Fourth Canto: The Creation of the Fourth Order: Part One - Chapters 1 - 19

by A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Srimad-Bhagavatam, an epic philosophical and literary classic, holds a prominent position in Indiaʹs voluminous written wisdom. The timeless wisdom of India is expressed in the vedas, ancient sanskrit texts that touch upon all fields of human knowledge. Originally preserved through oral tradition, the vedas were first put into writing by Vyasadeva, "the literary incarnation of God." After compiling the Vedas, Vyasadeva was inspired by his spiritual master to present their profound essence in the form of Srimad-Bhagavatam. -- Jacket.

998 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (अभय चरणारविन्द भक्तिवेदान्त स्वामी प्रभुपाद)was born as Abhay Charan De on 1 September 1896 in Calcutta, India.

He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge in the Western world. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad, he became his formally initiated disciple.

At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly magazine.

In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.