Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.4.13
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam Reveals the Lord’s Personality
“O Uddhava, in the lotus millennium in the days of yore, at the beginning of the creation, I spoke unto Brahmā, who is situated on the lotus that grows out of My navel, about My transcendental glories, which the great sages describe as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”
What the purport teaches
- At the beginning of creation, the Lord spoke to Brahmā about His transcendental glories. The great sages describe this knowledge as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
- The concise form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was meant to explain the Lord’s personality. The purport therefore rejects an impersonal explanation of it.
- Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that this concise teaching concerns the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It was never intended for impersonal speculation.
Try this today
Reread this translation once, focusing on the Lord’s words about His own transcendental glories.
Ask yourself
Am I reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to learn about the Lord as a person?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.