> > S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 12
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > *****

> > Canto 12: "The Age of Deterioration"

> > *****

> > Chapter Thirteen: The Glories of S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam

> > ******

> > TEXT 1

> > sûta uvâca

> > yam brahmâ varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair

> > vedaih sânga-pada-kramopanishadair gâyanti yam sâma-gâh

> > dhyânâvasthita-tad-gatena manasâ pas'yanti yam yogino

> > yasyântam na viduh surâsura-ganâ devâya tasmai namah

> > sûtah uvâca-Sûta Gosvâmî said; yam-whom; brahmâ-Lord Brahmâ; varuna-indra-rudra-marutah-as well as Varuna, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts; stunvanti-praise; divyaih-with transcendental; stavaih-prayers; vedaih-with the Vedas; sa-along with; anga-the corollary branches; pada-krama-the special sequential arrangement of mantras; upanishadaih-and the Upanishads; gâyanti-they sing about; yam-whom; sâma-gâh-the singers of the Sâma Veda; dhyâna-in meditative trance; avasthita-situated; tat-gatena-which is fixed upon Him; manasâ-within the mind; pas'yanti-they see; yam-whom; yoginah-the mystic yogîs; yasya-whose; antam-end; na viduh-they do not know; sura-asura-ganâh-all the demigods and demons; devâya-to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasmai-to Him; namah-obeisances.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sûta Gosvâmî said: Unto that personality whom Brahmâ, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upanishads, to whom the chanters of the Sâma Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogîs see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and absorbing themselves within Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon-unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances.

> > *****

> > TEXT 2

> > prishthhe bhrâmyad amanda-mandara-giri-grâvâgra-kandûyanân

> > nidrâloh kamathhâkriter bhagavatah s'vâsânilâh pântu vah

> > yat-samskâra-kalânuvartana-vas'âd velâ-nibhenâmbhasâm

> > yâtâyâtam atandritam jala-nidher nâdyâpi vis'râmyati

> > prishthhe-upon His back; bhrâmyat-rotating; amanda-most heavy; mandara-giri-of Mandara Mountain; grâva-agra-by the edges of the stones; kandûyanât-by the scratching; nidrâloh-who became sleepy; kamathha-âkriteh-in the form of a tortoise; bhagavatah-of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; s'vâsa-coming from the breathing; anilâh-the winds; pântu-may they protect; vah-all of you; yat-of which; samskâra-of the remnants; kalâ-the traces; anuvartana-vas'ât-as the effect of following; velâ-nibhena-by that which resembles the flow; ambhasâm-of the water; yâta-âyâtam-the coming and going; atandritam-ceaseless; jala-nidheh-of the ocean; na-does not; adya api-even today; vis'râmyati-stop.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as Lord Kûrma, a tortoise, His back was scratched by the sharp-edged stones lying on massive, whirling Mount Mandara, and this scratching made the Lord sleepy. May you all be protected by the winds caused by the Lord's breathing in this sleepy condition. Ever since that time, even up to the present day, the ocean tides have imitated the Lord's inhalation and exhalation by piously coming in and going out.

> > *****

> > TEXT 3

> > purâna-sankhyâ-sambhûtim

> > asya vâcya-prayojane

> > dânam dânasya mâhâtmyam

> > pâthhâdes' ca nibodhata

> > purâna-of the Purânas; sankhyâ-of the counting (of verses); sambhûtim-the summation; asya-of this Bhâgavatam; vâcya-the subject matter; prayojane-and the purpose; dânam-the method of giving as a gift; dânasya-of such gift-giving; mâhâtmyam-the glories; pâthha-âdeh-of teaching and so on; ca-and; nibodhata-please hear.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Now please hear a summation of the verse length of each of the Purânas. Then hear of the prime subject and purpose of this Bhâgavata Purâna, the proper method of giving it as a gift, the glories of such gift-giving, and finally the glories of hearing and chanting this literature.

> > *****

> > TEXTS 4 - 9

> > brâhmam das'a sahasrâni

> > pâdmam pan'cona-shashthi ca

> > s'rî-vaishnavam trayo-vims'ac

> > catur-vims'ati s'aivakam

> > das'âshthau s'rî-bhâgavatam

> > nâradam pan'ca-vims'ati

> > mârkandam nava vâhnam ca

> > das'a-pan'ca catuh-s'atam

> > catur-das'a bhavishyam syât

> > tathâ pan'ca-s'atâni ca

> > das'âshthau brahma-vaivartam

> > laingam ekâdas'aiva tu

> > catur-vims'ati vârâham

> > ekâs'îti-sahasrakam

> > skândam s'atam tathâ caikam

> > vâmanam das'a kîrtitam

> > kaurmam sapta-das'âkhyâtam

> > mâtsyam tat tu catur-das'a

> > ekona-vims'at sauparnam

> > brahmândam dvâdas'aiva tu

> > evam purâna-sandohas'

> > catur-laksha udâhritah

> > tatrâshthadas'a-sâhasram

> > s'rî-bhâgavatam ishyate

> > brâhmam-the Brahmâ Purâna; das'a-ten; sahasrâni-thousands; pâdmam-the Padma Purâna; pan'ca-ûna-shashthi-five less than sixty; ca-and; s'rî-vaishnavam-the Vishnu Purâna; trayah-vims'at-twenty-three; catuh-vims'ati-twenty-four; s'aivakam-the S'iva Purâna;

> > das'a-ashthau-eighteen; s'rî-bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; nâradam-the Nârada Purâna; pan'ca-vims'ati-twenty-five; mârkandam-the Mârkandeya Purâna; nava-nine; vâhnam-the Agni Purâna; ca-and; das'a-pan'ca-catuh-s'atam-fifteen thousand four hundred;

> > catuh-das'a-fourteen; bhavishyam-the Bhavishya Purâna; syât-consists of; tathâ-plus; pan'ca-s'atâni-five hundred (verses); ca-and; das'a-ashthau-eighteen; brahma-vaivartam-the Brahma-vaivarta Purâna; laingam-the Linga Purâna; ekâdas'a-eleven; eva-indeed; tu-and;

> > catuh-vims'ati-twenty-four; vârâham-the Varâha Purâna; ekâs'îti-sahasrakam-eighty-one thousand; skândam-the Skanda Purâna; s'atam-hundred; tathâ-plus; ca-and; ekam-one; vâmanam-the Vâmana Purâna; das'a-ten; kîrtitam-is described;

> > kaurmam-the Kûrma Purâna; sapta-das'a-seventeen; âkhyâtam-is said; mâtsyam-the Matsya Purâna; tat-that; tu-and; catuh-das'a-fourteen; eka-ûna-vims'at-nineteen; sauparnam-the Garuda Purâna; brahmândam-the Brahmânda Purâna; dvâdas'a-twelve; eva-indeed; tu-and;

> > evam-in this way; Purâna-of the Purânas; sandohah-the sum; catuh-lakshah-four hundred thousand; udâhritah-is described; tatra-therein; ashtha-das'a-sâhasram-eighteen thousand; s'rî-bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; ishyate-is said.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Brahmâ Purâna consists of ten thousand verses, the Padma Purâna of fifty-five thousand, S'rî Vishnu Purâna of twenty-three thousand, the S'iva Purâna of twenty-four thousand and S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam of eighteen thousand. The Nârada Purâna has twenty-five thousand verses, the Mârkandeya Purâna nine thousand, the Agni Purâna fifteen thousand four hundred, the Bhavishya Purâna fourteen thousand five hundred, the Brahma-vaivarta Purâna eighteen thousand and the Linga Purâna eleven thousand. The Varâha Purâna contains twenty-four thousand verses, the Skanda Purâna eighty-one thousand one hundred, the Vâmana Purâna ten thousand, the Kûrma Purâna seventeen thousand, the Matsya Purâna fourteen thousand, the Garuda Purâna nineteen thousand and the Brahmânda Purâna twelve thousand. Thus the total number of verses in all the Purânas is four hundred thousand. Eighteen thousand of these, once again, belong to the beautiful Bhâgavatam.

> > PURPORT

> > S'rîla Jîva Gosvâmî has quoted from the Matsya Purâna as follows:

> > ashthâdas'a purânâni

> > kritvâ satyavatî-sutah

> > bhâratâkhyânam akhilam

> > cakre tad-upabrimhitam

> > lakshanaikena tat proktam

> > vedârtha-paribrimhitam

> > vâlmîkinâpi yat proktam

> > râmopakhyânam uttamam

> > brahmanâbhihitam tac ca

> > s'ata-kothi-pravistarât

> > âhritya nâradenaiva

> > vâlmîkâya punah punah

> > vâlmîkinâ ca lokeshu

> > dharma-kâmârtha-sâdhanam

> > evam sa-pâdâh pan'caite

> > lakshâs teshu prakîrititâh

> > "After compiling the eighteen Purânas, Vyâsadeva, the son of Satyavatî, composed the entire Mahâbhârata, which contains the essence of all the Purânas. It consists of over one hundred thousand verses and is filled with all the ideas of the Vedas. There is also the account of the pastimes of Lord Râmacandra, spoken by Vâlmîki-an account originally related by Lord Brahmâ in one billion verses. That Râmâyana was later summarized by Nârada and related to Vâlmîki, who further presented it to mankind so that human beings could attain the goals of religiosity, sense gratification and economic development. The total number of verses in all the Purânas and itihâsas (histories) is thus known in human society to amount to 525,000."

> > S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî Öhâkura points out that in the First Canto, Third Chapter, of this work, after Sûta Gosvâmî lists the incarnations of Godhead, he adds the special phrase krishnas tu bhagavân svayam: "But Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead." Similarly, after mentioning all of the Purânas, S'rî Suta Gosvâmî again mentions the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam to emphasize that it is the chief of all Purânic literatures.

> > *****

> > TEXT 10

> > idam bhagavatâ pûrvam

> > brahmane nâbhi-pankaje

> > sthitâya bhava-bhîtâya

> > kârunyât samprakâs'itam

> > idam-this; bhagavatâ-by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pûrvam-first; brahmane-to Brahmâ; nâbhi-pankaje-upon the lotus growing from the navel; sthitâya-who was situated; bhava-of material existence; bhîtâya-who was fearful; kârunyât-out of mercy; samprakâs'itam-was fully revealed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > It was to Lord Brahmâ that the Supreme Personality of Godhead first revealed the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam in full. At the time, Brahmâ, frightened by material existence, was sitting on the lotus flower that had grown from the Lord's navel.

> > *****

> > TEXTS 11 & 12

> > âdi-madhyâvasâneshu

> > vairâgyâkhyâna-samyutam

> > hari-lîlâ-kathâ-vrâtâ-

> > mritânandita-sat-suram

> > sarva-vedânta-sâram yad

> > brahmâtmaikatva-lakshanam

> > vastv advitîyam tan-nishthham

> > kaivalyaika-prayojanam

> > âdi-in the beginning; madhya-the middle; avasâneshu-and the end; vairâgya-concerning renunciation of material things; âkhyâna-with narrations; samyutam-full; hari-lîlâ-of the pastimes of Lord Hari; kathâ-vrâta-of the many discussions; amrita-by the nectar; ânandita-in which are made ecstatic; sat-suram-the saintly devotees and demigods;

> > sarva-vedânta-of all the Vedânta; sâram-the essence; yat-which; brahma-the Absolute Truth; âtma-ekatva-in terms of nondifference from the spirit soul; lakshanam-characterized; vastu-the reality; advitîyam-one without a second; tat-nishthham-having that as its prime subject matter; kaivalya-exclusive devotional service; eka-the only; prayojanam-ultimate goal.

> > TRANSLATION

> > From beginning to end, the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is full of narrations that encourage renunciation of material life, as well as nectarean accounts of Lord Hari's transcendental pastimes, which give ecstasy to the saintly devotees and demigods. This Bhâgavatam is the essence of all Vedânta philosophy because its subject matter is the Absolute Truth, which, while nondifferent from the spirit soul, is the ultimate reality, one without a second. The goal of this literature is exclusive devotional service unto that Supreme Truth.

> > *****

> > TEXT 13

> > praushthhapadyâm paurnamâsyâm

> > hema-simha-samanvitam

> > dadâti yo bhâgavatam

> > sa yâti paramâm gatim

> > praushthhapadyâm-in the month of Bhâdra; paurnamâsyâm-on the full-moon day; hema-simha-upon a golden throne; samanvitam-seated; dadâti-gives as a gift; yah-who; bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; sah-he; yâti-goes; paramâm-to the supreme; gatim-destination.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If on the full moon day of the month of Bhâdra one places S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.

> > *****

> > TEXT 14

> > râjante tâvad anyâni

> > purânâni satâm gane

> > yâvad bhâgavatam naiva

> > s'rûyate 'mrita-sâgaram

> > râjante-they shine forth; tâvat-that long; anyâni-the other; purânâni-Purânas; satâm-of saintly persons; gane-in the assembly; yâvat-as long as; bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; na-not; eva-indeed; s'rûyate-is heard; amrita-sâgaram-the great ocean of nectar.

> > TRANSLATION

> > All other Puranic scriptures shine forth in the assembly of saintly devotees only as long as that great ocean of nectar, S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam, is not heard.

> > *****

> > TEXT 15

> > sarva-vedânta-sâram hi

> > s'rî-bhâgavatam ishyate

> > tad-rasâmrita-triptasya

> > nânyatra syâd ratih kvacit

> > sarva-vedânta-of all Vedânta philosophy; sâram-the essence; hi-indeed; s'rî-bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; ishyate-is said to be; tat-of it; rasa-amrita-by the nectarean taste; triptasya-for one who is satisfied; na-not; anyatra-elsewhere; syât-there is; ratih-attraction; kvacit-ever.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is declared to be the essence of all Vedânta philosophy. One who has felt satisfaction from its nectarean mellow will never be attracted to any other literature.

> > *****

> > TEXT 16

> > nimna-gânâm yathâ gangâ

> > devânâm acyuto yathâ

> > vaishnavânâm yathâ s'ambhuh

> > purânânâm idam tathâ

> > nimna-gânâm-of rivers flowing down to the sea; yathâ-as; gangâ-the Ganges; devânâm-of all deities; acyutah-the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead; yathâ-as; vaishnavânâm-of devotees of Lord Vishnu; yathâ-as; s'ambhuh-S'iva; purânânâm-of Purânas; idam-this; tathâ-similarly.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as the Gangâ is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord S'ambhu [S'iva] the greatest of Vaishnavas, so S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is the greatest of all Purânas.

> > *****

> > TEXT 17

> > kshetrânâm caiva sarveshâm

> > yathâ kâs'î hy anuttamâ

> > tathâ purâna-vrâtânâm

> > s'rîmad-bhâgavatam dvijâh

> > kshetrânâm-of holy places; ca-and; eva-indeed; sarveshâm-of all; yathâ-as; kâs'î-Benares; hi-indeed; anuttamâ-unexcelled; tathâ-thus; purâna-vrâtânâm-of all the Purânas; s'rîmat-bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; dvijâh-O brâhmanas.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O brâhmanas, in the same way that the city of Kâs'î is unexcelled among holy places, S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is supreme among all the Purânas.

> > *****

> > TEXT 18

> > s'rîmad-bhâgavatam purânam amalam yad vaishnavânâm priyam

> > yasmin pâramahamsyam ekam amalam jn'ânam param gîyate

> > tatra jn'âna-virâga-bhakti-sahitam naishkarmyam âviskritam

> > tac chrinvan su-pathhan vicârana-paro bhaktyâ vimucyen narah

> > s'rîmat-bhâgavatam-S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam; purânam-the Purâna; amalam-perfectly pure; yat-which; vaishnavânâm-to the Vaishnavas; priyam-most dear; yasmin-in which; pâramahamsyam-attainable by the topmost devotees; ekam-exclusive; amalam-perfectly pure; jn'ânam-knowledge; param-supreme; gîyate-is sung; tatra-there; jn'âna-virâga-bhakti-sahitam-together with knowledge, renunciation and devotion; naishkarmyam-freedom from all material work; âvishkritam-is revealed; tat-that; s'rinvan-hearing; su-pathhan-properly chanting; vicârana-parah-who is serious about understanding; bhaktyâ-with devotion; vimucyet-becomes totally liberated; narah-a person.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is the spotless Purâna. It is most dear to the Vaishnavas because it describes the pure and supreme knowledge of the paramahamsas. This Bhâgavatam reveals the means for becoming free from all material work, together with the processes of transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion. Anyone who seriously tries to understand S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam, who properly hears and chants it with devotion, becomes completely liberated.

> > *****

> > TEXT 19

> > kasmai yena vibhâsito 'yam atulo jn'âna-pradîpah purâ

> > tad-rûpena ca nâradâya munaye krishnâya tad-rûpinâ

> > yogîndrâya tad-âtmanâtha bhagavad-râtâya kârunyatas

> > tac chuddham vimalam vis'okam amritam satyam param dhîmahi

> > kasmai-unto Brahmâ; yena-by whom; vibhâsitah-thoroughly revealed; ayam-this; atulah-incomparable; jn'âna-of transcendental knowledge; pradîpah-the torchlight; purâ-long ago; tat-rûpena-in the form of Brahmâ; ca-and; nâradâya-to Nârada; munaye-the great sage; krishnâya-to Krishna-dvaipâyana Vyâsa; tat-rûpinâ-in the form of Nârada; yogi-indrâya-to the best of yogîs, S'ukadeva; tat-âtmanâ-as Nârada; atha-then; bhagavat-râtâya-to Parîkshit Mahârâja; kârunyatah-out of mercy; tat-that; s'uddham-pure; vimalam-uncontaminated; vis'okam-free from misery; amritam-immortal; satyam-upon the truth; param-supreme; dhîmahi-I meditate.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I meditate upon that pure and spotless Supreme Absolute Truth, who is free from suffering and death and who in the beginning personally revealed this incomparable torchlight of knowledge to Brahmâ. Brahmâ then spoke it to the sage Nârada, who narrated it to Krishna-dvaipâyana Vyâsa. S'rîla Vyâsa revealed this Bhâgavatam to the greatest of sages, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, and S'ukadeva mercifully spoke it to Mahârâja Parîkshit.

> > *****

> > TEXT 20

> > namas tasmai bhagavate

> > vâsudevâya sâkshine

> > ya idam kripayâ kasmai

> > vyâcacakshe mumukshave

> > namah-obeisances; tasmai-to Him; bhagavate-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vâsudevâya-Lord Vâsudeva; sâkshine-the supreme witness; yah-who; idam-this; kripayâ-out of mercy; kasmai-to Brahmâ; vyâcacakshe-explained; mumukshave-who was desiring liberation.

> > TRANSLATION

> > We offer our obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vâsudeva, the all-pervading witness, who mercifully explained this science to Brahmâ when he anxiously desired salvation.

> > *****

> > TEXT 21

> > yogîndrâya namas tasmai

> > s'ukâya brahma-rûpine

> > samsâra-sarpa-dashtham yo

> > vishnu-râtam amûmucat

> > yogi-indrâya-to the king of mystics; namah-obeisances; tasmai-to him; s'ukaya-S'ukadeva Gosvâmî; brahma-rûpine-who is a personal manifestation of the Absolute Truth; samsâra-sarpa-by the snake of material existence; dashtham-bitten; yah-who; vishnu-râtam-Parîkshit Mahârâja; amûmucat-freed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I offer my humble obeisances to S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, the best of mystic sages and a personal manifestation of the Absolute Truth. He saved Mahârâja Parîkshit, who was bitten by the snake of material existence.

> > *****

> > TEXT 22

> > bhave bhave yathâ bhaktih

> > pâdayos tava jâyate

> > tathâ kurushva deves'a

> > nâthas tvam no yatah prabho

> > bhave bhave-in life after life; yathâ-so that; bhaktih-devotional service; pâdayoh-at the lotus feet; tava-of You; jâyate-arises; tathâ-so; kurushva-please do; deva-îs'a-O Lord of lords; nâthah-the master; tvam-You; nah-our; yatah-because; prabho-O Lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O Lord of lords, O master, please grant us pure devotional service at Your lotus feet, life after life.

> > *****

> > TEXT 23

> > nâma-sankîrtanam yasya

> > sarva-pâpa pranâs'anam

> > pranâmo duhkha-s'amanas

> > tam namâmi harim param

> > nâma-sankîrtanam-the congregational chanting of the holy name; yasya-of whom; sarva-pâpa-all sins; pranâs'anam-which destroys; pranâmah-the bowing down; duhkha-misery; s'amanah-which subdues; tam-to Him; namâmi-I offer my obeisances; harim-to Lord Hari; param-the Supreme.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Hari, the congregational chanting of whose holy names destroys all sinful reactions, and the offering of obeisances unto whom relieves all material suffering.

> > Thus ends the Bhagavata Purâna, also known as the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam and the Paramahamsa Samhitâ.

> > Back to the running text