Namaste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), as we begin today \u2018let us remember this about \u2018Attention\u2019.<\/strong> <\/em>Our life experience would ultimately amount to whatever we had paid attention to. Attention: is important and most of the times we are so indifferent to it. It is as fundamental as food; and we go blundering about, seeking ways to assuage the craving, instead of learning how to provide ourselves with what we need, sensibly and calmly. We feed the hunger blindly. Once the mechanism is brought to our attention and we begin to study it, it is as if a veil has been stripped off ordinary life, and we become freer in our action and choices.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Today I will briefly talk about Srimad Bhagavatam , this is a summarized version of the Mahapurana with a concise translation in english by Srimati Kamala Subramaniam , first published in 1979 with successive reprints and is now available as an ebook and can be downloaded on your kindle<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bhagavata Purana<\/em> is made up of ten sections. The first is called sarga<\/em>. It comprises the creation of the universe, the mahat<\/em> and aham tattvas<\/em>, and the tanmatras. <\/em>The manifestation of the Virat<\/em> Purusha<\/em>; the creation of living and non-living beings by Brahma, Hiranyagarbha, is called visarga<\/em>. The establishment of each created being in its proper place by the Lord is called utkarsha<\/em>. His grace which is infinite towards his Bhaktas and which protects them goes by the name poshana<\/em>. The narration of the different periods of time started by different Manus is manvantara. The vasanas<\/em> following the karmas<\/em> performed in the previous janma<\/em> are called oothi<\/em>. The stories about the Lord and his avataras are collectively named ishakatha. <\/em>The merging of the jivatama <\/em>with the paramatma <\/em>after the yoganidra is called nirodha <\/em>and the casting away of the objects of enjoyment and even the desire for them which is naturally followed by atman <\/em>becoming one with the Brahma is called mukti<\/em>. Aabhasa <\/em>which is creation and nirodha <\/em>which is merging back at the end of Time are all caused by the ONE which is Eternal: which has no beginning and no end and which cannot be described by words: that is called aashraya. <\/em>He is the refuge of everything in the Universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Srimati Kamala Subramaniam, decided to take up one of these sections: Ishakatha, touching on the others here and there.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shri Ghanshyamdas Birla in his foreword to this translation say\u2019s, While studying the Kathas<\/em> \u2013 the stories of the great personalities and of the avataras <\/em>and the parables \u2013 the reader as he reads the passages should amply digest them to know the true purport of the suggestions, the lessons and the indications behind them. These are not just embellishments. They have a deep meaning under the surface.<\/p>\n