Bhagavata Condensed in the Poetʼs Own Words /6

OF CULTURE
 
GOgenerally said that the Bhagavata is par
excellence the Purana which emphasises
the value of Bhakti (devotion) and VERNMENT
 
si
 
generally said that the Bhagavata is par
excellence the Purana which emphasises
the value of Bhirakti (devotion) and Virakti

(detachment). Attractive stories are a

vehicle employed by the Hindu sages for

teaching morality and religion. The

author of the Bhagavata has largely

availed himself of this method.
 
FOREWORD
 

 
The sage Vyasa who had edited the

Vedas and composed the Mahabharata
did not attain serenity or happiness in

did not attain serenity or happiness in
spite of the completion of his labours and

his immersion in philosophy and religion.

If there was any philosopher who could

have appreciated the truth of the Vedanta

philosophy and enjoyed intimacy with

the formless absolute (Nirguna Brahman),

it was Vyasa. He was told by Narada
that he could attain peace of mind and

that he could attain peace of mind and
happiness only by dwelling upon the

incarnations of Lord Vasudeva and

singing his glory.
 

 
The stories of the Deity and His

miraculous intervention to help His

votaries often read like fairy tales. They

are not, however, accepted by the

thoughtful at their face value. It is

pointed out by Sri Sankaracharya that

the object of myth and legend in the

Vedas is merely to lure the mind to the

truths of religion. The stories are treated

as mere Arthavada (eulogistic) and not as

facts. If, notwithstanding the progress