful and reassuring, understanding the worry of Her friend. She knew well that if Satyabhama continued with the plan, Her existence will be known in a broader way throughout Aryavarta, which might cause more complications than Satyabhama frankly needed, owing to Her continuous wish to learn more, as well as very sharp intellect, which could easily see everything in a piercing way that was rarely seen amidst the Yadavas. Satyabhama continued, “From what I have heard of Devakinandan, He is very very appreciative of women and their wishes, as well as accepts them with sincerity. Taara Bhagini, who is His sister, says so, as does Sushila, who has been in love with Him since She has seen Him. And you know how much I trust both, given that They never embellish anything They tell me, come what may. That, put together with the opinion of every Yadava, including Pitashree and Jyeshta Bhrata, as well as a very powerful feeling of trust that is shooting through my heart, I believe that Vaasudeva Krishna will listen to my plea, and mostly accept my wish.”

“It is true that He does have a particularly unbiased opinion, and has been hailed by every single Yadava. But..”

“Madhavi, I can understand your worry,” Satyabhama reached out to pat Her close friend’s hand, gently holding as well, giving Madhavi strength. “But I am confident. Additionally, Pitashree and Bhrata agreed to my wish as well, and will be helping in this process.”

“But what about the chieftains of the Kula, Satyaa?”

“They are Yadavas, are they not, Madhavi?”

@ahamasmiyodhah @mahi-wayy @yehsahihai @theramblergal @krsnaradhika @ramayantika @achyutapriya @thegleamingmoon @nidhi-writes @houseofbreadpakoda @hum-suffer @kanhapriya @kaal-naagin @krishna-priyatama @willkatfanfromasia @celestesinsight @arachneofthoughts @idllyastuff Please let me know I I missed anyone, and will add you guys for the chapter tomorrow!

P.S. I am posting more aesthetics, and opening my profile for some stuff, which I will tag you in!

[raat-jaaga-paakhi]

you mentioned harivansha and from what i know of scholarly stuffs it's much older than bhagavata purana so why do you think it isn't prominently considered for krishna's life? and what translations of harivansha do you use for your studies? i'm sorry if this seems too eager lololol

I'm answering this ask a year late, so I suppose that offsets your zeal (in a really horrible way)? This has been in my drafts, I just forgot about it entirely, thank you for coming to my inbox to remind me again. <3

Yes, Harivamsha was written much prior to Srimad Bhagavata Purana, and is considered some sort of appendix to the Mahabharata, which again is of greater antiquity. We can only speculate as to its relative lack of popularity, and I would like to mull over my own thoughts on this a bit more. I'll make a separate post, possibly. Let me just give a small introduction on the Harivamsha instead.

A Guide to Harivamsha

REFERENCES I USE IN MY STUDIES: (in no particular order)

1. Harivamsha Critical Edition (as edited by BORI, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute), EN-translated by Bibek Debroy.

Above-average translation quality. Compared to the others, the only benefit of this reference is that it lets one know what sections BORI cleaved—regarding which one must keep in mind that, as Debroy himself noted and as I observed in the course of reading as well, the editing of Harivamsha Critical Edition was in no way as well and expertly done as that of the Mahabharata Critical Edition (BORI).

2. Harivamsha Purana, Gita Press

The only complete and accessible translation (Hindi) of HV that there is. Great translation quality. You usually don't have to second-guess each line (like I have to, with No. 1).

3. Chitrashala Press edition of Harivamsa, Online EN translation by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao, A. Purushothaman & A. Harindranath. https://www.dvaipayana.net/harivamsa/harivamsa-cs-index.html

Very helpful, as you get the Sanskrit verses alongside the translated English ones, for comparison/tallying purposes.

4. Harivamsha Purana, EN-translated by M. N. Dutt (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/harivamsha-purana-dutt)

Most accessible translation; no big differences from No. 3 in interpretations. (I will take this opportunity to recommend Wisdomlib to practically everyone in this fandom.)

5. Krishna’s Lineage: The Harivamsha of Vyāsa’s Mahābhārata. EN translation by Simon P. Brodbeck.

Good translation, good language, immensely well-organised. Has family trees in a genealogical appendix.

GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF HARIVAMSHA'S STRUCTURE:

The text is divided into 3 parvas, as follows -

Harivamsha Parva - This contains a lot of background information through the genealogies and stories interspersed in all the lineage talk. We get some important backstory for MBh, and we get some stories which you may find in most other Puranas. (Interestingly, this contains the Syamantaka incident. It was a really big deal, is all.)

Vishnu Parva - The main section of Krishna's non-MBh life-story, starting from his birth, the Mathura-era exploits (Kamsavadh, Jarāsandha's attacks), Rukmini-harana (my beloved), the Pārijāta story, and dealing with Pradyumna (his firstborn) and Aniruddha's (Pradyumna's son) lives as well.

Bhavishya Parva - The first chapters of this section are indeed about "bhavishya" (things that happen or "will happen" post-Swargārohana, prophecies about Kali Yuga, etc). Then there's a set of chapters that go into some of Vishnu's avatars (Varāha, Narasimha, Vāmana, in particular). These two sets of chapters are translated in almost all versions. Then comes the dicey part, the set of chapters translated only in Gita Press Harivamsha, and ironically, the most important part of Bhavishya Parva in my opinion (because it has major portions of Krishna's life-story. This section contains Paundraka's (and Ekalavya's) siege on Dwāraka, the killing of Hamsa-Dimbaka (Jarāsandha's closest allies that Krishna speaks of to Yudhisthira in MBh's Sabhā parva) etc. Invaluable for better understanding of Yādava politics, and kind of ties up some loose ends from MBh.

Lovers and collectors of obscure Krishna-katha (or even just Purana-katha in general), Harivamsha is the place for you! <3

[realbeeing]

Rasalila

[dailymanuscript]

Page 113 from Kalāpustaka (MS Add. 864)

[mynzah]

Otherworldly...Oneness...Self Realization...

The inhabitants of the Vaikuntha planets are described as having a glowing sky-bluish complexion. Their eyes resemble lotus flowers, their dress is of yellowish color, and their bodily features very attractive. They are just the age of growing youths, they all have four hands, they are all nicely decorated with pearl necklaces with ornamental medallions, and they all appear to be effulgent. Some…

[greenbabyofficial]

went to an independent book store with @chalkstarz today and got these

[gagandeepkaur92]

[indiansareedesigns07]

Hinduism's Puranas: Their Importance

Puranas are revered Hindu texts: The Puranas describe the universe's creation, deities, and Hindu ideology.

Puranas are based on five matters: They cover creation, secondary creation, god origins, Manu's regimes, and historical dynasties.

18 main Puranas: The texts tell mythological stories of gods and goddesses, such as Shiva, Vishnu, and Parvati.

Vishnu Purana is considered a gem: It presents Vedantic realities through mythical stories.

Puranas convey Vedas' message: They make Hindu principles accessible to common people.

[jinglejangle123]

Shyam-An illustrated retelling of the bhagavata

The life of Lord Krishna has been the subject of countless myths, legends, and stories. It is a story that has captivated the hearts of people for centuries, and Devdutt Pattanaik’s book on Krishna’s life is no exception. The book takes us on a journey through the life of Lord Krishna, starting from his birth and ending with his final breath. It is a fascinating account of one of the most…

[arjunvib]

Sreemad Bhagavata Tattva Sameeksha Satram at Narayanashrama Thapovanam

Dive into the spiritual realm with the Sreemad Bhagavata Tattva Sameeksha Satram (SBTSS) event at Narayanashrama Thapovanam. Immerse yourself in the profound exploration of spiritual truths and elevate your consciousness through the enlightening journey offered by Bhoomananda's spiritual teachings.

[haribol-dasi]

Chaitanya Bhagavata

My dear teacher Jma sent me this link to this nectarian audio book on Gaura Purnima 2022 (Lord Chaitanya's appearance day). Couldn't resist distributing the nectar!

I thought posting it would be a transcendental first post AND a good way to archive it incase the link becomes difficult to find online otherwise...

Jaya Nimai, Jaya Nitai!

[lilavatilikeslemons]

The One with many names

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Reminder: This is a work made from my own imagination, with inspiration from the actual itihasa, and not meant to hurt anyone's sentiments.

Thank you.

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Unedited.

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He went by many names.

Uncountable, even.

Some were innocent, sweet.

"MADHAVA, WAIT!" The third son of Pandu called out in laughter, trying to catch his breath, as his friend walked- no, practically sprinted ahead of him.

Others stood as a mere glimpse of the power he held.

"Narayana, Narayana!" The sage of Vaikuntha chanted, roaming through the worlds, singing praises of his prabhu.

Some described his beauty.

'They were right,' the daughter of Bhishmaka thought, looking only into the eyes of her Kamalanayana, focusing on the pupils of the eyes that bore into her, despite the outrage the others vassal kings, for he had come as her husband.

Others were a testament to the enchantment one faced, looking at said beauty.

"That Mohana never fails to let go of even one chance at teasing me." The gopika of Barsana lightly sulked to herself, weaving a garland of flowers for the aforementioned thief who stole her heart.

Some were names of endearment, names only a few knew of.

"Kanha, what did you do now?" The husband of Revati sighed exasperatedly, trying (but failing miserably) to hide the fond amusement in his eyes directed at his younger brother.

Others were names spoken with great reverence, by the whole world.

"Vasudeva has slain our tormentor!" A young man ran through the streets of Mathura informing everyone of the news, as the citizens celebrated their prince.

Some were names people used to call out to him as a plea, as they turned to their only hope, knowing he would not fail their trust.

"Bhaktavatsala, only you can save me, now." The daughter of Drupada called out with tears in her eyes, while light surrounded her like a shield, wrapping itself around her, coming as her saviour in his stead.

Others were the names of his which were spoken out as cries of victory, in celebration.

"Glory be to Madhusudana!" The skies of heavens called out in joy, showering flowers upon the earth, where their Lord stood.

Some were names which showed the humble roles he took upon himself in the game of life.

"My Gopala is nothing less than a handful," The chief of Gokula smiled, glancing towards the sound of the pitter patter of the anklets belonging to his son.

Others said that he was the creator of the game itself.

"Vishwarupa, I surrender to you." The third son of Pandu uttered, looking up at the sky, before kneeling in the ground, giving himself to his only truth.

…

But when one thinks upon it, they realise none can describe him in his entirety.

Who knows how many names he possesses? Some names which people call him in their solitude, others lost to time.

Perhaps, that's how it was meant to be.

But I do know something.

That all of us, in some degree, are aware of at least one of the many facets of his, all reflecting his light, in the form of his legacy, his stories, his teachings and his words in tandem to create a splendid and breathtaking display, illuminating even the farthest of nooks and crannies.

What I do know is that he is my home.

He is my solace, he is my safety.

I might not know all his names, but I know that he will answer my call, regardless of what I address him by.

I know that he is in everyone's life, nameless or otherwise.

Whether it be in your most vulnerable state, or one where you are at the top of the world.

Whether it be in what seems to be a small moment you cherish, or a lifelong joy.

Whether it be in the person you exchange pleasantries with, or someone you have conversations with for hours on end.

He is everywhere.

And for me, that is more than enough.

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जय सीतारामलक्ष्मण की!

I don't know what to say this time, being completely honest

I haven't touched Krishna's character (or any of the mahabharata/bhagavata characters, but specifically krishna and his close ones) out of a reluctance and fear that I'll never truly do justice to them, as these people are very, very close to my heart

Most of what I know is stuff I've learnt during the lockdown, and researched more and more till now

Frankly, I forced myself to first start writing this piece, but then as I wrote more and more I added on and on to the entire thing, but I don't have any regrets for now

I just hope the blue guy likes my first piece ab him 😔

As always, constructive criticism and comments are a joy to have, so please feel free to share your feedback!

Well, on that note, I hope y'all have a good day/night!

Stay safe, healthy and hydrated <3

Have a good one, folks!

[dailymanuscript]

Page 53 from Kalāpustaka (MS Add. 864)