Introduction xv

first widely available to the English-speaking public. It is the product of
the scholarly and devotional effort of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhakti-
vedanta Swami Prabhupada, the world’s most distinguished teacher of
Indian religious and philosophical thought. His consummate Sanskrit
scholarship and intimate familiarity with Vedic culture and thought as
well as the modern way of life combine to reveal to the West a magnifi-
cent exposition of this important classic.

Readers will find this work of value for many reasons. For those in-
terested in the classical roots of Indian civilization, it serves as a vast
reservoir of detailed information on virtually every one of its aspects.
For students of comparative philosophy and religion, the Bhégavatam
offers a penetrating view into the meaning of India’s profound spiritual
heritage. To sociologists and anthropologists, the Bhagavatam reveals the
practical workings of a peaceful and scientifically organized Vedic
culture, whose institutions were integrated on the basis of a highly
developed spiritual world view. Students of literature will discover the
Bhagavatam to be a masterpiece of majestic poetry. For students of psy-
chology, the text provides important perspectives on the nature of con-
sciousness, human behavior and the philosophical study of identity.
Finally, to those seeking spiritual insight, the Bhagavatam offers simple
and practical guidance for attainment of the highest self-knowledge and
realization of the Absolute Truth. The entire multivolume text, pre-
sented by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, promises to occupy a significant
place in the intellectual, cultural and spiritual life of modern man for a
long time to come.

—The Publishers
