Chapter
7: The
Devotion in Samhitâ Branches and the Ten Topics of the
Purânas
(1) S'rî
Sûta said: "Sumantu Rishi, the expert on the Atharva Veda
as you know [see 6:
52-53],
instructed his collection to his disciple [named
Kabandha], who [dividing it in two] was pleased to
speak it to Pathya and Vedadars'a. (2)
Please listen: S'auklâyani, Brahmabali, Modosha and
Pippalâyani, the disciples of Vedadars'a and the
disciples of Pathya, my dear brahmin, Kumuda, S'unaka and
Jâjali, were all authorities on the Atharva Veda as well.
(3)
Babhru and Saindhavâyana, disciples of S'unaka, then the
same manner learned two samhitâs and so did other
disciples headed by Sâvarna [learn from them].
(4)
Nakshatrakalpa, S'ântikalpa, Kas'yapa and Ângirasa
belong to these âcâryas of the Atharva Veda.
Now hear, o sage, about the authorities of the
Purânas.
(5)
Trayyâruni,
Kas'yapa, Sâvarni, Akritavrana, Vais'ampâyana and
Hârîta are the six masters of the Purânas.
(6)
They learned the collection from the mouth of Vyâsa's
pupil, my father [Romaharshana],
and I, as a disciple from each of them learning one portion,
became well versed in them all. (7)
Kas'yapa, I, Sâvarni and Akritavrana, who is a disciple
of Râma [of the Bhârgavas or
Pâras'urâma, see also 10.74:
7-9], have
assimilated four basic collections from the disciple of
Vyâsa. (8)
O brahmin, please listen attentively to what the
characteristics of a Purâna are, which in accordance with
the vedic scriptures by the most intelligent brahmin seers have
been ascertained. (9-10)
The creation [of this universe, sarga],
the subsequent creation [of different worlds and beings,
visarga],
the maintenance [the sustenance, the vritti
or sthâna] and protection [the
rakshâ or poshana of the living
beings], the reigns [of the various Manus], the
dynasties [vams'as],
the narrations about them
[vams'a-anucaritam], the annihilation
[of different kinds, pralaya
or samsthâ], the motivation [of
individuality or hetu] and the supreme shelter
[of the Fortunate One or apâs'raya], o
brahmin, are the ten topics characterizing a Purâna as
understood by the authorities on the matter; some state that
relative to the greater ones, the lesser Purânas deal
only with five of these subjects [see also S'uka on this
2.10:
1-7 and
*].
(11)
Creation
[sarga]
is what is called the generation from the primordial state.
From that state the agitation of the modes raised the cosmic
intelligence from which the identification with matter rose the
way it is divided in three aspects [or types of beings to
the modes]. This further led to the manifestation of the
subtle forms of perception, the senses and the objects of
perception [formation by the conditioning of and
identification with Time, compare 2.10:
3].
(12)
The
secondary creation [visarga]
is the assemblage consisting of the inherent properties
[the vâsanâs]
of the moving and nonmoving living beings. These propensities
are, to the grace of the Original Person [purusha],
produced the same way seed produces more seeds.
(13)
Living
beings subsist on [vritti]
other living beings that move around or else do not move
around. For specifically human beings this means that one for
one's livelihood acts according to one's personal nature in
which one either lives one's lust or acts in agreement with the
[religious] rules.
(14)
Rakshâ
[or protection] is there with the Incarnations of the
Infallible One. Age after age being present among the animals,
the mortals, the seers and the demigods, are by these
incarnations the enemies of the threefold Veda killed [see
also B.G. 4:
7].
(15)
With
every reign of a Manu
there is the sixfold of the Lord: the Manu, the demigods, the
sons of the Manu, the different controllers of the enlightened
[the Indras],
the seers [or rishis],
and the partial incarnations [the Lord His ams'a-avatâras].
(16)
Dynasties
[vams'as]
originating from Brahmâ extend into the threefold of time
[trikâlika]
as series of kings and their histories
[vams'a-anucaritam] describe the
activities of the prominent members in succession.
(17)
The
occasional, elemental, continuous and ultimate annihilation
that is effected by His potency constitutes the four aspects of
what the scholars describe as the dissolution of this universe
[as samsthâ or pralaya,
see also 12.4].
(18)
The
motive [hetu] of the creation
[sarga] and everything that belongs to it, is
the individual living soul [jîva], who out
of ignorance is the performer of fruitive activities
[karma]. Others on the contrary speak of the unmanifest
underlying personality.
(19)
God
as the supreme shelter [apâs'raya] is,
separately for Himself as well as conjoint, present within the
waking, sleeping and dreamless state, within the things
presented by the illusory energy and within the functions of
individuality. (20)
The basic substance of material objects is connected to, as
well as independent from, their separate existence as things
that have a name and form. The same way it is [with God
who] throughout the various phases of a bodily existence,
[is connected to as well as independently present] from
the seed in the beginning up to the five elements [one
returns to] in the end [compare 8.6:
10].
(21)
Of its own or through yoga, thought may stop in transcendence
of the threefold state [vritti-traya].
When one ceases from material endeavoring one knows the Supreme
Soul [see also 3.25:
32-33].
(22)
This
way distinguished by their characteristics there are, so say
the sages expert in the ancient stories, eighteen big and
[eighteen] small purânas [from 9.000 up tot
81.000 verses, see also Upa-purâna].
(23-24)
They are known as the three times six purânas [to
each guna-avatâra]
called Brahmâ, Padma, Vishnu, S'iva, Linga, Garuda,
Nârada, Bhâgavata, Agni, Skanda, Bhavishya,
Brahma-vaivarta, Mârkandeya, Vâmana, Varâha,
Matsya, Kûrma and Brahmânda [see
Purânas].
(25)
O brahmin, I thus described thoroughly the knowledge conducive
to one's spiritual potency the way it is divided by the sage
[Vyâsa], his disciples and the disciples of his
disciples."

Second
edition, loaded October 28 2009

Previous
Aadhar edition and
Vedabase links:
Text
1
S'rî
Sûta said: "Sumantu
Rishi, the expert on the Atharva Veda as you know [see
6:
52-53],
instructed his collection to his disciple [named
Kabandha], who [dividing it in two] was pleased to
speak it to Pathya and Vedadars'a.
S'rî
Sûta said: "Sumantu Rishi, the expert on the Atharva
Veda as you know [see 6.52-53], instructed his
collection to his disciple [named Kabandha], who
[dividing it in two] was pleased to speak it to
Pathya and Vedadars'a. (Vedabase)
Text
2
Please
listen: S'auklâyani, Brahmabali, Modosha and
Pippalâyani, the disciples of Vedadars'a and the
disciples of Pathya, my dear brahmin, Kumuda, S'unaka and
Jâjali, were all authorities on the Atharva Veda as
well.
Please
listen: S'auklâyani, Brahmabali, Modosha and
Pippalâyani, the disciples of Vedadars'a and the
disciples of Pathya, my dear brahmin, Kumuda, S'unaka and
Jâjali, were all authorities on the Atharva Veda as
well. (Vedabase)
Text
3
Babhru
and Saindhavâyana, disciples of S'unaka, then the same
manner learned two samhitâs and so did other
disciples headed by Sâvarna [learn from
them].
Babhru
and Saindhavâyana, disciples of S'unaka ['he from
the line of Angirâ'], then the same manner learned
two samhitâs and so did other disciples headed by
Sâvarna [learn from them].
(Vedabase)
Text
4
Nakshatrakalpa,
S'ântikalpa, Kas'yapa and Ângirasa belong to these
âcâryas of the Atharva Veda. Now hear, o
sage, about the authorities of the
Purânas.
With
Nakshatrakalpa, S'ântikalpa as also Kas'yapa and
Ângirasa belonging to these âcâryas of the
Atharva Veda, now hear, o sage,about the authorities of the
purânas. (Vedabase)
Text
5
Trayyâruni,
Kas'yapa, Sâvarni, Akritavrana, Vais'ampâyana and
Hârîta are the six masters of the
Purânas.
Trayyâruni,
Kas'yapa, Sâvarni, Akritavrana, Vais'ampâyana
and Hârîta are the six masters of the
purânas. (Vedabase)
Text
6
They
learned the collection from the mouth of Vyâsa's pupil,
my father
[Romaharshana],
and I, as a disciple from each of them learning one portion,
became well versed in them all.
They
learned the collection from the mouth of Vyâsa's
pupil, my father [Romaharshana], and I, as a
disciple from each of them learning one portion, became well
versed in them all. (Vedabase)
Text
7
Kas'yapa,
I, Sâvarni and Akritavrana, who is a disciple of
Râma [of the Bhârgavas or
Pâras'urâma, see
also
10.74:
7-9],
have assimilated four basic collections from the disciple of
Vyâsa.
Kas'yapa,
I, Sâvarni and Akritavrana, who is a disciple of
Râma [of the Bhârgavas or
Pâras'urâma, see also 10.74: 7-9], have
assimilated from the disciple of Vyâsa four basic
collections. (Vedabase)
Text
8
O
brahmin, please listen attentively to what the characteristics
of a Purâna are, which in accordance with the vedic
scriptures by the most intelligent brahmin seers have been
ascertained.
O
brahmin, please hear with attention about the
characteristics of a purâna, which in accordance with
the vedic scriptures by the most inteligent brahmin seers
have been ascertained. (Vedabase)
Text
9-10
The creation
[of this universe, sarga],
the subsequent creation [of different worlds and beings,
visarga],
the maintenance [the sustenance, the vritti
or sthâna] and protection [the
rakshâ or poshana of the living
beings], the reigns [of the various Manus], the
dynasties [vams'as],
the narrations about them
[vams'a-anucaritam], the annihilation
[of different kinds, pralaya
or samsthâ], the motivation [of
individuality or hetu] and the supreme shelter
[of the Fortunate One or apâs'raya], o
brahmin, are the ten topics characterizing a Purâna as
understood by the authorities on the matter; some state that
relative to the greater ones, the lesser Purânas deal
only with five of these subjects [see also S'uka on this
2.10:
1-7 and
*].
The
creation [of this universe, sarga], the subsequent
creation [of different worlds and beings, visarga],
the maintenance [the sustenance, the vritti or
sthâna] and protection [the rakshâ or
poshana of the living beings], the reigns [of the
various Manus], the dynasties [vams'as], the
narrations about them [vams'a-anucaritam], the
annihilation [of different kinds, pralaya or
samsthâ], the motivation [of individuality or
hetu] and the supreme shelter [of the Fortunate One
or apâs'raya], o brahmin, are the ten
characteristic topics of a Purâna as understood by the
authorities on the matter; some state that relative to the
greater ones, the lesser purânas deal with five
[see also S'uka on this 2.10.1-7 and *].
(Vedabase)
Text
11
Creation
[sarga]
is what is called the generation from the primordial state.
From that state the agitation of the modes raised the cosmic
intelligence from which the identification with matter rose the
way it is divided in three aspects [or types of beings to
the modes]. This further led to the manifestation of the
subtle forms of perception, the senses and the objects of
perception [formation by the conditioning of and
identification with Time, compare 2.10:
3].
Creation
[sarga] is what the generation is called from the
primordial state from which by the agitation of the modes
the cosmic intelligence raised from which the identification
with the matter rose as divided in three aspects [or
types of beings to the modes], which further manifested
as the subtle forms of perception, the senses and the
objects of perception [formation by the conditioning of
and identification with Time, compare 2.10: 3].
(Vedabase)
Text
12
The secondary
creation [visarga]
is the assemblage consisting of the inherent properties
[the vâsanâs]
of the moving and nonmoving living beings. These propensities
are, to the grace of the Original Person
[purusha],
produced the same way seed produces more seeds.
The
secondary creation [visarga] is the assemblage
consisting of the inherent properties [the
vâsanas] of the moving and nonmoving living
beings, the propensities that, to the grace of the Original
Person [purusha], are produced the same way seed
produces more seeds. (Vedabase)
Text
13
Living beings
subsist on [vritti]
other living beings that move around or else do not move
around. For specifically human beings this means that one for
one's livelihood acts according to one's personal nature in
which one either lives one's lust or acts in agreement with the
[religious] rules.
The
sustenance [vritti] is the subsisting of the moving
beings on the nonmoving ones, or, more specifically humane,
the acting for one's livelihood in accord with one's
personal nature in which one indeed either lives to one's
lust or to the rules. (Vedabase)
Text
14
Rakshâ
[or protection] is there with the Incarnations of the
Infallible One. Age after age being present among the animals,
the mortals, the seers and the demigods, are by these
incarnations the enemies of the threefold Veda
killed [see
also B.G. 4:
7].
Rakshâ
[or protection] is there with the Incarnations of
the Infallible One, age after age present among the animals,
the mortals, the seers and the demigods; by them are the
enemies of the threefold Veda killed [see also B.G. 4:
7]. (Vedabase)
Text
15
With every
reign of a Manu
there is the sixfold of the Lord: the Manu, the demigods, the
sons of the Manu, the different controllers of the enlightened
[the Indras],
the seers [or rishis],
and the partial incarnations [the Lord His
ams'a-avatâras].
To
each reign of a Manu there is the sixfold of the Lord: the
Manu, the demigods, the sons of the Manu, the different
controllers of the enlightened [the Indras], the
seers [or rishis], and the partial incarnations
[the Lord His ams'a-avatâras].
(Vedabase)
Text
16
Dynasties
[vams'as]
originating from Brahmâ extend into the threefold of time
[trikâlika]
as series of kings and their histories
[vams'a-anucaritam] describe the
activities of the prominent members in
succession.
Dynasties
[vams'as] originating from Brahmâ extend into
the threefold of time [trikâlika] as series of
kings and their histories [vams'a-anucaritam]
describe the activities of the prominent members in
succession. (Vedabase)
Text
17
The occasional,
elemental, continuous and ultimate annihilation that is
effected by His potency constitutes the four aspects of what
the scholars describe as the dissolution of this universe
[as samsthâ or pralaya,
see also 12.4].
The
occasional, elemental, continuous and ultimate annihilation
from His potency concerns the dissolution in four aspects of
this universe thus by the scholars described [as
samsthâ or pralaya, see also 12.4].
(Vedabase)
Text
18
The
motive [hetu] of the creation
[sarga] and everything that belongs to it, is
the individual living soul [jîva], who out
of ignorance is the performer of fruitive activities
[karma]. Others on the contrary speak of the unmanifest
underlying personality.
The
motive [hetu] of the creation [sarga] and
everything that belongs to it, is the individual living soul
[jîva], who out of ignorance is the performer
of fruitive activities [karma]; or differently do
others speak of the unmanifest underlying personality.
(Vedabase)
Text
19
God
as the supreme shelter [apâs'raya] is,
separately for Himself as well as conjoint, present within the
waking, sleeping and dreamless state, within the things
presented by the illusory energy and within the functions of
individuality.
God
as the supreme shelter [apâs'raya] is there,
separately and conjoint, within the within the waking, the
sleeping and the dreamless state, within the things
presented by the illusory energy and within the functions of
individuality. (Vedabase)
Text
20
The basic
substance of material objects is connected to, as well as
independent from, their separate existence as things that have
a name and form. The same way it is [with God who]
throughout the various phases of a bodily existence, [is
connected to as well as independently present] from the
seed in the beginning up to the five elements [one returns
to] in the end [compare 8.6:
10].
Just
as the basic substance of material objects s is connected
to, as well as apart from, their sheer existence as things
having names and form, is it [with God] so,
throughout the various phases of a bodily existence, from
the seed in the beginning to the five elements [one
returns to] in the end [compare 8.6: 10].
(Vedabase)
Text
21
Of
its own or through
yoga, thought may stop in transcendence of the threefold state
[vritti-traya].
When one ceases from material endeavoring one knows the Supreme
Soul [see also 3.25:
32-33].
Of
its own or through yoga, may thought stop to the the
threefold state [vritti-traya]; one, ceasing from
the material endeavor, then knows the Supreme Soul [see
also 3.25: 32-33]. (Vedabase)
Text
22
This
way distinguished by their characteristics there are, so say
the sages expert in the ancient stories, eighteen big and
[eighteen] small Purânas [from 9.000 up tot
81.000 verses, see
also Upa-purâna].
This
way distinguished by their characteristics there are, so say
the sages expert in the ancient stories, eighteen big and
[eighteen] small purânas [from 9000 up tot
81.000 verses, see also upa-purâna].
(Vedabase)
Text
23-24
They
are known as the three times
six purânas [to each guna-avatâra]
called Brahmâ, Padma, Vishnu, S'iva, Linga, Garuda,
Nârada, Bhâgavata, Agni, Skanda, Bhavishya,
Brahma-vaivarta, Mârkandeya, Vâmana, Varâha,
Matsya, Kûrma and Brahmânda [see
Purânas].
They
are known as the three times six purânas [to each
guna-avatâra] called Brahmâ, Padma, Vishnu,
S'iva, Linga, Garuda, Nârada, Bhâgavata, Agni,
Skanda, Bhavishya, Brahma-vaivarta, Mârkandeya,
Vâmana, Varâha, Matsya, Kûrma and
Brahmânda [see purânas].
(Vedabase)
Text
25
O
brahmin, I thus described thoroughly the knowledge conducive to
one's spiritual potency the way it is divided by the sage
[Vyâsa], his disciples and the disciples of his
disciples."
In
full I described to you, o brahmin, this devotion in
branches of the sage [Vyâsadeva], his
disciples and the disciples of his disciples, which
increases the spiritual potency [of the
hearer]." (Vedabase)
*
The vedic verse (Amarkhasa) to this secondary status of
a Purâna says: sargas' ca pratisargas'
ca
vams'o
manvantarâni
ca
vams'ânucaritam
ceti
purânam
pañca-lakshanam; "Creation, secondary
creation, the dynasties of kings, the reigns of Manus and the
activities of various dynasties are the five characteristics of
a Purâna."
S'rîla
Jîva Gosvâmî has explained to this that the
ten principal topics of S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam are
found within each of the twelve cantos. One should not try to
assign each of the ten topics to a particular canto. Nor should
the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam be artificially interpreted
to show that it deals with the topics successively. The simple
fact is that all aspects of knowledge important to human
beings, summarized in the ten categories mentioned above, are
described with various degrees of emphasis and analysis
throughout the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam [pp.
12.7:
9-10].

For
this original translation was used the Vedabase of the BBT offering
the work
that Svâmi Prabhupâda's pupils did to complete his
translation of the Bhâgavatam.
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page.
The image represents a couple of S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
pages.
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