Bhagavata

Bhagavata, with the literal meaning of "that which comes from Bhagavan" or the Lord, signifies in the context of Hinduism. In this context bhakti has the primary meaning of 'adoration', while "Bhagavat" means 'the Adorable One', and "Bhagavata" is a worshiper of the Adorable One. Harvnb|Hastings|2003|p=540] It also refers to a tradition devoted to worship of Krishna, later assimilated into the concept of Narayanacite journal
author = Beck, G.
year = 2005
title = Krishna as Loving Husband of God
journal = Alternative Krishnas: Regional and Vernacular Variations on a Hindu Deity
url = http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&id=0SJ73GHSCF8C
accessdate = 2008-04-28 Vishnu was by then assimilated with Narayana] or original form svayam bhagavan. According to some historical scholars, worship of Krishna emerged sometime during the 1st century BC. However, Vaishnava traditionalists assert that the tradition is far more ancient and place it in 4th century BC. Despite relative silence of the earlier Vedic sources, the features of Bhagavatism and principles of monotheism of Bhagavata school unfolding described in the Bhagavad Gita as viewed as an example of the belief that Vasudeva-Krishna is not an avatara of the Vedic Vishnu, but is the Supreme.cite book
author=Srinivasan, Doris
title=Many heads, arms, and eyes: origin, meaning, and form of multiplicity in Indian art
publisher=Brill
location=Leiden
year=1997
pages=p. 134
isbn=90-04-10758-4]

Founder

Founder of this religious tradition is believed to be Krishna, who is the son of Vasudeva, thus his name is "Vāsudeva", he is belonged to be historically part of the Satvata tribe, and his followers called themselves Bhagavatas, according to the opinion of others, the religion was largely formed by the 4th century BC where "Vāsudeva" was worshiped as supreme Deity in a strongly monotheistic format, where the supreme Being was perfect, eternal and full of grace.Harvnb|Hastings|2003|p=540-42]

Definition of Krishnaism

In the ninth century the Bhagavatism was already at least millennium old and many separated groups, all following Bhagavata Purana were found. These Gopala-worshipers grew in various lines, and now precise reference requires the names of their denominations. However a usefulness remains in the single vague term Krishnaism, which recognizes a certain unity in them all. Today the faith has a significant following outside of India as well.cite book
author=Graham M. Schweig
title=Dance of Divine Love: The Rڄasa Lڄilڄa of Krishna from the Bhڄagavata Purڄa. na, India's classic sacred love story
publisher=Princeton University Press
location=Princeton, N.J
year=2005
pages=Front Matter
isbn=0-691-11446-3
oclc=
doi=
accessdate=] Many places of Vrindavana associated with Krishna from the time immemorial. Many millions of "bhaktas" or devotees of Krishna visit these paces of pilgimage every year and participate in a number of festivals that relate to the scenes from Krishnas life on Earth. Some believe that early Bhagavatism was enriched and transformed with powerful and popular Krishna tradition with a strong "human" element to it.cite book
author = KLOSTERMAIER, Klaus K.
pages = p.204
year = 2007
title = A Survey of Hinduism
publisher = State University of New York Press; 3 edition
isbn = 0791470814
quote = Not only was Krsnaism influenced by the identification of Krsna with Vishnu, but also Vaishnavism as a whole was partly transformed and reinvented in the light of the popular and powerful Krishna religion. Bhagavatism may have brought an element of cosmic religion into Krishna worship; Krishna has certainly brought a strongly human element into Bhagavatism. ... The center of Krishna-worship has been for a long time Brajbhumi, the district of Mathura that embraces also Vrindavana, Govardhana, and Gokula, associated with Krishna from the time immemorial. Many millions of Krishna "bhaktas" visit these places ever year and participate in the numerous festivals that reenact scenes from Krshnas life on Earth]

Initial History of Bhagavata tradition

Its believed that Bhagavatas borrowed or shared the attribute or title Purusa of their monotheistic deity from the philosophy of Sankhya. The philosophy was formulated by the end of 4th century BC and as time went other names such as Narayana were applied to the main deity of Krishna-"Vāsudeva".Harvnb|Hastings|2003|p=540|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Kaz58z--NtUC&pg=PA540&vq=Krishna&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1&sig=lo3NqA31k8hJZw7qNc9QDEAYyYA]

econd Early Stage

Some relate absorption by Brahmanism to be the characteristic of the second stage of the development of the Bhagavata tradition. Its believed that at this stage Krishna-"Vāsudeva" was identified with the deity of Vishnu, that according to some belonged to the pantheon of Brahmanism.Harvnb|Hastings|2003|p=541|loc=Bhakti Marga]

Rulers onwards from Chandragupta II, Vikramaditya were known as parama Bhagavatas, or Bhagavata Vaishnavas. The Bhagavata Purana entails the fully developed tenets and philosophy of the Bhagavata cult whereis Krishna gets fused with Vasudeva and transcends Vedic Vishnu and cosmic Hari to be turned into the ultimate object of bhakti.cite book
author = Kalyan Kumar Ganguli:
year = 1988
title = Sraddh njali, Studies in Ancient Indian History: D.C. Sircar Commemoration: Puranic tradition of Krishna
publisher = Sundeep Prakashan
isbn = 8185067104p.36]

imilarity to other monotheistic traditions

Important to note that in early Christianity there was the same remarkable reverence for spiritual teachers that we have observed in this tradition. Harvnb|Hastings|2003|p=550]

Literary references

References to "Vāsudeva" also occur in early Sanskrit literature. Taittiriya Aranyaka (X,i,6) identifies him with "Narayana" and "Vishnu". Panini, ca. 4th century BCE, in his Ashtadhyayi explains the word "Vāsudevaka" as a "Bhakta" (devotee) of Vāsudeva. At some stage during the Vedic period, Vasudeva and Krishna became one deity or three distinct deities Vasudeva-Krishna, Krishna-Gopala and Narayana, all become identified with Vishnu. cite book
author = [http://www.ocvhs.com Flood, Gavin D.]
authorlink =
editor =
others =
title = An introduction to Hinduism
edition =
language = Engl.
publisher = Cambridge University Press
location = Cambridge, UK
year = 1996
origyear =
pages = 341
isbn = 0-521-43878-0
oclc =
doi =
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=gavin+flood&sig=q_waAYpO_WokCivKS2OtlwsG2dw#PPA118,M1
accessdate = 2008-04-21"Early Vaishnava worship focuses on three deities who become fused together, namely Vasudeva-Krishna, Krishna-Gopala and Narayana, who in turn all become identified with Vishnu. Put simply, Vasudeva-Krishna and Krishna-Gopala were worshiped by groups generally referred to as Bhagavatas, while Narayana was worshipped by the Pancaratra sect."] and by the time of composition of the redaction of Mahabharata that survives till today.

A Gupta period research makes a "clear mention of Vasudeva as the exclusive object of worship of a group of people," who are referred as bhagavatas. Banerjea, 1966, page 20]

According to an opinion of some scholars in Patanjali's time identification of Krishna with Vasudeva is an established fact as is surmised from a passage of the Mahabhasya - ("jaghana kamsam kila vasudevah"). A Corpus of Indian Studies: Essays in Honour of Professor Gaurinath Sastri, Page 150, 1980 - 416 pages.] This "supposed earliest phase is though to have been established from the sixth to the fifth centuries BCE at the time of Panini, who in his Astadhyayi explained the word "vasudevaka" as a bhakta, devotee, of Vasudeva and its believed that Bhagavata religion with the worship od Vasudeva Krishna were at the root of the Vaishnavism in Indian history." Page 76 of 386 pages: The Bhagavata religion with the worship of Vasudeva Krishna as the ... of Vasudeva Krishna and they are the direct forerunners of Vaisnavism in India.cite journal
author = Ehrenfels, U.R.
year = 1953
title = The University Of Gauhati
journal = Dr. B. Kakati Commemoration Volume] [ Page 98: In the Mahabharata, Vasudeva-Krishna is identified with the highest God.cite book
author = Mishra, Y.K.
year = 1977
title = Socio-economic and Political History of Eastern India
publisher = Distributed by DK Publishers' Distributors
isbn = ]

Historical finds

In the 4th century BCE, Megasthenes the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya says that the Sourasenoi (Surasena), who lived in the region of Mathura worshipped Herakles. This Herakles is usually identified with Krishna cite book|title=Essential Hinduism |last= Rosen |first=Steven |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 2006|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=VlhX1h135DMC| publisher=Greenwood PublishingGroup |location= |isbn=0275990060 |pages=126] due to the regions mentioned by Megasthenes as well as similarities between some of the herioc acts of the two. Megasthenes also mentions that his daughter Pandaia ruled in south India. The south indeed had the kingdom of the Pandyas with the capital at Madhura (Madurai), which some researchers have claimed to relate to the kingdom of the Pandavas, and the city of Mathura [IAST|bhaktiḥ | 4.3.96 IAST|acittāt adeśakālāt ṭhak | 4.3.97 IAST|mahārājāt ṭhañ | 4.3.98 IAST|vāsudeva arjunābhyāṁ vun | Panini 4.3.95] Panini is accepted as one of the most ancient records. [ Page 10: Panini, the fifth-century BC Sanskrit grammarian also refers to the term Vaasudevaka, explained by the second century B.C commentator Patanjali, as referring to "the follower of Vasudeva, God of gods." cite book
author = Singh, R.R.
year = 2007
title = Bhakti And Philosophy
publisher = Lexington Books
isbn = 0739114247]

Greek ruler Agathocles issued coins bearing the images of Krishna and Balarama in around 180-165 BCE. Krishna images were worshipped at many places. Quoting Curtius, Dr. D.C. Sircar says that an image of Herakles (i.e. Vasudeva-Krishna) was being carried in front of the Paurava army, as it advanced against the Greeks led by Alexander the Great (The Cultural Heritage of India, vol. 4. p. 115) An interesting terracotta palgue showing Vasudeva carrying the infant Krishna over his head across the flooded Yamuna river, belonging to c. first century is housed in the Mathura Museum. A Mora stone insciption of about the same time refers to some images of Bhagavata Vrshni Panchaviras, Sankarshana, Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Samba and Aniruddha - whch were very beautifully carved in stone. [http://books.google.com/books?id=vNiKM-ky3DQC Chapter: "Krishna and His Cult". Krishna Theatre in India By M.L. Varalpande] , p.6; 2002. ISBN 8170171512]

At Ghosundi, near the town of Udaipur, is an inscriptionby a devotee mentioning Vasudeva and Narayana engraved around 150 BCE. In the 1st century BCE, Heliodorus from Greece erected the Heliodorus pillar at Besnagar near Bhilsa with the inscription:

Another 1st century BCE inscription from Mathura records the building of a part of a sanctuary to "Vāsudeva" by the great "satrap" Sodasa.

The renowned grammar scholar Patanjali, who wrote his commentary on Panini's grammar rules around 150 BCE (known as the "Mahabhashya"), quotes a verse: "May the might of Krishna accompanied by Samkarshana increase!"

Other verses are mentioned. One verse speaks of "Janardana with himself as fourth" (Krishna with three companions, the three possibly being Samkarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha). Another verse mentions musical instruments being played at meetings in the temples of Rama (Balarama) and Kesava (Krishna). Patanjali also describes dramatic and mimetic performances (Krishna-Kamsopacharam) representing the killing of Kamsa by Vasudeva.

Also in the 1st century BCE, there seems to be evidence for a worship of five Vrishni heroes (Balarama, Krishna, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Samba) for an inscription has been found at Mora near Mathura, which apparently mentions a son of the great "satrap" Raj Uvula, probably the "satrap" Sodasa, and an image of Vrishni, "probably Vasudeva, and of the "Five Warriors". [Hindu Gods and Heroes: Studies in the History of the Religion of India

Lionel David Barnett, 1922, [http://books.google.com/books?id=R-5KAAAAMAAJ Page 93] ] Brahmi inscription on the Mora stone slab, now in the Mathura Museum. cite book
author = Puri, B.N.
year = 1968
title = India in the Time of Patanjali
publisher = Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan
isbn =

Page 51: The coins of Raj uvula have been recovered from the Sultanpur District..

the Brahmi inscription on the Mora stone slab, now in the Mathura Museum,] [ Hindu Gods and Heroes: Studies in the History of the Religion of India

Lionel David Barnett, 1922, [http://books.google.com/books?id=R-5KAAAAMAAJ Page 92] ]

Many inscriptions and references to worship of Krishna can be found from the early centuries of the Common Era.

The religious tradition of Bhagavatas is similar to Gaudiya Vaishnavism in that both are devoted to worship of Krishna as the original form of God, and that both practice bhakti. Certain Vaishnava traditions such as Orthodox Gaudiya Vaishnavism,cite book
author = Kennedy, M.T.
year = 1925
title = The Chaitanya Movement: A Study of the Vaishnavism of Bengal
publisher = H. Milford, Oxford university press
isbn =

] the Vallabha Sampradaya, and the Nimbarka Sampradaya, accept Krishna to be the source of all other avatars including Vishnu. [ [http://srimadbhagavatam.com/1/3/28/en1 "Bhag" 1.3.28] "All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead."] A distinguishing feature of the Vaishnava teachings is that God, Krishna or Vishnu,is a real person and His creation is also real.

In the above-mentioned Vaishnava traditions, Krishna worship and understanding as the Supreme is believed to have occurred since the existence of the creatures began. Brahma was believed to be the first Vaishnava. Shiva Mahadeva is also believed to be an early Vaishnava. The ancient Prajapaties are all believed to be Vaishnavas. Narada who is the born child of Brahma, is a Vaishnava. The pure monotheistic Vaishnava religion is believed to have begun with the beginning of history.cite journal
author = Richard Thompson, Ph. D.
year = December 1994
title = Reflections on the Relation Between Religion and Modern Rationalism
url = http://www.iskcon.com/icj/1_2/12thompson.html
accessdate = 2008-04-12] In " the recent times man arrived once again at the instinctive monotheism of the Aryans and Vaishnavas."cite journal
author = Dalmia-luderitz, V.
year = 1992
title = Hariscandra of Banaras and the reassessment of Vaishnava bhakti in the late nineteenth century
journal = Devotional Literature in South Asia: Current Research, 1985-8
url = http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&id=BE40dp6SCFUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA281&dq=Vaisnava+monotheism&ots=IPrkD1g_Zl&sig=_oWIxng2SNke0Xe1XiR9cR1G-uA
accessdate = 2008-04-12]

Other meanings

In the recent times this often refer to a particular sect of Vaishnavas in West India, referring to themselves as 'Bhagavata-sampradaya'.cite journal
author = General, A.
year = 1920
title = I. The Bhagavata Sampradaya
journal = An Outline of the Religious Literature of India] cite journal
author = Singhal, G.D.
year = 1978
title = The Cultural Evolution of Hindu Gaya, the Vishnu Dham
journal = The Heritage of India: LN Mishra Commemoration Volume]

It is also a common greeting among the followers of Ramanujacharya and other yoga sects. [ [http://yoga-daily.blogspot.com/2008/02/bhakti-yoga.html BHAKTI YOGA] 19 Feb 2008 by ANKARALI INC

Constant Satsanga with devotees and Bhagavatas, repetition of His Name, Sri Ram, Sita Ram, Hari Om, etc., constant remembrance of the Lord, prayer, study of religious books such as the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Hari Kirtan, service of ... [http://yoga-daily.blogspot.com/ Yoga - http://yoga-daily.blogspot.com/] ] It can also be spelled 'Bhagavats' and refer to a Buddhist concept..cite journal
author = ,
year =
title = The Newly Discovered Three Sets Of Svetaka Gangacopper Plates
url = http://orissagov.nic.in/e-magazine/Journal/journalvol3/pdf/40-48.pdf
accessdate = 2008-04-20] cite journal
author = Kielhorn, F.
year = 1908
title = Bhagavats, Tatrabhavat, and Devanampriya
journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
pages = 502–505
url = http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/BDLM/toModule.do?prefix=/search&page=/search_detail.jsp?seq=23700
accessdate = 2008-04-20]

It may also refer to 'pure devotee' or 'God', as in Bhagavata Purana. [ [http://vedabase.net/sb/1/2/18/en1 Bhagavata Purana (1.2.18) purp.] There are two types of Bhāgavatas, namely the book Bhāgavata and the devotee Bhāgavata. Both the Bhāgavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhāgavatas. Bhāgavata book and person are identical.The devotee Bhāgavata is a direct representative of Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead. So by pleasing the devotee Bhāgavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhāgavata. Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhāgavata or the book Bhāgavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion.]

Notes

Further reading

* cite book
author=Dahmen-Dallapiccola, Anna Libera; Anna L. Dallapiccola
authorlink=
editor=
others=
title=Dictionary of Hindu lore and legend
edition=
language=
publisher=Thames & Hudson
location=London
year=2002
origyear=
pages=
isbn=0-500-51088-1
oclc=
doi=
url=
accessdate=
*cite book
author= Hastings, James Rodney
authorlink=James Hastings
editor=
others=John A Selbie
title=Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics
edition=Volume 4 of 24 ( Behistun (continued) to Bunyan.)
language=
publisher=Kessinger Publishing, LLC
location=Edinburgh
year=2nd edition 1925-1940, reprint 1955, 2003
origyear=1908-26
pages=476
quote=The encyclopedia will contain articles on all the religions of the world and on all the great systems of ethics. It will aim at containing articles on every religious belief or custom, and on every ethical movement, every philosophical idea, every moral practice.
isbn=0-7661-3673-6
oclc=
doi=
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Kaz58z--NtUC&pg=PA540&vq=Krishna&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1&sig=lo3NqA31k8hJZw7qNc9QDEAYyYA
accessdate=03-05-2008
* cite journal
author = Richard Thompson, Ph. D.
year = December 1994
title = Reflections on the Relation Between Religion and Modern Rationalism
url = http://www.iskcon.com/icj/1_2/12thompson.html
accessdate = 2008-04-12
* cite book
author = Gupta, Ravi M.
coauthors =
year = 2004
title = Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta: Acintyabhedabheda in Jiva Gosvami's Catursutri tika
publisher = University Of Oxford
isbn =
* cite book
author = Gupta, Ravi M.
coauthors =
year = 2007
title = Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 0415405483
*cite book
author = Ganguli, K.M.
year = 1883 -1896
title = The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa
publisher = Kessinger Publishing
isbn =

*cite book
author = Ganguli, K.M.
year = 1896
title = Bhagavad-gita (Chapter V). The Mahabharata, Book 6
publisher = Calcutta: Bharata Press
isbn =

* cite book
author = Wilson, H.H.
year = 1840
title = The Vishnu Purana, a System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition: Translated from the Original Sanscrit and Illustrated by Notes Derived Chiefly from Other Puranas
publisher = Printed for the Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland
isbn =

* cite book
author = Prabhupada, A.C.
year = 1988
title = Srimad Bhagavatam
publisher = Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
isbn =

*cite book
author = Kaviraja, K.
coauthors = Prabhupada, A.C.B.S.; Bhaktivedanta, A.C.
year = 1974
title = Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta of Krsnadasa Kaviraja
publisher = Imprint unknown
isbn =

*
* "Garuda Pillar of Besnagar", Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report (1908-1909). Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, 1912, 129.
* cite journal
author = Rowland Jr, B.
year = 1935
title = Notes on Ionic Architecture in the East
journal = American Journal of Archaeology
volume = 39
issue = 4
pages = 489–496
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-9114(193510%2F12)39%3A4%3C489%3ANOIAIT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W
accessdate = 2008-04-12
doi = 10.2307/498156
* cite Journal
author = Delmonico, N.
year = 2004
title = The History Of Indic Monotheism And Modern Chaitanya Vaishnavism
journal = The Hare Krishna Movement: the Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant
url = http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&id=mBMxPdgrBhoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA31&dq=Vaisnava+monotheism&ots=r4RVWf2w7X&sig=ml4nbiFNep6SCtqVbOZsCv5s6g0
accessdate = 2008-04-12]
* cite journal
author = Mahony, W.K.
year = 1987
title = Perspectives on Krsna's Various Personalities
journal = History of Religions
volume = 26
issue = 3
pages = 333–335
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2710(198702)26%3A3%3C333%3APOKVP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0
accessdate = 2008-04-12
doi = 10.1086/463085
*

ee also

* Bhagavata Purana
* Krishna
* Vaishnavism
* Svayam bhagavan
* Bhagavad Gita
* Heliodorus pillar
* Nava rasas