Preface

We offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness who has delivered the “Light of the Bhāgawata” to the whole world. We are pleased to present for his pleasure the first fully illustrated, color publication of his sublime work “Light of the Bhāgawata” in the English language.

Of all His Divine Grace's writings, this work is perhaps the most unique. It was written in Vrindāvan in 1961 in response to an invitation to attend a world conference, the Congress for Cultivating the Human Spirit, held in Japan. As most of the participants to the Conference were from the Orient, Śrīla Prabhupāda considered deeply how he could best present the timeless teachings of the Śrīmad Bhāgawatam suitable to the Oriental people. The original Bhāgavatam was written over 5,000 years ago as an extremely large book composed of 18,000 verses. Participants to the conference would not have the time to hear it all. He therefore chose the tenth canto, twentieth chapter of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* for presentation.

The twentieth chapter is a description of the autumn season in Vrindāvan, the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa's appearance. Śrīla Prabhupāda knew that the Oriental people were very fond of hearing descriptions of nature and that the time of the autumn season is particularly auspicious to them. Presenting spiritual philosophy by examples from nature would be best for their understanding. For each seasonal phenomenon, a parallel teaching could be given. For example, the dark cloudy evening of the rainy autumn season when no stars are visible is compared to the present materialistic, godless civilization when the bright stars of the Bhāgawata's wisdom (the devotees and scriptures) are temporarily obscured. Altogether Śrīla Prabhupāda composed 48 commentaries to go along with the verses of the chapter.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's plan was that the organizers of the conference should find a qualified Oriental artist to illustrate each verse, and he also wrote directions from which the artist could design each painting. He hoped that the paintings and their accompanying explanations would make an impressive display for visitors to the conference. If possible he wished that a book might also be published containing the illustrations and the texts.

Due to unfortunate circumstances, Śrīla Prabhupāda was unable to attend the conference and the whole project of “Light of the Bhāgawata” was postponed. In fact, at the time of Śrīla Prabhupāda's disappearance the “Light of the Bhāgawata” still remained unpublished, and the illustrations not yet painted. Only recently has “Light of the Bhāgawata” been published in English and Chinese.

The color illustrations were done by the renowned artist Madame Yun-sheng Li, whose mature creative talent and sensitive brushwork alone could properly complement Prabhupāda's beautiful descriptions of the autumn season. Thus the beautifully effulgent “Light of the Bhāgawata” may now shine upon the world.

This is the first English edition which contains the beautiful color reproductions of Madame Li's work, 48 paintings completed in less than a year's time, meticulous in their detail despite her advanced age and sometimes failing eyesight. Undoubtedly this collection presents the culmination of her long distinguished career as one of the great artists of modern China. Her Gongbi style of painting, together with Śrīla Prabhupāda's poetic descriptions which appear alongside, make for a unique blending of the world's two oldest cultural traditions — India and China. The “Light of the Bhāgawata” also appears in the Chinese language complete with color illustrations.

We sincerely hope that readers will appreciate the simplicity and clarity with which Śrīla Prabhupāda has commented on these verses.

This material world is but a reflection of the pure spiritual world from which the “Light of the Bhāgawata” emanates. Nature itself, as well as the whole cosmic creation, has its original counterpart in the spiritual world. The order and patterns which we see set about in nature are intentionally designed to illustrate spiritual truths. Indeed, the very existence of nature and its intricate balance is proof for any honest man of the existence of the Supreme Being, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

The Publishers