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Introduction
Aren\u2019t Puranas just a bunch of weird mythical stories!
Srimad Bhaagwatam is not just a Purana but a Mahapuran and one must have earned a lot of \u201cpunya\u201d
to be able to even listen to it!
Yes, Puranas are mystical literature, but to understand them in their full significance one has to have a
deep understanding of Vedantic philosophy otherwise they will seem to be just weird stories. Even the
word \u201cBhaagwatam\u201d has deep meaning.
Why was it written in the form of stories?
Everyone loves stories. Srimad Bhaagwatam has beautiful stories about the Lord, Sri Krishna, which
have a lot of symbolism to invoke devotion and remove all our misconceptions. Its main objective is to
absorb the mind in the Lord and bring about surrender.
For whom was it written?
Anyone and everyone! Certain qualifications are required to understand the deep philosophy of
Vedanta. Bhaagwatam on the other hand is for everyone, be it a small child, a scholar, a sinner or a
devotee. Everyone benefits from it because Bhakti does not require any qualification other than love
which we all have in abundance our hearts.
Srimad Bhaagwatam begins with an Invocation and the Mahatmayam:
Invocation Sat-chit-anand is the Swaroop or nature of Bhagwan. Non duality is core of Bhagwatam.
Mahatmayam \u2013 is to extol the glory of Bhaagwat. When we know the glory of something we will not
under value it. Through stories of Shukdev Maharaj\u2019s birth, his dispassion, Shaunaka rishi\u2019s questions,
Suta ji\u2019s replies etc we gain an insight into the magnificence of this great katha! Narad ji; who was he
really \u2013 a mischief maker or a great missionary?!
The glory of the 7 day saptah has also been explained through the story of Praikshit\u2019s death. If one
listen\u2019s to it in 7 days one too will get mukti like Parikshit.