Essence of the Bhagavata Purana

Bhagavata is best described in its own words: rasa which means nectar. The nectar in the Hindu philosophical context denotes the joy that one derives on listening to God’s several lilas or divine sports. Though several incarnations of Lord Vishnu have been described in the Vishnu Purana, Lord Krishna occupies the place of prime importance in Srimad Bhagavata. Bhagavata Puranas is one of the greatest of the Puranas since it deals with bhakti. Man feels lonely because it is not possible to get a human companion fully to his liking. Human beings pass their time in fun and frolic when they are young and the body is strong and active. Owing to aging, when the body becomes inactive and man is no longer able to remain joyful and energetic all the time, he longs for someone who is completely one’s own. In the Bhagavata, which is considered as the essence of Indian spiritual lore, it is stated that the thought of God removes the sorrows and sufferings of man and makes him feel good. The paper attempts to elucidate the essence of the Bhagavata Purana which carries a hopeful message that reading it would not only help mankind remove his sense of loneliness but also serves as a step-by-step guide in attaining nirvana or liberation from the eternal cycle of birth and death.