Bhgavatam

Bhagavatam, also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is one of the major Puranas in Hinduism and a central text in Vaishnavism. Traditionally attributed to Vyasa, the work is framed as a discourse in which the sage Shuka recites the text to King Parikshit in the forest, following Parikshit’s curse and approaching death. The Bhāgavatam is organized into twelve cantos (skandhas) and contains about 18,000 verses in Sanskrit, though lengths vary among manuscript traditions.

The content ranges from cosmology and creation to genealogies and legends, but its core emphasis is devotional theology. The text presents bhakti (devotional service) to Krishna as the supreme form of God and the primary path to liberation. It includes philosophical dialogues and mythic narratives by sages such as Kapila and Prahlada, and it culminates in extended narratives of Krishna’s life and pastimes in Vrindavana and Dwaraka. The narratives are interwoven with reflections on dharma, devotion, and the nature of the self.

Influence and reception are wide. The Bhagavatam has profoundly shaped Hindu devotional practice and theology, particularly within Gaudiya Vaishnavism and other Vaishnava traditions. It has been the subject of extensive commentaries and translations and is regularly studied in temples and homes, as well as during festivals such as Janmashtami. The text exists in multiple recensions and commentarial traditions, reflecting its long history of transmission and interpretation.