xiv Srimad-Bhagavatam

Sukadeva Gosvami’s answer to this question, and numerous other
questions posed by Maharaja Pariksit, concerning everything from the
nature of the self to the origin of the universe, held the assembled sages
in rapt attention continuously for the seven days leading to the King’s
death. The sage Sita Gosvami, who was present on the bank of the
Ganges when Sukadeva Gosvami first recited Srimad- -Bhagavatam, later
repeated the Bhagavatam before a gathering of sages in the forest of
Naimisaranya. Those sages, concerned about the spiritual welfare of the
people in general, had gathered to perform a long, continuous chain of
sacrifices to counteract the degrading influence of the incipient age of
Kali. In response to the sages’ request that he speak the essence of Vedic
wisdom, Sita Gosvami repeated from memory the entire eighteen thou-
sand verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, as spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to
Maharaja Pariksit.

The reader of Srimad-Bhaégavatam hears Sita Gosvami relate the
questions of Maharaja Pariksit and the answers of Sukadeva Gosvami.
Also, Sita Gosvami sometimes responds directly to questions put by
Saunaka Rsi, the spokesman for the sages gathered at Naimisaranya. One
therefore simultaneously hears two dialogues: one between Maharaja
Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami on the bank of the Ganges, and another
at Naimisaranya between Sita Gosvami and the sages at Naimisaranya
Forest, headed by Saunaka Rsi. Furthermore, while instructing King
Pariksit, Sukadeva Gosvami often relates historical episodes and gives
accounts of lengthy philosophical discussions between such great souls as
the saint Maitreya and his disciple Vidura. With this understanding of
the history of the Bhagavatam, the reader will easily be able to follow its
intermingling of dialogues and events from various sources. Since
philosophical wisdom, not chronological order, is most important in the
text, one need only be attentive to the subject matter of Srimad-
Bhagavatam to appreciate fully its profound message.

It should also be noted that the volumes of the Bhagavatam need not
be read consecutively, starting with the first and proceeding to the last.
The translator of this edition compares the Bhagavatam to sugar
candy—wherever you taste it, you will find it equally sweet and
relishable.

This edition of the Bhaégavatam is the first complete English transla-
tion of this important text with an elaborate commentary, and it is the
