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Srimad Bhagavatam
The Srimad Bhagavatam is one of the most popular scriptures in India, and one of the most important, next to the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. This version focuses primarily on the teachings of Krishna, and the generally more interesting portions of the book. The translation's aim is to be true to the spirit of the original Sanskrit and be easily readable.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 1956
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About the author
Prabhavananda
111 books65 followersSwami Prabhavananda was an Indian philosopher, monk of the Ramakrishna Order, and religious teacher.
Born in India, he joined the Ramakrishna Order after graduating from Calcutta university in 1914. He was initiated by Swami Brahmananda.
In 1923, he was sent to the United States of America. Initially he worked as an assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of San Francisco. After two years, he established the Vedanta Society of Portland. In December 1929, he moved to Los Angeles where he founded the Vedanta Society of Southern California in 1930.
Under his administration the Vedanta Society of Southern California grew over the years to become the largest Vedanta Society in the West, with monasteries in Hollywood and Trabuco Canyon and convents in Hollywood and Santa Barbara.
Swami Prabhavananda was a scholar who authored a number of books on Vedanta and Indian religious scriptures and commentary. He was assisted on several of the projects by Christopher Isherwood or Frederick Manchester. His comprehensive knowledge of philosophy and religion attracted such disciples as Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard.
Swami Prabhavananda died on the bicentennial of America's independence, July 4, 1976, and on the 74th anniversary of the death, or mahasamadhi, of Swami Vivekananda, the founder of the Ramakrishna Order in India and many of the Vedanta centers in America and Europe.
Christopher Isherwood wrote a book, My guru and his disciple,[3] that described his more than three decades (1939–76) as a student of Swami Prabhavananda
Born in India, he joined the Ramakrishna Order after graduating from Calcutta university in 1914. He was initiated by Swami Brahmananda.
In 1923, he was sent to the United States of America. Initially he worked as an assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of San Francisco. After two years, he established the Vedanta Society of Portland. In December 1929, he moved to Los Angeles where he founded the Vedanta Society of Southern California in 1930.
Under his administration the Vedanta Society of Southern California grew over the years to become the largest Vedanta Society in the West, with monasteries in Hollywood and Trabuco Canyon and convents in Hollywood and Santa Barbara.
Swami Prabhavananda was a scholar who authored a number of books on Vedanta and Indian religious scriptures and commentary. He was assisted on several of the projects by Christopher Isherwood or Frederick Manchester. His comprehensive knowledge of philosophy and religion attracted such disciples as Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard.
Swami Prabhavananda died on the bicentennial of America's independence, July 4, 1976, and on the 74th anniversary of the death, or mahasamadhi, of Swami Vivekananda, the founder of the Ramakrishna Order in India and many of the Vedanta centers in America and Europe.
Christopher Isherwood wrote a book, My guru and his disciple,[3] that described his more than three decades (1939–76) as a student of Swami Prabhavananda
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 6, 2023
The most readable rendering of Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Purāṇas are not fiction. There are 18 Purāṇas. They contain historical matter in varying degree. The older a Purāṇa is, the more of historical matter it contains. Bhāgavata is one of the 12 Purāṇas that are relatively older (India in the Vedic Age: A History of Aryan Expansion in India, Page 22).
Swami Vivekananda said: "Puranas are of five characteristics — that which treats of history, of cosmology, with various symbological illustration of philosophical principles, and so forth. These were written to popularise the religion of the Vedas. The language in which the Vedas are written is very ancient, and even among scholars very few can trace the date of these books. The Puranas were written in the language of the people of that time, what we call modern Sanskrit. They were then meant not for scholars, but for the ordinary people; and ordinary people cannot understand philosophy. Such things were given unto them in concrete form, by means of the lives of saints and kings and great men and historical events that happened to the race etc. The sages made use of these things to illustrate the eternal principles of religion" (Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 3.4.2).
This book makes Bhāgavata interesting. It is a real delight to read this rendering of Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Studying this book is an easy and enjoyable way to understand the Vedic worldview and philosophy.
Purāṇas are not fiction. There are 18 Purāṇas. They contain historical matter in varying degree. The older a Purāṇa is, the more of historical matter it contains. Bhāgavata is one of the 12 Purāṇas that are relatively older (India in the Vedic Age: A History of Aryan Expansion in India, Page 22).
Swami Vivekananda said: "Puranas are of five characteristics — that which treats of history, of cosmology, with various symbological illustration of philosophical principles, and so forth. These were written to popularise the religion of the Vedas. The language in which the Vedas are written is very ancient, and even among scholars very few can trace the date of these books. The Puranas were written in the language of the people of that time, what we call modern Sanskrit. They were then meant not for scholars, but for the ordinary people; and ordinary people cannot understand philosophy. Such things were given unto them in concrete form, by means of the lives of saints and kings and great men and historical events that happened to the race etc. The sages made use of these things to illustrate the eternal principles of religion" (Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 3.4.2).
This book makes Bhāgavata interesting. It is a real delight to read this rendering of Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Studying this book is an easy and enjoyable way to understand the Vedic worldview and philosophy.
November 23, 2021
As a condensation, the translator did a decent job. The original work is very long encompassing many volumes. Thus, a person has to spend a few years in completing the work.
It is as if, around 20 centuries ago, a group of individuals decided to gather all the stories of Krishna; put them all together in one work. That reminds me of the effort that Edith Hamilton did with the Greek and Roman myths.
Thus, if someone wants an introduction to the culture of South Asia, this is probably a good start, but a study of other works that the book refers to would probably be necessary for the American or European in order to understand the environment a South Asian grows up in and exists in everyday life.
It is as if, around 20 centuries ago, a group of individuals decided to gather all the stories of Krishna; put them all together in one work. That reminds me of the effort that Edith Hamilton did with the Greek and Roman myths.
Thus, if someone wants an introduction to the culture of South Asia, this is probably a good start, but a study of other works that the book refers to would probably be necessary for the American or European in order to understand the environment a South Asian grows up in and exists in everyday life.
October 2, 2020
One if Prabhavananda's least successful books. It is only a partial, or more accurately, fragmentary translation. It focuses on Krishna's last teachings. Everywhere in this book the miraculous and mythological aspects of the original text are downplayed. It even skips over most of the stories of Krishna's childhood. I still enjoyed it for the spirit of Prabhavananda's writing.
September 8, 2018
A concise book. The uddhava Gita has got some tremendous wisdom, which all must read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews