The Greatest Gift

Srila Prabhupada considered his rendering of the Srimad-Bhagavatam his magnum opus and greatest gift to the world. He didn’t simply translate the Sanskrit text, but expertly revealed truths beyond this world in a clear and easy-to-understand way. We don’t have the time to read as many books as our spiritual preceptors did. Even if we did, we probably wouldn’t have the patience to carefully study them with concentration. And even if we possessed such patience, due to lack of spiritual realisation and insight, we’d struggle to extract the essence of the teachings in an authentic and applicable way. Thankfully, Srila Prabhupada offered that service to the world, and brought the beautiful Srimad-Bhagavatam to the masses.

When, due to ill health, he returned to Vrindavana in May 1977, he confidently said, “So there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavour.” A few months later he left the mortal world.

Srila Prabhupada considered the Srimad-Bhagavatam, along with the Bhagavad-gita and Chaitanya-Charitamrita, the substantial foundation of his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He created ISKCON for the purpose of propagating Vaisnava theology (devotion to Lord Krishna), and he directed his disciples to publish and distribute these scriptures as widely, in as many languages, as possible. Srila Prabhupada’s multi-volume rendition of the SrimadBhagavatam was unfortunately left incomplete when he passed away in 1977; it was finished ten years later, however, by the collaborative effort of his disciples.