Summary of Srimad-Bhagavatam from the Narada Purana
Translation by Jan Mares
From Sri Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṅa, Purva-bhaga (“fore part”), Bhad-upakhyana (“the larger episode”), Part 4, Chapter 96.
(1)
brahmovāca marīce śṛṅu vakṣyāmi vedavyāsena yat kṛtam śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ nāma purāṅaṁ brahma-sammitam
Brahma said: Listen, O Marici [a son of Brahma]. I will tell you about the Purana named Srimad-Bhagavatam, devoted to the subject of Brahman [with focus on Sri Krsna] and rendered by Vedavyasa.
(2)
tad aṣṭādaśa-sāhasraṁ kīrtitaṁ pāpa-nāśanam sura-pādapa-rūpo ?yaṁ skandhair dvādaśabhir yutaḥ
Its eighteen thousand glorious verses in twelve cantos have the form of a wish-fulfilling tree and destroy sins.
(3)
bhagavān eva viprendra viśva-rūpī samīritaḥ tatra tu prathama-skandhe sūta rṣīṅāṁ samāgame
O best of brahmanas, in the First Canto, in the meeting of Suta with the sages, the universal form of Bhagavan is described.
(4)
vyāsasya caritaṁ puṅyaṁ pāṅḍavānāṁ tathaiva ca parīkṣitam upākhyānam itīdaṁ samudāhṛtam
The virtuous [i.e., bestowing puya, or pious merit] stories of Vyasa, the Pandavas, and Pariksit are narrated there [in the meeting] in detail.
(5)
parīkṣic-chuka-saṁvāde sṛṣṭi-dvaya-nirūpaṅam brahma-nārada-saṁvāde devatā-caritāmṛtam
The conversation between Pariksit and Sukadeva [in the Second Canto] describes two types of creation, and the conversation between Brahma and Narada describes the nectar of the Lord's activities.
(6)
purāṅa-lakṣaṅaṁ caiva sṛṣṭi-kāraṅa-saṁbhavaḥ dvitīyo yaṁ samuditaḥ skandho vyāsena dhīmatā
The Second Canto of very intelligent Vyasa also describes the characteristics of the Puranas and the process of creation.
(7)
caritaṁ vidurasyātha maitreyeṅāsya saṁgamaḥ sṛṣṭi-prakaraṅaṁ paścād brahmaṅaḥ paramātmanaḥ
[The Third Canto tells of] the meeting between Vidura and Maitreya. It has a section on creation and ends with descriptions of Brahman and Paramatma.
(8–9)
kāpilaṁ sāṁkhyam apy atra tṛtīyo ?yam udāhṛtaḥ satyāś caritam ādau tu dhruvasya caritaṁ tataḥ
pṛthoḥ puṅya-samākhyānaṁ tataḥ prācīnabarhiṣam ity eṣa turyo gadito visarge skandha uttamaḥ
The Third Canto also describes the [original] Sakhya of Kapila. Beginning with the story of Sati and the virtuous story of Dhruva, the supreme Fourth Canto narrates the virtuous stories of Prthu and Pracinabarhiat, and of the visarga [the secondary creation, by Brahma and others].
(10)
priyavratasya caritaṁ tad vaṁśyānāṁ ca puṅya-dam brahmāṅḍāntargatānāṁ ca lokānāṁ varṅanaṁ tataḥ
[The Fifth Canto narrates] the virtuous story of Priyavrata and his dynasty, as well as the description of the universe with its lokas [worlds].
(11–12)
naraka-sthitir ityeṣa saṁsthāne pañcamo mataḥ ajāmilasya caritaṁ dakṣa-sṛṣṭi-nirūpaṅam
vṛtrākhyānaṁ tataḥ paścān marutāṁ janma puṅyadam ṣaṣṭho ?yam uditaḥ skandho vyāsena pari-poṣaṅe
The Fifth Canto also describes the stay in hell. The story of Ajamila, the progeny of Daka, the story of Vtra, and, at its end, the virtuous birth of the Maruts are spoken about by Vyasa in the Sixth Canto, which concerns the Lord’s comprehensive mercy.
(13)
prahlāda-caritaṁ puṅyaṁ varṅāśrama-nirūpaṅam saptamo gadito vatsa vāsanā-karma-kīrtane
The virtuous story of Prahlada and a description of varnasrama based on material desires are narrated in the Seventh Canto, O dear child, which concerns the description of materially motivated activities.
(14)
gajendra-mokṣaṅākhyānaṁ manvantara-nirūpaṅe samudra-mathanaṁ caiva bali-vaibhava-bandhanam
[The Eighth Canto] describes Gajendra's liberation, the manvantaras [periods ruled by the Manus], the churning of the ocean, and the bondage of the opulent Bali.
(15)
matsyāvatāra-caritam aṣṭamo yaṁ prakīrtitaḥ sūrya-vaṁśa-samākhyānaṁ soma-vaṁśa-nirūpaṅam
The Eighth Canto provides the story of Matsya as well as the story of the Surya-vasa [the dynasty of the sun-god] and gives the description of the Soma-vasa [the dynasty of the moon-god].
(16–17)
vaṁśyānucarite prokto navamo ?yaṁ mahāmate kṛṣṅasya bāla-caritaṁ kaumāraṁ ca vraja-sthitiḥ
kaiśoraṁ mathurā-sthānaṁ yauvanaṁ dvārakā-sthitiḥ bhū-bhāra-haraṅaṁ cātra nirodhe daśamaḥ smṛtaḥ
The Ninth Canto, concerning a description of dynasties, speaks of various vasas and their characteristics, O great sage. The story of Krsna's childhood, His life in Vraja as a young boy, His life in Mathura as an older boy, His life in Dvaraka in His youth, and His removal of the earth's burden are remembered in the Tenth Canto in regard to the topic of annihilation.
(18–21)
nāradena tu saṁvādo vasudevasya kīrtitaḥ yadoś ca dattātreyeṅa śrī-kṛṣṅoddhavasya ca
yādavānāṁ mithontaś ca muktāv ekādaśaḥ smṛtaḥ bhaviṣya-kali-nirddeśo mokṣo rājñaḥ parīkṣitaḥ
veda-śākhā-praṅayanaṁ mārkaṅḍeya-tapaḥ kriyā saurī vibhūtir uditā sātvatī ca tataḥ param
purāṅa-saṁkhyā-kathanam āśraye dvādaśo hy ayam ity evaṁ kathitaṁ vatsa śrīmad bhāgavataṁ tava
The talks between Narada and Vasudeva, between Yadu and Dattatreya [as an avadhuta brahmana], and between Sri Krsna and Uddhava, as well as the mutual end and liberation of the Yadus, are remembered in the Eleventh Canto. The future of Kali-yuga, the liberation of King Pariksit, the expansion of Vedic branches, the austerities of Markaeya, and the transcendent supreme glory of Lord Krsna are described along with the enumeration of the Puranas in the Twelfth Canto. Thus I have narrated to you, O dear child, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which concerns the ultimate shelter.
(22)
vaktuḥ śrotuś copadeṣṭur anumoditur eva ca sāhāya-kartur gaditaṁ bhakti-bhukti-vimukti-dam
One who speaks, hears, teaches, appreciates, and follows this summary narration will get devotion to the Lord, enjoyment in this world, and liberation.
(23–24)
prauṣṭhapadyāṁ pūrṅimāyāṁ hema-siṁha-samanvitam deyaṁ bhāgavatāyedaṁ dvijāya prīti-pūrvakam
saṁpūjya vastra hemādyair bhagavad bhaktim icchatā yo py anukramaṅīm etāṁ śrāvayec chṛṅuyāt tathā
sa purāṅa śravaṅa jaṁ prāpnoti phalam uttamam
If on the full-moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne, gives it as a gift to a brahmana with loving affection, worships him, and offers him clothes, gold, and other gifts, one will get the desired devotion to the Lord. Even by reciting or listening to this enumeration, one will achieve the supreme fruit of listening to that Purana.
iti śrī bṛhan nāradīya purāṅe pūrva bhāge bṛhad upākhyāne caturtha pāde śrīmad bhāgavatānukramaṅī nirūpaṅaṁ nāma ṣaṅṅavatitamo ?dhyāyaḥ
This is Śrī Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṅa, Pūrva-bhāga, Bṛhadupākhyāna, fourth part, named "The Description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam," chapter 96
Bhakta Jan Mares, born in Prague, Czech Republic, has been practicing Krsna consciousness since 1993. He is a translator and editor for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.