Classical Sanskrit poetry on Krishna (Hindu deity).

A vibrant example of living literature, the Bhagavata Purana is a versatile Hindu sacred text written in Sanskrit verse. Finding its present form by the tenth century C.E., the work inspired several major north Indian devotional (bhakti) traditions as well as schools of dance and drama, and continues to permeate popular Hindu art and ritual in both India and the diaspora. Introducing the Bhagavata Purana's key themes while also examining its extensive influence on Hindu thought and practice, this collection conducts the first multidimensional reading of the entire text. Each essay focuses on a key theme of the Bhagavata Purana and its subsequent presence in Hindu theology, performing arts, ritual recitation, and commentary. The authors consider the relationship between the sacred text and the divine image, the text's metaphysical and cosmological underpinnings, its shaping of Indian culture, and its ongoing relevance to contemporary Indian concerns.

Ānanda Vṛndāvana Campū

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The heart of this book is a dramatic love poem, the Rasa Lila, which is the ultimate focal point of one of the most treasured Sanskrit texts of India, the Bhagavata Purana. Judged a literary masterpiece by Indian and Western scholars alike, this work of poetic genius and soaring religious vision is one of the world's greatest sacred love stories and, as Graham Schweig clearly demonstrates, should be regarded as India's Song of Songs. The story presents the supreme deity as the youthful and amorous cowherd, Krishna, who joins his beloved maidens in an enchanting and celebratory "dance of divine love." Schweig introduces this work of exquisite poetry and profound theology to the Western world in the form of a luminous translation and erudite scholarly treatment. His book explores the historical context and literary genre of the work and elucidates the aesthetic and emotional richness of the composition, highlighting poignant details of this drama of divine love. Schweig illuminates the religious dimensions and ethical nuances of the drama, drawing widely from the commentaries and esoteric vision of masters of the Caitanya school of Vaishnavism, a prominent devotional Hindu tradition. Themes such as transcendence of death through love, the yoga of devotion, the contrast between worldly love and passionate love for God, and the dialectical tension between ethical boundaries and boundless love are presented. The final event of the Rasa dance, the author concludes, presents a dynamic symbol of supreme love that provides the basis for a theological vision of genuine religious pluralism.

At the final hour . . . This amazing narrative is based on the story of Ajamila from the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The law of karma states that we're all responsible for our actions, and death is the crucial moment when mysterious forces acting according to this law work behind the scenes to determine our destiny. As the sinful Ajamila lay on his deathbed, he was terrified to see three fierce, humanlike creatures coming to drag him out of his dying body and take him to the lord of death for punishment. Surprisingly, Ajamila escaped this terrible fate. How? A Second Chance: The Story of a Near-Death Experience teaches vital truths about the fundamental nature of the self and reality. At a time when reincarnation is quickly gaining acceptance, not only with the growing ranks of people reporting out-of-body and near-death experiences but with the public at large, A Second Chance can show one how to use meditation and yoga techniques to overcome the obstacles of materialism, meet the challenge of death, and ultimately attain spiritual perfection.

"...I pray that You will stay by me and protect me and save me. " The best way for me to assure myself of Your company and protection is to chant Your names. I ask You to please remind me to regularly chant and to do so in a humble state of mind, keeping myself lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and ready to offer all respect to others without expection any honor for myself. "--Page 4 of cover.

Poem on Krishna, Hindu deity; Sanskrit text with English translation.