Canto 1: “Creation”, Chapters 1-19

[Bhava dasa (ACBSP)]

[Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

By Śrīla Vyāsadeva, compiler of the Vedānta-sūtra

Dedicated to the teachings of

His Divine Grace,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

A Supplemental Outline Study Guide
To be used in conjunction with Srila Prabhupada’s translations and purports.

Use for classes, personal and group studies,
And for taking the Bhakti-Vaibhāva course, etc.


Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
Canto 1: “Creation”

Dedicated to the teachings of
His Divine Grace,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalaunaṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī: “This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.” [SB 1.3.43]

Foreword
There are ten divisions of subjects in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, making it a Mahā-Purāṇa —a great authoritative history. However, these ten subjects are not discussed, in their entirety, in a specific dialogue, chapter, or canto. A subject is discussed and then possibly elaborated upon later. If we miss or neglect any part of the intended sequence, our insight into the subject may become confused or significantly diminished.

Canto One Summary
Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author, first directs our attention to the ultimate goal of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter, he leads us to the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya and the dialogue that is taking place between Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī and the sages headed by the learned Śaunaka Muni.

Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī was present during the questions and answers that took place between Srīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the illustrious son of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and the great Vaishnava king of the Kuru dynasty, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was cursed to die within seven days. The questions and answers between Śaunaka Muni and Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī continue to the end of Canto Twelve, interweaving many other dialogues and defining the “ten subjects” as mentioned above.

Using these outlines
1. Write a short chapter summary under each chapter title.
2. Write a short dialogue summary under each dialogue grouping.
3. Write text-numbered notes (that you select) below dialogue groupings.
4. Use (superscript) footnotes to include quotes from purports at bottom of the page.
5. Use (subscript) endnotes to include additional notes in “Supplements” at end of the canto.

Chapters: 1-19
These outlines follow a nonlinear chronological format.

1.1. Questions by the Sages
Śrīla Vyāsadeva (1-5):
The sages (of Naimiṣāraṇya)—Sūta (6-23. End):
1.2. “Divinity and Divine Service”
Śrīla Vyāsadeva (1):
Sūta—The sages (of Naimiṣāraṇya) (2-34. End):
1.3. “Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations”
Sūta—The sages (of Naimiṣāraṇya) (1-44. End):
1.4. “The Appearance of Śrī Nārada”
Śrīla Vyāsadeva (1):
Śaunaka—Sūta (2-13):
Sūta—Śaunaka (14-27):
Śrīla Vyāsadeva [within himself] (28-31):
Sūta—Śaunaka (32-33. End):
1.5. “Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1):
Nārada—Vyāsadeva (2-4):
Vyāsadeva—Nārada (5-7):
Nārada—Vyāsadeva (8-40. End):
1.6. “Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1):
Vyāsadeva—Nārada (2-4):
Nārada—Vyāsadeva (5-20):
The Lord—Nārada (21-24):
Nārada—Vyāsadeva (25-36):
Sūta—Śaunaka (37–38. End):
1.7. “The Son of Droṇa Punished”
Śaunaka—Sūta (1):
Sūta—Śaunaka (2–8):
Śaunaka—Sūta (9):
Sūta—Śaunaka (10–11):
Sūta—Śaunaka (12–15):
Arjuna—Draupadī (16):
Sūta—Śaunaka (17–21):
Arjuna—Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (22–26):
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa—Arjuna (27-28):
Sūta—Śaunaka (29–34):
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa—Arjuna (35-39):
Sūta—Śaunaka (40–43):
Draupadī—Arjuna (43–48):
Sūta (cont.)—Śaunaka (49–52):
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa—Arjuna (53-54):
Sūta—Śaunaka (55–58. End):
1.8. “Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1–8):
Uttarā— Śrī Kṛṣṇa (9–10):
Sūta—Śaunaka (11–17):
Kuntī— Śrī Kṛṣṇa (18–43):
Sūta—Śaunaka (44–47):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Śrī Kṛṣṇa (48–52. End):
1.9. “The Passing Away of Bhīṣmadeva in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1–11):
Bhīṣmadeva—Yudhiṣṭhira (12–24):
Sūta—Śaunaka (25–31):
Bhīṣmadeva (prayed transcendentally)—Śrī Kṛṣṇa (32–42):
Sūta—Śaunaka (43–49. End):
1.10. “Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa for Dvārakā”
Śaunaka—Sūta (1):
Sūta—Śaunaka (2–20):
The ladies said (21-30)
Sūta—Śaunaka (31–36. End):
1.11. “Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance into Dvārakā”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-5):
The citizens said (6-10)
Sūta—Śaunaka (10-39. End):
1.12. “Birth of Emperor Parīkṣit”
Śaunaka—Sūta (1-3):
Sūta—Śaunaka (4-15):
The brāhmanas—Yudhiṣṭhira (16–17):
Yudhiṣṭhira—The brāhmanas (18):
The brāhmanas—Yudhiṣṭhira (19–28):
Sūta—Śaunaka (29- 36. End):
1.13. “Dhṛtarāṣṭra Quits Home”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-7):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Vidura (8–11):
Sūta—Śaunaka (12-18):
Vidura— Dhṛtarāṣṭra (18-28):
Sūta—Śaunaka (29-31):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Sañjaya (32–34):
Sūta—Śaunaka (35-36):
Sañjaya—Yudhiṣṭhira (37):
Sūta—Śaunaka (38):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Nārada (39-40):
Nārada—Yudhiṣṭhira (41-59):
Sūta—Śaunaka (60. End):
1.14. “The Disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-5):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Bhīmasena (6-21):
Sūta—Śaunaka (22-24):
Yudhiṣṭhira—Arjuna (25-44. End):
1.15. “The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-4):
Arjuna—Yudhiṣṭhira (5-27):
Sūta—Śaunaka (28-51. End):
1.16. “How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-4):
Śaunaka—Sūta (5-9):
Sūta—Śaunaka (10-18):
Dharma (as a bull)—Bhumi (as a cow) (19-24):
Bhumi—Dharma (25-35):
Sūta—Śaunaka (36. End):
1.17. “Punishment and Reward of Kali”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-4):
Parīkṣit—The śūdra (5-6 ):
Parīkṣit—The bull (7-8):
Parīkṣit—The bull & cow (9-11):
Sūta—Śaunaka (12):
Parīkṣit—The bull (12-16):
The bull—Parīkṣit (17-20):
Sūta—Śaunaka (21):
Parīkṣit—The bull (22-27):
Sūta—Śaunaka (28-30):
Parīkṣit—Kali (31):
Sūta—Śaunaka (32):
Parīkṣit—Kali (33-34):
Sūta—Śaunaka (35):
Kali—Parīkṣit (36-37):
Sūta—Śaunaka (38-45. End):
1.18. “Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1-10):
The sages—Sūta (11-17):
Sūta—Śaunaka (18-32):
Śṛṅgi (son of Śamīka Ṛṣi)—his playmates (33-35):
Sūta—Śaunaka (36):
Śṛṅgi (son of Śamīka Ṛṣi)—his playmates (37):
Sūta—Śaunaka (38-41):
Śamīka Ṛṣi—Śṛṅgi (41-46):
Sūta—Śaunaka (47-50. End):
1.19. “The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī”
Sūta—Śaunaka (1):
Parīkṣit [thought] (2-3):
Sūta—Śaunaka (4-12):
Parīkṣit—ṛṣis and others (13-16):
Sūta—Śaunaka (17-19):
The ṛṣis—Parīkṣit (20-21):
Sūta—Śaunaka (22):
Parīkṣit—ṛṣis and others (23-24):
Sūta—Śaunaka (25-31):
Parīkṣit—Śukadeva (32-39):
Sūta—Śaunaka (40. END):

END OF CANTO 1 of 12: “CREATION”
Next, Canto 2 of 12: “The Cosmic Manifestation”

Supplements