Followers

Commentaries

 The Bhagavata Purana is one of the most commented texts in Indian literature. There is a saying in Sanskrit - vidyā bhāgavatāvadhi - Bhāgavatam is the limit of one's learning. Hence through out the centuries it attracted a host of commentators from all schools of Krishna worshippers. Over eighty medieval era Bhāṣya (scholarly reviews and commentaries) in Sanskrit alone are known, and many more commentaries exist in various Indian languages.[164] The oldest exegetical commentary presently known is Tantra-Bhagavata from the Pancaratra school. Other commentaries include:

Dvaita commentaries

Acintya-bhedābheda Commentaries

  • Caitanya-mata-mañjuṣā - Śrīnātha Cakravartī
  • Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava-toṣiṇī - Sanātana Gosvāmī
  • Laghu-Vaiṣṇava-toṣiṇī - Jīva Gosvāmī
  • Krama-sandarbha - Jīva Gosvāmī
  • Bṛhat-krama-sandarbha - Jīva Gosvāmī
  • Ṣaṭ-sandarbhas by Jīva Gosvāmī (16th century CE)[165]
  • Vaiṣṇavānandinī - Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
  • Sārārtha Darśinī - Vishvanatha Chakravarti (17th century CE) - elaborate commentary
  • Dīpika-dīpanī - Rādharamaṇa Gosvāmī
  • Gauḍīya-bhāṣya - Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (20th century CE) - elaborate commentary
  • Bhaktivedānta Purports - A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (20th century CE) - elaborate commentary

Viśiṣṭādvaita Commentaries

  • Śuka pakṣīyā - Sudarśana sūri
  • Bhāgavat chandrikā - Vīrarāghava (14th century CE) - elaborate commentary
  • Bhakta rañjanī - Bhagavat prasāda

Suddhādvaita Commentaries

  • Subodhini by Vallabha
  • Ṭippaṇī - Gosvāmī Viṭṭhalanātha
  • Subodhinī prakāsha - Gosvāmī Puruṣhottama
  • Bāla prabodhinī - Gosvāmī Giridharlāl
  • Viśuddha rasadīpikā - Kishorī prasāda

Dvaitādvaita Commentaries

  • Siddhānta pradīpikā - Śuka-sudhī
  • Bhāvārtha dīpikā prakāsha - Vamshīdhara
  • Anitārtha prakāśikā - Gaṅgāsahāya

Others

  • Bhāvārtha-dīpikā by Sridhara Swami (15th century CE)[166]
  • Amrtatarangini by Laksmidhara (15th century CE)[167]
  • Hanumad-Bhasya
  • Vasana-bhasya
  • Sambandhoki
  • Vidvat-kamadhenu
  • Paramahamsa-priya
  • Suka-hridaya
  • Mukta-phala and Hari-lilamrita by Vopadeva
  • Bhakti-ratnavali by Visnupuri
  • Ekanathi Bhagavata by Saint Eknath of Paithan (16th century CE, on the 11th Canto in the vernacular language of the Indian state of Maharashtra)
  • Narayaneeyam by Melpathur Bhattathiri of Kerala (1586, a condensed Srimad Bhagavatam)
  • Bhagavata-Purana by S.S. Shulba (2017, original Sanskrit);[168] other Sanskrit manuscripts are available
  • A study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism by P.N. Sinha (1901)[169]

Devotional


The table below does not include devotee avatars of Vishnu such as NaradaKipila, or Prthu. Devotees featured or appearing repeatedly throughout the scripture are marked with "--" in the Canto column.

NameDescriptionCanto
PrahladaSon of the demon-king Hiranyakashipu7
Unnamed SaintEncountered by Prahlada lying on the ground and covered in dirt; explained the nature of a perfect person7
ViduraSudra incarnation of YamaAryamā officiated the post of Yamarāja in his absence (SB 1.13.15)3
UddhavaFriend and counsellor of Krishna3 ,10, 11
ParikshitKing, succeeded his granduncle Yudhishthira; much of the Srimad Bhagavatam consists of narrations to him by Suka Gosvami1, 2, --
Suka GosvamiSage, son of Vyasadeva, main narrator--
MaitreyaSage3
VrtrasuraDemon King (also a villain) who defeated the demigods led by Indra6
DhruvaBoy sage, son of Uttanapada, grandson of Svayambhuva Manu4
Pracetas / VarunaMeditated in the ocean to achieve liberation; instructed by Narada4
BharataKing that lost liberation due to affection for a deer; reincarnated as a deer and later a human saved by the Goddess Kali from being sacrificed5
PriyavrataKing that was attached to his kingdom, but became detached and achieved liberation; his chariot wheels created the seven oceans and islands5
AjamilaBrahmin that lost liberation due to sex-attraction; liberated due to calling his son's name - Narayana (one of Vishnu's names) - upon death6
CitraketuKing whose only son was murdered; in his sorrow, learned from Narada the illusion of familial relationships; later cursed by Parvati6
GajendraElephant rescued from Makara, the crocodile, by Vishnu riding his mount, Garuda8
YayatiKing cursed to suffer old age; passed the curse to his son but learned the futility of sense-pleasure, took back the curse, and achieved liberation9
AkruraSent by Kamsa in a plot to trick and kill Krishna, but informed him of it10
Vasudeva Anakadundubhi and DevakiParents of Krishna and Balarama; imprisoned and had their other children murdered by Kamsa10
Sandipani MuniGuru of Krishna and Balarama; Krishna later brought his dead son back from Yama's abode10
Nanda and YashodaFoster parents of Krishna and Balarama; Nanda was head of the Gopas, a tribe of cowherds10
MucukundaKing granted a boon by Indra to sleep after battling demons; anyone who interrupts his sleep will be burned to ashes10
JambavanBear that battled Krishna over the Syamantaka Jewel; surrendered and was blessed by Krishna who married his daughter, Jambavati10
NrgaKing turned into a lizard; rescued by Krishna from a well; he had accidentally given away a cow to a Brahmin that was not his10
SudamaImpoverished sage and childhood friend of Krishna; so poor, he could only offer flat rice as a gift to Krishna at Dvaraka10
DurvasaSage that deliberately insulted Brahma, offended Shiva, and kicked Vishnu to determine which of them was the greatest10
NimiKing instructed by the '9 Yogendras' about Bhakti for Krishna (narrated by Narada to Vasudeva Anakadundubhi, father of Krishna)11

Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.41) says,
"Every human being born in this world is immediately indebted to the demigods, the great sages, ordinary living entities, the family, society, and so on. But a person who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord and engages fully in His service is no longer indebted to anyone. In other words, he has no obligations to fulfill except executing devotional service."

bhagavatar


The table below is primarily based on the avatars listed in Canto 1, Chapter 3 (SB 1.3)[48] and Canto 2, Chapter 7 (SB 2.7)[49] of the Srimad Bhagavatam (SB)[note 2]. The number given in parenthesis "()" after a name indicates the order of incarnation as stated in Canto 1. Note that:

  • Avatars not listed in the above chapters - such as Hamsa, Hayagriva, and Ajita - are listed based on their primary (or only) appearance in the given cantos.
  • Avatars featured or appearing repeatedly throughout the scripture are marked with "--" in the Canto column (except Krishna).
  • Avatars only briefly mentioned (e.g. in the lists above) are marked with a blank space in the Canto column.
  • Various appearances of Vishnu and Krishna (e.g. during sacrifices and visions) are not listed.
  • Duplicates or expansions of the Krishna avatar are not listed (e.g. the 16,100 duplicates to marry 16,100 rescued princesses; and the duplicates of the cowherd boys and calves hidden by Brahma in Canto 10).
Avatar (Incarnation Number)DescriptionFunctionCanto
Kumaras (1)Sanaka, Sanatkumara, Sanandana, and SanatanaRevive spiritual truth1, 3, 4
Varaha (2)BoarLift the Earth out of the cosmic ocean (Garbhodaka)3
Narada (3)SageExpound Vedic Knowledge--
Nara-Narayana (4)TwinsDemonstrate austerity and penance (Prāyaścitta)4
Kapila (5)SageExpound Sankhya Philosophy3
Dattatreya (6)Trimurti GuruExpound renunciation (Sannyasa)4
Yajna (7)Personification of sacrificeExpound sacrifice (Yajna)
Rsabha (8)First Tirthankara of JainismExpound Japa Yoga (materialistic yoga)5
Prthu (9)First consecrated kingRule over the Earth in abundance4
Matsya (10)FishShelter from the vast water at the end of the millennium8
Kurma (11)TortoisePivot for Mandara Mountain used as a churning rod8
Dhanvantari (12)God of Ayurvedic medicineInaugurate medical science8, 9
Mohini (13)Female; represents seductive illusionDelude demons - and later Shiva - through seduction (maya)8
Nrsimha (14)Half lion, half manKill Hiranyakasipu7
Vamana (15)DwarfTake away all the lands of Bali in three steps8
Parashurama / Bhrgupati (16)WarriorUproot unwanted rulers (21 times)9
Vyasadeva (17)Compiler of Vedic scripturesDivide Vedic knowledge to make it easier to understand--
Rama / Ramachandra (18)Incarnation in previous Treta YugaDestroy Ravana9
Balarama (19)Krishna's brotherDiminish the burden of the Earth from asuras10
Krishna (20)Transcendental source of allDiminish the burden of the Earth from asuras1, 10, 11
Buddha (21)Founder of BuddhismExpound impersonal philosophy to atheists
Kalki (22)Supreme ChastisterAppear at the end of Kali Yuga to destroy evil12
HayagrivaHalf-horse, half-man; personification of Vedas and SacrificesRevive Vedic knowledge and sacrifice (Yajna)2, 5
HamsaSwanRevive Vedic knowledge11
AniruddhaGrandson of Krishna, son of PradyumnaDiminish the burden of the Earth from asuras10
PradyumnaSon of Krishna; avatar of Kamadeva (an avatar of Vishnu)Diminish the burden of the Earth from asuras10
SambaSon of KrishnaDiminish the burden of the Earth from asuras10
Suyajna (Hari)Son of PrajapatiDiminish misery; beget Demigods (e.g. Indra) with Daksina7
ManuDescendant of the ruling Manu dynastyRule over the miscreant kingly order (Kshatriyas)3
Ananta / Sankarsana / Shesha / TamasiTranscendental serpent worshipped by ShivaSupport and destroy the universe5
AjitaAppeared to churn the ocean of milkChurn the ocean of milk8

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