Srimadh Bagawatham Introduction

 What is the meaning of Puranam?

The word Puranam can be split into two syllables as Pura + Navam. Pura means old and navam means new. Puranams contains historical data which is old but the morals learnt from history are suitable for use even in the modern age hence making the concepts new i.e. modern.

Puranam is a narrative which was written long after the events mentioned in the narrative took place. Ithihasas on the other hand are logged as and when the events take place and while the characters of the Ithihasas are still present on Earth.

Classification of Puranams:

There are eighteen Puranams. They are classified in to satvik, rajasic and tamasic Puranams.

The Satvika Puranams are as follows.

• Sri Vishnu Puranam
• Srimadh Bagawatham
• Narada Puranam
• Garuda Puranam
• Padma Puranam
• Varaha Puranam

The Rajasic Puranams are as follows.

• Brahmanda Puranam
• Brahma Vaivrata Puranam
• Markandeya Puranam
• Bhavishya Puranam
• Vamana Puranam
• Brahma Puranam

The Tamaic Puranams are as follows.

• Matsya Puranam
• Kurma Puranam
• Agni Puranam
• Linga Puranam
• Siva Puranam
• Skanda Puranam
• Vayu Puranam

Satvika Puranams are most authoritative and teach us about God and God realization. The Rajasic Puranams are not very authoritative and the Tamasic the least authoritative. (Ref: http://www.srivaishnava.org/sgati/sddsv1/v01013.htm)

Bagawatha Puranam:

The Bagawatha Puranam is a satvika Puranam which induces the desire in those people who listen/read this Puranam to attain the divine feet of the Lord. This Puranam shows us the way to attain the ultimate truth.

Srimadh Bagawatham is also known as Bhagawath Puranam because it is a narration about our Lord Bagawan and about His devotees. The word Bhagawan in Sanskrit is split in to three syllables as Bha + ga + wan. “Bha” means the absolute owner.  This syllable indicates that He has the capability to transform matter to start the process of creation.

The syllable “ga” shows that He is the creator, protector as well as the destroyer of the Universe. Like a gardener who sows seeds and raises a garden, the Lord creates. Like the gardener tending to the plants the Lord protects His creation. Just like the way in which a gardener destroys a garden overgrown with weeds, the Lord destroys His creation only to begin creating a new Universe. When the first two syllables are combined, the word “Bhaga” describes the six qualities He possesses. The six qualities are. Gnanam (knowledge), Balam (strength) He has the Supreme Strength since He bears the entire Universe, Isvaryam (wealth) the Lord is the Supreme Controller who owns everything including ourselves and all the non-living matter. There is not a single item which He does not own. Veeryam He never undergoes any changes. He is full of vitality and the burdens He bears never cause Him to change in anyway. Shakti; He is the most powerful being and He has Tejas; He does not need any external help in order to carry out His functions.

The last syllable “wan” means the one who possesses. Since the Lord is the Supreme Proprietor of this entire Universes and since He is the only being who has all the above six supreme qualities, He is called as “Bhagawan”. His devotees are called as Bagawathas. Thus the Puranam which illustrates the life history of His devotees and narrates about His incarnations and instructs about the way by which we can attain His divine feet is named as “Bhagawatha Puranam”.

Components of Srimadh Bagawatham:

A puranam has to have the following ten components. Srimadh Bagawatham is known as Bagawatha Puranam as it has all the following ten components.

1. Sargam: Information about how the Lord Creates this Universe by first creating five elements from Prakruthi and by creating Lord Brahma. He then hands over the remaining process to Lord Brahma.

2. Visargam: Creation of mobile and immobile creatures & objects by Lord Brahma.

3. Sthithi: The Lord’s many incarnations taken by Him in order to protect creation.

4. Poshanam: The Lord nourishes His devotees by incarnating to free them from samsara.

5. Uuthi: Even after the Lord incarnates, many people are stuck in samsara because of their past karmas. Uuthi examines the reasons for getting stuck in this vicious cycle of samsara.

6. Manvataram: Information about manvataram.

7. Ishanu Kathai: History about Perumal meeting His devotees.

8. Niroddham: While sleeping jeevatmas are united with the Lord.

9. Mukthi about salvation.

10: Ashrayam: The previous nine help us to understand this point; we don’t exist without Him and everything happens per His sankalpam.

Of all the Puranams, Sri Vishnu Puranam and Srimadh Bagawatham are the best. This is because, through these Puranams we learn about the path to reach the Lord and stay close to Him. If we are near Him there is no need to worry. We experience fear only when we move away from Him.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/04/srimadh-bagawatham-does-god-exist.html