Stories From The Bhagawat

The Bhagawat Purana sings of the glory of Vishnu and his incarnations. It is one of the most popular of the eighteen major puranas, and its recitations lasting for a week, called Bhagawat Saptaha, are held all over India. The special collection of nine vo

Includes the following titles: Tales of Balarama Sudama Krishna and Shishupala Krishna and The False Vasudeva Aniruddha

First Ebook Edition - March 2016

In Puranic lore, Vishnu is the preserver of the universe and the cosmic order. The Dasha Avatar is the Puranic story of the ten incarnations of Vishnu who descends to the terrestrial world to establish stability and order, time and again. The avatars occur in a sequence – the first was matsya or fish representing life in water, followed by kurma or turtle signifying life in water and on land, then varaha or boar alluding to terrestrial life and so on. The sequence of the avatars could be taken to symbolise various stages in the evolution of life culminating in the advent of the perfect being.

The ‘Srimad Bhagwal’ itself is believed to be the gem among all the sacred Puranas as it emphasises on the devotion to Lord. Vishnu’s incarnation, Lord Krishna. It is believed to have been authored by the great sage Vedavyasa when he felt a great unrest troubling his soul after authoring the Mahabharat. Although this Purana itself is believed to be a part of Skanda Purana, it is its lyrical beauty and devotion to Krishna that made it most popular. It enlists 22 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, while other sacred accounts of the Sanatana Dharma believe that there were nine incarnations and one is yet to come. Normally in the Purana, the tales or stories frequently overlap with each other giving emphasis on a different point. Owing to paucity of space, many of the stories have been given a brief mention in this work with the footnote guiding to the sources, to get the full story in the other Puranas. There are also certain variations in the details of the stories which have been also marked within parenthesis. Also, many details mentioned in this Puran which may appear uninteresting, have been deliberately left out. Some of the stories which are well- known have been skipped. For example, the Ramakatha or the details about other incarnations popularised by other sacred sources. The main emphasis in culling out the stories has been on those stories that reveal the basic moral fiber of our ethos. These stories have been recreated keeping in mind the comprehension of our young learners and hence making these stories more logical. This work is only an attempt to make our society recapture its roots. That is why the language and style have been used with great care so as to make the stories readable and comprehensive. It is hoped that our discerning readership will accord it a warm welcome. Lastly, the author wishes to record his gratitude to Narenderji of Diamond Pocket Books whose crusade to publish the gems of our cultural and religious ethos has few parallels in the field of publishing.

This book presents eight Kathas that capture the essence of the conversation that took place between Lord Krishna and Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War. The message of each of these Kathas is simplified and conveyed through stories that children can relate to and understand. The stories will help children comprehend the attitude of the people they meet in their everyday life, their own response to them and to life in general. The stories are interspersed with activities to reinforce the message of the Gita.

'The truth is, Partha,' Krishna said, 'that there is no "better" path. Both paths – the path of knowledge and the path of action – work just as well. It is up to you to pick the one that you are suited to.' The Bhagavad Gita is a profound book from India that people have cherished for over 2500 years. It emphasises kindness and understanding when we make mistakes, and tells a compelling story about Prince Arjuna and his friend Krishna. They engage in a crucial conversation about the war against the most powerful and dangerous enemy of all – the one that lives within our minds. Roopa Pai's spirited, one-of-a-kind retelling is engaging, easy to grasp, and leaves a lasting impact. After you finish reading, you'll find yourself contemplating its wisdom and feeling a sense of inner strength.

A fresh, strikingly immediate and elegant verse translation of the classic, with an introduction and helpful guides to each section, by the rising American poet. Born in the United States into a secularized Hindu family, Amit Majmudar puzzled over the many religious traditions on offer, and found that the Bhagavad Gita had much to teach him with its "song of multiplicities." Chief among them is that "its own assertions aren't as important as the relationships between its characters . . . The Gita imagined a relationship in which the soul and God are equals"; it is, he believes, "the greatest poem of friendship . . . in any language." His verse translation captures the many tones and strategies Krishna uses with Arjuna--strict and berating, detached and philosophical, tender and personable. "Listening guides" to each section follow the main text, and expand in accessible terms on the text and what is happening between the lines. Godsong is an instant classic in the field, from a poet of skill, fine intellect, and--perhaps most important--devotion.

Includes the following titles: Ancestors of Rama, Dasharatha, Rama, Hanuman, The Sons of Rama