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HED( 3.1) 3 Aug (PDP CH.1)
PADA-PADMA: T h e L o t u s F e e t o f K r s n a
A Study Guide for Cantos One and Two of the "Srimad-Bhagavatam"
CHAPTER ONE
Welcome!
3 August 2002. We just finished seven weeks traveling and traveling and traveling in South America. The lectures at many, many different universities and learned societies were mostly on "Science and the Vedas", but this also included Social Sciences, Law, Education.
Our experience was that even amongst university Deans and Professors there is intense interest in understanding traditional Indian or Vedic knowledge. To that end we are arranging to bring many complete sets of the 12 volume annotated translation of the "Srimad Bhagavatam" by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada from Spain to South America.
Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the essence of all the Vedas. However, it is not an easy book to understand. We have studied it for years with many other contemporaries and have only just begun to appreciate its grandeur. Certainly there is pleasure at every step in this endeavor but to make it more accessible we are writing the following study guide for students and teachers with hopes that it can be placed in easily accessible places for one and all.
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The SB is complete in 12 cantos. It is described as the literary incarnation of God and the mature fruit of the tree of Vedic wisdom. The Vedas describe every aspect of knowledge necessary for life in the physcial and psychological world, but over and above that they give ultimate knowledge of self-realization. Preliminarily, how to escape from the platform of mortal life and become immortal. After this achievement there is further development necessary to navigate and fly in that eternal atmosphere and eventually make our way back to the throne of God.
Hare Krsna!
A Short Theory of Knowledge- Vedic knowledge is never theoretical. The great philosopher and prime minister, Canakya Pandita observes that undigested food and unused knowledge both turn to poison. Studying SB is for those who want to change their consciousness from love of Satan to love of God, Krsna.
- Vedic knowledge is never impersonal. Understanding the character of the teacher is essential for understanding and realizing the message he teaches. If the teacher hates mathematics but teaches it. The students will also learn to hate mathematics. They don't learn "what you teach", they learn "who you are".
- "Sangat sanjayate kamah" - One's desires and ambitions develop from the company he keeps. The desire to study SB develops from associating with the teacher Srila Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and from having study partners, one, two ... six. We recommend and hope to supply teachers and association for studying SB, life-long association.
- Vedic knowledge is not linear. In our German conception we expect to move forward one step at a time never to return. But in the Bhagavatam we will find knowledge climbs in a spiral. Expect to hear the same lessons over and over again, but each time higher and higher.
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Srila Prabhupada gave us a very complete Vedic library before his departure from mortal vision in 1977: Bhagavad-gita (BG), Nectar of Devotion, Iso Upanisad, Srimad Bhagavatam etc. Certainly we shall study them all eventually, but taking the the first two cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam as an entry point into this library is quite appropriate. However, let us simultaneously study the BG through our Pada-padma (PDP) studies.###
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©2002 HH Hanumatpresaka Swami
©2002 Anjana Suta Academy
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