96 - Shrimad Bhagavata: Contents 

God Brahmā said: 

1. O Marichi, listen. I shall tell you (the story of) the Purāņa, Shrimad Bhagavata that has been composed by Veda Vyāsa and which is on a par with the Vedas. 

2. It consists of eighteen thousand1 verses. It is glorified as destructive of sins. This is a veritable wish-yielding celestial tree with twelve branches (Skandhas--sections of the Bhagavata). 

1. According to the Va. P., A.P., N.P., Br. V. & Devibhāgavata and the Bh. P. itself, the Bh. P. consists of 18000 verses, But actually the Gita Press edition of the Bh. P. contains 14,579 verses. 

3-4. O leading Brähmaņa therein in the first Skandha, when Sūta and the sages meet together, the Lord is mentioned as embodying the whole of the Universe. The holy life of Vyasa as well as that of the Pāņdavas (is recounted). Then the episode of Parikșhit. This is cited as the first Skandha. 

5-6. In the course of dialogue between Parikşhit and Shuka there is the review of the two types of creation. In the course of dialogue between Brahma and Närada there is a nectarlike story of the Devas, the characteristics of the Purāņa and the cause and origin of the creation. This second Skandha is thus composed by the intelligent Vyasa. 

7-8a. The anecdote of Vidura, his meeting with Maitreya: The Prakaraṇa (section) of creation from Brahman, the Supreme Soul; the Sankhya doctrine propounded by Kapila: Thus the third Skandha is summarised. 

8b-9. The story of Sati at the outset and that of Dhruva thereafter: There the holy story of Pruthu as well as that of Práchīnabarhis: Thus the excellent fourth Skandha is told, while narrating the gross creation (Visarga).1 

1. The NP. upholds the view advocated by the Bh. P. II.90.1 that instead of the traditional five characteristics of a Purana, the Bh. P. redefines a Purāņa as possessing the following ten characteristics. 

(1) Subtle creation (Sarga); (2) Gross creation (Visarga) (3) law and order ensured by God (Sthana); (4) Protection-welfare of all (Poşhana);(5) material Just for Karmas (ti) (6) the periods of Manus and history of that epoch (Manvantara); (7) accounts of the deeds of the Lord (Išhânukatha) (8) physical annihilation (Nirodha) (9) Liberation (Mukti); (10) the last resort of the Universe or the Ultimate reality (Ashraya). 

These characteristics occur with some variations in the Bh. P. XII.7.9. 10 but as Shridhara points out the terms Vrutti and Rakşhă stand for Sthána and Poşhana. Vamšanucharita is used for Ishanukatha, Samsthå includes Nirodha and Mukti; and hetu is substituted for Uti, Apäshraya for Āshrara. 

10-11a. The meritorious story of Priyavrata and the anecdote of the members of his family; thereafter, the description of the worlds included in the Cosmic egg. The condition of hells. This is considered (as the summary of) the fifth Skandha which is technically called Samsthāna or Sthiti.2 

2. Despite the efforts of Bopadeva in Harililámruta (and his able com mentator Madhusudana Sarasvati) to show how the contents of Skandha V demonstrate the characteristics of Sthana, a modern reader wonders how the legends of Priyavrata to Bharata (chs 1 to 15) followed by the mythological geography, ancient (mythical) astronomy and description of hells form an organic whole to be included under the characteristic Sthiti, Samsthåna or Vrutti. Such doubts naturally arise when the text of the Bh. P. is stretched on the Dasha Lakshana bed of Procrustes. 

It appears that the NP. accepts the traditional Skandha-wise distribution of the topics or the ten Purina lakshanas of the Bb. P. as folows: Name of the characteristic topic. No. of Skandba illustrating it.

1. Sarga                                        III

2. Visarga                                     IV

3. Samsthana or sthiti               V

4. Poshana                                   VI

5. Uti                                            VII

6. Manvantara                            VIII

7. Ishanucharita                         IX

8. Nirodha                                   X

9. Mukti                                       XI

10. Aśhraya                                  XII

This distribution is supported by later eminent writers like Bopadeva in Harililámruta; Shridhara, Vira-råghava, Vijayadhvaja, Vallabba and others. 

As I have presented this traditional scheme and criticised it in details in my Introduction to the Bh.P. Pp, xxii-xxxiv (AITM series vol. VII), I may briefly state that the claim of the Bh. P. as a Mahapuräna with ten characteristics is tolerably justifiable within the limits of the Bh. P. as an epic of growth. 

This traditional presentation of the contents of the Bh. p in the NP. shows that the major portion of the BH.P. belongs to the pre-NP. era. 

11b-12. The story of Ajamila and the review of the creation by Dakşha. The narrative of Vrutra and thereafter, the meritorious nativity of the Maruts. This is the sixth Skandha com posed by Vyåsa in the course of the section known as Pariposhaņa (or Protection and welfare of all by the Lord).

13. The holy story of Prahlāda, the review of the castes and stages of life. O dear one, thus the seventh Skandha is mentioned in the course of the narration of the desire for action as directed by past Karman. (It is technically called Uti). 

14-15a. In the course of the narration of the part known as Manvantara comes the narration of the elephant-king, the churning of the ocean and the check on the prosperity of Bali. The story of the incarnation as Fish. This is the eighth Skandha. (It comes under Manvantara). 

15b. The narration of the Solar dynasty as well as the review of the lunar race. O highly intelligent one, the ninth Skandha is mentioned in the course of the narration of the dynasties. 

16-17. The story of the childhood of Krişhņa and his boy hood; his stay in the Vraja; his early youth and the stay in Mathurā; his later youth and stay in Dväraka and the removal of the burden on the Earth. This is the tenth Skandha in the course of narrating the characteristic section called Nirodha or control. 

18-19a. The dialogue between Nārada and Vasudeva, the meeting of Yadu with Dattatreya and that of Uddhava with Śhrī Krişhņa. The mutual fight and the annihilation of the Yadavas. This is the eleventh Skandha which is designated as Mukti (liberation). 

19b-21. The future Kali is prophesied; the liberation of Parikșhit; the composition of the branches of the Vedas; the per formance of penance by Märkandeya. The Vibhuti (elegance, glory) of Sūra (Sun-god) and thereafter, that of the Sättvatas. The narration of the number of verses in the Purana. This is the twelfth Skandha which is also called Aśhraya (support). Thus the whole of Shrimad Bhagavata has been narrated to you, O dear one. 

22. It is the bestower of devotion, worldly pleasures and salvation on the narrator, listener, instructor, supporter and the person who renders assistance. 

23. The manuscript of this book is to be given with pleasure to a Brāhmaṇa devotee of the Lord along with a replica of a lion in gold, on the full-moon day in the month of Bhadrapada. 

24. If anyone desires for the devotion of the Lord, (he must give it) after duly worshipping him (the Brāhmaṇa) with clothes, gold etc. 

That person too who reads or who listens to this index, attains the excellent benefit of listening to the entire Purāņa.