--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April 16, 2013


Book Review – The Bhagavata Purana – Sacred Text and Living Tradition

The Bhagavata Purana – Sacred Text and Living Tradition is a collection of 12 essays by scholars on various aspects of the Srimad Bhagavad Purana. The book is published by Columbia Universtiy Press, New York and is edited by Ravi M. Gupta and Kenneth R.Valpey. The book definitely is not for the reader who likes to read the stories in the Purana. This is for the student who is exploring the various aspects of Srimad Bhagavad Purana like the Time, Geography, Ethics, Cosmology, Love, Dance, Song, Recitation in modern day etc. The essays in the book takes for granted that the reader is well aware of the stories and theme of Bhagavata Purana. The essays provide deep insight into the stories of the Purana by comparing it with other scriptures and literature from around the world.  For example the first essay explores the story of Prahlad and Narasmiha Avatar of Vishnu:  “Prahlada’s virtue is his ability to listen and to speak truth, but also to find strength in silence whil