Ten Subjects of Srimad-Bhagavatam Originally from the newsletter "Tattva Prakasha- Illuminations of Truth", issue 1.

6 The Bhagavata Purana, commonly referred to as the SrimadBhagavatam, is considered the ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge. Sri Vyasa Muni, the compiler of the Vedic te ts, advises us as follows! nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalamshuka-mukhad amrita-dravasamyutamnigama hagavatam rasam alayammuhur aho rasika huvi havukah "# e pert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. $t emanated from the lips of Sri Shuka Muni. Therefore this fruit has %ecome even more tasteful, although its nectarean &uice was already relisha%le for all, including li%erated souls." Srimad-Bhagavatam is the galitam phalam, or ripened fruit, of all Vedic knowledge. $t is e actly like amrita, for %y hearing its recitation we can cross %eyond %irth and death. The Srimad-Bhagavatam descri%es the various incarnations of 'ord (ari, and in the process of these descriptions ten important su%&ect matters are e plained, namely sarga )the elemental creation*, visarga )the secondary creation*, sthanam )the planetary systems*, poshanam )protection %y the 'ord*, utayah )the creative impetus*, manvantara )the periods of Manu*, ishaanukatha )the science of +od*, nirodha )dissolution*, mukti )li%eration*, and ashraya )the supreme shelter*. The reciters of Srimad-Bhagavatam have utili,ed three methods to e plain these ten su%&ects, namely %y Vedic reference )shrutena*, %y direct e planation )arthena*, and %y summary e planations given %y the great sages )an&asa*. The following is a %rief e planation of each of these ten su%&ects. 1) Sarga - the elemental creation Sarga is defined as follows! huta-matrendriya-dhiyam!anma sarga udahritah

"The elemental creation of si teen principles of matter - namely the five gross elements )pancha-%hutas*, the five o%&ects of sense perception )tan-matras*, the five knowledge ac-uiring senses )&nanendriyas* and the mind - is known as sarga." The five gross elements )pancha-%hutas* are earth, water, fire, air and ether. the five o%&ects of sensual perception )tan-matras* are sound, form, taste, smell, and touch. and the five knowledge ac-uiring senses )&nanendriyas* are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. Together with the mind, these si teen principles are created %y the first purusha incarnation, Maha-Vishnu. /ithin these si teen principles eight other principles e ist su%tly, making there a total of twenty-four principles of material e istence. 2) Visarga - the secondary creation Visarga is defined as follows! rahmano guna-vaishamyadvisargah paurushah smritah "The secondary creation %y Brahma carried out through the interaction of the three modes of nature is known as visarga." By manipulating the si teen original principles of material e istence and %y the interaction of the three modes of material nature )sattva, ra&as and tamas*, 'ord Brahma carries out a su%se-uent creation, more properly descri%ed as an assem%ling of universal ingredients. 3) Sthanam - the planetary systems Sthanam is defined as follows! sthitir vaikuntha-vi!ayah "The true situation )sthanam* is the realm of Vaikuntha." The entire creation %y the 'ord is to ena%le the conditioned souls to satisfy their material desire to lord over the material energy. 0s such, according to their desires, the 'ord creates a suita%le situation )sthanam* for them to dwell in. /ithin the universe, these situations can %e divided into fourteen main categories, known technically as %huvanas, or planetary systems, and

1,233,333 su%-categories, commonly known as species of life. 4rom the topmost sthanam of Brahma-loka )the a%ode of 'ord Brahma* down to the lowest sthanam of Patala-loka, all situations are destructi%le. $n every situation the conditioned living entity is con-uered %y %irth and death. #nly %y attaining to our eternal constitutional situation in the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha can we con-uer the %irth and death of this material world. Thus the true sthanam of the living entity is the realm of Vaikuntha. 0ll other temporary situations within this material world cause one to %ecome a victim of material suffering, simply shifting from one situation to the ne t. ) !oshanam - protection by the "ord Poshanam is defined as follows! poshanam tad anugrahah "Protection )poshanam* is the causeless mercy of the 'ord." Poshanam can %e defined in two ways according to the mentality of the living entity. 4or the conditioned souls, poshanam refers to material maintenance. $t is the 'ord who fulfills the desires of all living entities! nityo nityanam "hetanash "hetananameko ahunam yo vidadhati kaman "The supreme eternal among all eternals, the supremely conscious among all the conscious living entities - it is that supreme one among the many who fulfills the desires of all." 4or the devotees of the 'ord, poshanam refers to the 'ord5s causeless mercy and protection. Protection from hunger is the lowest form of protection, which the 'ord offers to the conditioned living entities. 4or the devotees, the 'ord5s protection is protection from the illusion of maya. The 'ord gives the devotee the strength to always remem%er (im and engage in (is devotional service. #) $tayah - the creative impetus 6tayah is defined as follows!

utayah karma-vasanah "The impetus for activity )utayah* is the desire for fruitive work." The conditioned soul forgets that the 'ord is his eternal protector and maintainer, and thus an impetus for fruitive activity is manifested for one5s self maintenance. This desire for fruitive activity is the driving force %ehind all work within this material world. The karma-vasanas are the accumulated residue of one5s previous activities. 7very material activity we perform creates a residual impression within our consciousness, which is carried with us life after life. The sum total of these impressions form our creative impetus to work. The true impetus of the living entity should %e to go %ack to +odhead, to the supreme a%ode of Vaikuntha, and activities performed in that direction form the right path of work. %) &anvantara - the change of &anus Manvantara is defined as follows! manvantarani sad-dharma "The reign of the Manus )manvantaras* are for esta%lishing the eternal religious principles." Manu is the father of mankind, the progenitor, empowered to guide the human race towards self-reali,ation. Manu provides revealed scriptures to mankind which regulate their activities in a manner that will %e for their eternal welfare. /hen the living entities accept such a regulated path, the 'ord provides them with all protection %y which they may attain their constitutional situation in Vaikuntha. Thus the desire to go %ack to +odhead and regulated activities performed to achieve that goal form the proper path of action. ') (sha-anu)atha - the science of *od $sha-anukatha is defined as follows! avataranu"haritamharesh "hasyanuvartinampumsam ishakathah proktananakhyanopa rimhitah

"The science of +od )isha-anukatha* descri%es the incarnations of the Personality of +odhead and (is different activities together with the activities of (is great devotees." The entire material creation is for the ultimate purpose of the living entities5 salvation. /hen the conditioned living entities utili,e the creation for secondary purposes, such as material fruitive activity, the 'ord incarnates to reclaim these forgetful souls. The 'ord directly delivers living entities %y (is divine appearance as well as %y its recorded history. The Supreme 'ord is so potent that simply %y hearing a%out (is transcendental activities in (is various incarnations one %ecomes free from material %ondage. Thus the topics of the 'ord and (is devotees, which constitute the science of +od, should %e given respectful aural reception. +) ,irodha - the dissolution 8irodha is defined as follows! nirodho #syanushayanamatmanah saha shakti hih "The merging of the living entity, along with his conditioned living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Maha-Vishnu is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation, or nirodha." 0s we have %riefly mentioned %efore, the entire material creation offers two facilities to the conditioned living entities. The living entities may either utili,e it to fulfill their desire to lord it over material nature, or they may utili,e it to go %ack to +odhead, the spiritual a%ode of Vaikuntha. 4or the living entities who take advantage of the science of +od as propagated %y the Manus, and who develop a desire to act in such a regulated manner, the 'ord provides them full protection from the material energy and resituates them in their proper situation in Vaikuntha. 4or the other living entities, who choose to disregard the science of +od, the 'ord gives them an interim period of relief at the time of dissolution. This temporary period of relief is technically called nirodha, or the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. 0ll the living entities along with their conditional tendencies )vasanas* merge into the %ody of Maha-Vishnu to await another creation and another opportunity to take up the science of +od. Though the physical %odies are given up at this time, the su%tle %odies

)sukshma-sariras* remain with the living entities along with their latent desires. This is indicated %y the words atmanah saha shakti%hih. -) &u)ti - liberation Mukti is defined as follows! muktir hitvanyatha rupamsva-rupena vyavasthitih "'i%eration )mukti* is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changea%le gross and su%tle material %odies." Those living entities who develop a desire to act for their ultimate welfare regulate their life according to the instructions of the Manus. Such living entities receive the mercy and protection of the 'ord in the form of (is divine activities and incarnations, either personally or in its literary form as the science of +od. By hearing the narrations of the 'ord5s activities these living entities are a%le to give up all e ternal identification with the principles of material e istence and its interaction. Such purified living entities develop their original spiritual %odies and are resituated in their constitutional position in Vaikuntha, the spiritual a%ode of the 'ord. This is technically known as mukti or li%eration. The words hitvanyatha rupam indicate that these living entities have %ecome completely free from all material coverings including the sukshma-sarira and related vasanas. The word vyavasthitih indicates the real and eternal sthanam of the living entity - sthitir vaikuntha vi&ayah. 1.) /shraya - the supreme shelter 0shraya is defined in the following three verses! a hasash "a nirodhash "ayato #sty adhyavasiyatesa ashrayah param rahmaparamatmeti sha dyate "The supreme one who is cele%rated as the Supreme Being or the Supreme Soul is the supreme source of the cosmic manifestation as well as its reservoir and winding up. Thus (e is the supreme shelter, the 0%solute Truth." yo #dhyatmiko #yam purushahso #sav evadhidaivikahyas

tatro haya-vi""hedahpurusho hy adhi hautikahekam ekatara haveyada nopala hamahetritayam tatra yo vedasa atma svashrayashrayah "The individual person possessing different instruments of senses is called the adhyatmic person, and the individual controlling deity of the senses is called adhidaivic. The em%odiment seen on the eye%alls is called the adhi%hautic person. 0ll three of the a%ove mentioned stages of different living entities are interdependent. $n the a%sence of one, another is not understood. But the Supreme Being who sees every one of them as the shelter of the shelter is independent of all, and therefore (e is the supreme shelter." The Srimad Bhagavata Purana %egins with the Vedanta statement "&anmady asya yatah" to %ring to our attention the supreme source and shelter of all e istence - the ashraya-tattva. $n order to e plain the transcendence of the ashraya the other nine su%&ects have %een e plained. $n all of e istence there are factually only two divisions, namely the dependent )para-tantra* and the independent )sva-tantra*. The independent )svarat* refers only to that Supreme 'ord invoked in the %eginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam %y the words "om namo %hagavate vasudevaya". Sri Vyasa Muni %egins %y first offering his o%eisances to Bhagavan Sri 9rishna )Vasudeva* and then identifies (im as the a%solute and independent shelter of everything - &anmadyasya yatah svarat satyam param dhimahi. The transcendental Sri 9rishna is that tenth su%&ect of SrimadBhagavatam, and in order to properly descri%e (im, Sri Vyasa Muni has e plained the other nine su%&ect matters. Studied together, these ten su%&ect matters fully esta%lish the Supreme Personality of +odhead, Bhagavan Sri 9rishna, as the transcendental 0%solute Truth. The Vedanta Sutras %egin %y instructing us to in-uire into the nature of the 0%solute Truth athato %rahma &i&nasa. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the perfect companion to that in-uiry, as it is the natural commentary to the Vedanta Sutras. Both the Vedanta Sutras and the Srimad-Bhagavatam %egin from the point of understanding the ultimate source of everything. Sri Vyasa Muni, the author of these two te ts, %egins %oth with the

same verse! &anmady asya yatah, "4rom whom everything emanates." But in the Srimad Bhagavatam he e pands and ela%orates on this very important philosophical su%&ect in great detail! !anmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas "arthesv a hi!nah svarat tene rahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayahte!o-varimrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo #mrsadhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi "$ meditate upon 'ord Sri 9rishna %ecause (e is the 0%solute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of creation, sustenance and destruction on the manifested universes. (e is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations and (e is independent %ecause there is no other cause %eyond (im. $t is (e only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahma&i, the original living %eing. By (im even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is %ewildered %y the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. #nly %ecause of (im do the material universes, temporarily manifested %y the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. $ therefore meditate upon (im, 'ord Sri 9rishna, who is eternally e istent in the transcendental a%ode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. $ meditate upon (im, for (e is the 0%solute Truth." Thus Srimad-Bhagavatam is the key to unlock the secrets of the Vedanta Sutras. There is no literature in the world as great as this Srimad Bhagavata Purana. The transcendental narrations within it give us light in this dark age of 9ali yuga! krishne sva-dhamopagatedharma-!nanadi hih sahakalau nashtadrisham eshapuranarko #dhunoditah "This Bhagavata Purana is as %rilliant as the sun, and it has arisen &ust after the departure of 'ord 9rishna to (is own a%ode, accompanied %y religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of 9ali shall get light from this Purana.