Bhagavata

Bhagavata, most often referring to the Bhagavata Purana (also Srimad Bhagavatam), is a major text of Hinduism, central to Vaishnavism. Traditionally regarded as a revelation compiled by Vyasa, the Bhagavata Purana is one of the eighteen major Puranas and is esteemed for its devotional focus on Vishnu and his avatars, especially Krishna. The text is organized into twelve cantos comprising about 18,000 Sanskrit verses; this structure has been maintained in most manuscripts and commentaries.

Scholarly dating places the final form of the Bhagavata Purana roughly between the 9th and 10th centuries CE, though earlier material and verses may predate this core. The narrative unfolds through cosmology, genealogies, and myths, culminating in detailed accounts of Krishna’s life in Vrindavana and Dwaraka, interwoven with discourses on bhakti (devotion), particularly loving service to Krishna as the supreme manifestation of Vishnu.

The Bhagavata emphasizes bhakti as a path to liberation and moral instruction, with episodes featuring figures such as Prahlada, Narada, and the Pandava dynasty, and it has become foundational to many devotional movements in Hinduism. It has been translated, commented on, and widely read across regions and traditions, influencing temple liturgy, poetry, theater, and daily devotional practice. The term Bhagavata can also refer more generally to texts or passages that celebrate Bhagavan (the Lord) or to devotional literature attributed to or centered on the divine.