The Bhagavata Podcast

• 1.13 Dhritarashtra Quits Home with Sundar Gopal Das

  In this episode of the Bhagavata Podcast, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Mans Broo) welcomes Sundar Gopal Das to explore Canto 1, Chapter 13: Dhritarashtra Quits Home. The conversation traces Vidura’s return from pilgrimage, his tough love that awakens Dhritarashtra to seek his ultimate good, and the secret night departure to the forest with Gandhari. Narada arrives with forward-looking counsel, asking Yudhishthira not to interfere and foretelling Dhritarashtra’s yogic end in five days. Along the way, the dialogue reflects on mortality, forgiveness, grief, and how the Bhagavata’s layered storytelling (stories within stories) keeps past, present, and future in view.Themes include the discipline of speech (truthful, kind, beneficial), the danger of power without conscience, saints as living tirthas, and viraha, the ache of separation that runs through Canto One. Sanjaya’s devotion, Yudhishthira’s nonresentment, and Bhima’s sharp edge offer contrasting models of response. The episode also pauses on time and urgency: why insight often ripens only when the horizon comes into view.Chapters00:05 Invocation and welcome01:08 Guest intro and why this chapter matters02:42 Summary: Vidura returns, tough love, and the night departure04:43 Why the Bhagavata jumps in time05:49 Story within a story: emboxment explained07:51 Vidura as a manifestation of Yama09:31 Narada’s teaching on the world’s harsh cycles12:01 Sanjaya’s grief and loyalty13:56 Power, reckoning, and the Gita backdrop16:22 A caution when you are strong19:40 Saints make places holy: the tirtha verse22:10 Tough love in practice: Vidura to Dhritarashtra29:11 Krishna’s wake-up call to Arjuna as a parallel37:25 Why Dhritarashtra finally changes40:29 Time, turning 50, and urgency43:00 Krishna as time and the limits of control46:14 Hidden news and compassionate silence48:36 Yudhishthira’s nonresentment (Ajatashatru)52:31 Bhima’s contrast55:13 Letting go: a simple practice from everyday life59:20 Narada’s guidance to Yudhishthira64:25 What becomes of Sanjaya66:41 ClosingSend us a text

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• 1.12 Birth of Emperor Pariksit with Jayananda Das

  In this episode of the Bhagavata Podcast, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Mans Broo) is joined by Jayananda Dasa (Dr. Janne Kontala) to unpack the 12th Chapter of the First Canto. Their conversation follows two intertwined arcs: Yudhishthira’s preparation to leave the world and ensure stable leadership after him, and the auspicious rise of Parikshit, protected in the womb by Krishna and poised to become both exemplary ruler and ideal listener of the Bhagavata. They explore the text’s concern about leaderless societies, the pedagogy of praising kings with classical exemplars, and how viraha (longing) and milana (meeting) shape the canto’s rhythm as Krishna arrives and departs.Drawing on yoga philosophy and worldview studies, Jayananda explores samskaras (formative impressions), the social dimensions of ritual, and the debate over fate and free will. The discussion shows how the Bhagavata preserves meaningful agency even when destiny is foretold. From sacred geography and “the north” as a liminal threshold, to Parikshit’s prenatal darshan and the insight that enlightenment experiences should fuel, not finish, a life of devotion, this chapter comes into sharp, practical focus for contemporary seekers.Chapters00:00: Invocation & welcome01:03: Guest introduction: Jayananda Dasa (Dr. Janne Kontala)01:20: Two threads: Yudhishthira’s future planning and reckoning with the past04:44: Successor pedagogy: establishing Parikshit as a fit interlocutor06:55: Leaderless anxiety in the Bhagavata, then and now09:38: Dharma and basic needs: why stability supports spiritual life13:12: Renouncing power: ideal kings vs historical rarity17:43: “The Birth of Emperor Parikshit”: protection in the womb and lifelong longing22:27: Viraha-bhakti: when vision comes first and practice deepens after27:06: Training by exemplars: why astrologers praise future kings30:27: Predestination vs agency: scripture, karma, and the “labyrinth” analogy39:19: Seven days to live: how the Bhagavata preserves meaningful choice42:48: Sacred geography: heading north and crossing dimensions47:28: Krishna’s comings and goings: longing and meeting in Canto One48:23: Verse highlights: signs, lineages, and the hint of prior lives53:02: Samskaras as social spirituality: rites that shape persons and communities56:38: Closing reflectionsSend us a text

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• 1.11 Lord Krishna's Entrance into Dvaraka with Krishna Ksetra Swami

  In this episode, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Måns Broo) and Krishna Kshetra Swami (Dr. Kenneth Valpey) delve into the 11th chapter of the Bhagavatam, exploring the themes of Krishna's arrival in Dvaraka, the emotional dynamics of separation and reunion, and the contrasting natures of devotion exhibited by the residents of Dvaraka and Vrindavan. They discuss the significance of community in bhakti, the allegorical interpretations of Krishna's actions, and the emotional expressions of the queens upon his return. The conversation highlights the complexities of Krishna's detachment and the cultural nuances of devotion, culminating in reflections on the chapter's teachings and implications for practitioners today.00:00 Introduction to the 11th Chapter of Bhagavatam00:58 Krishna's Arrival in Dvaraka05:27 Themes of Separation and Reunion09:36 Allegorical Interpretations of Krishna's Return11:11 Community and Collective Bhakti14:44 Theological Significance of Key Verses19:57 Krishna's Presence and Its Impact24:42 Contrasting Dvaraka and Vrindavan26:36 The Role of Dvaraka in the Bhagavatam29:46 Anticipation of Future Events34:11 Krishna's Sound and Connection with Devotees36:17 The Role of Imagination in Spiritual Practice42:02 Creativity and Scriptural Interpretation47:50 Understanding Dvaraka's Society54:37 The Queens' Reception of Krishna01:00:52 Contrasting Love: Dvaraka vs. Vrindavan01:05:02 Introduction to the Bhagavatam PodcastKeywords: Bhagavatam, Krishna, Dvaraka, Bhakti, Separation, Reunion, Devotion, Queens, Allegory, CommunitySend us a text

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• 1.10 Departure of Lord Krishna for Dvaraka with Shaunaka Rishi Das

  In this episode of the Bhagavata Podcast, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Måns Broo) is joined by Shaunaka Rishi Dasa for a rich and wide-ranging exploration of Canto 1, Chapter 10 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this chapter, Yudhiṣṭhira ascends to the throne and, with guidance from Bhīṣma and Kṛṣṇa, establishes a reign of peace, prosperity, and harmony. But the real heart of the chapter lies in the interweaving of political dharma, divine relationships, and deep philosophical reflection.Together, they reflect on Yudhiṣṭhira’s inner world, his reluctance to lead, his depth of thought, and his capacity to rule with empathy and restraint. The conversation highlights Kṛṣṇa’s dignified farewell from Hastināpura, the women’s rooftop glorifications, and the remarkable way their words merge Vedantic insight with intimate devotion. Shaunaka Rishi draws out powerful lessons on leadership, trust, virtue, and the spiritual value of evening rituals. What begins as a close reading of a single chapter opens into profound meditations on society, secularism, and what it truly means to live, and lead, well.00:00 – Welcome & Introductions03:00 – Yudhishthira’s Crisis and Dharma09:00 – Nature and Righteous Leadership13:00 – Women’s Theological Voice21:10 – Krishna’s Departure & Devotion28:15 – Relational Theology & Intimacy36:30 – What Makes a True Leader?45:20 – Secularism, Trust, and Principles51:10 – Ritual, Reflection & Divine Care59:30 – Wisdom, Humor & FarewellKeywords:Bhagavata Purana, Yudhishthira, Krishna, Dharma, Leadership, Devotion, Women in Scripture, Secularism, Bhakti, Rasa, Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1, Shaunaka Rishi, Srila Prabhupada, Divine Relationships, Evening Rituals, Hindu Theology, Gaudiya VaishnavismSend us a text

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• 1.9 The Passing Away of Bhishmadeva in the Presence of Lord Krishna with Radhika Raman Das

  In this episode of the Bhagavata Podcast, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Måns Broo) is joined by scholar and teacher Radhika Ramana Dasa (Dr. Ravi Gupta) for an in-depth exploration of Canto 1, Chapter 9 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Picking up the story immediately after the Mahābhārata war, we witness the Pandavas’ crushing grief, Bhīṣmadeva’s consolations, and the profound lessons he imparts as he lies on his bed of arrows—culminating in an exemplar “good death.”At the heart of their discussion are Bhīṣmadeva’s stages of consolation: first sharing in the Pandavas’ sorrow, then reframing their suffering in terms of kāla (time) and ultimately Kṛṣṇa’s will, before guiding Yudhiṣṭhira toward the duties of rulership. We explore how the chapter distills hundreds of Mahābhārata verses into key teachings on dharma, detachment, and devotion, and we linger over Bhīṣmadeva’s beautiful Sanskrit prayers in praise of Kṛṣṇa’s various forms. Finally, we reflect on the sages who surround Bhīṣmadeva’s passing—not merely to pay respects but to learn by observation, offering a powerful reminder that in the Bhāgavatam “we learn how to die by watching someone die well.”00:00   – Introduction00:39   – Invocation & overview of the post-Kurukṣetra drama01:31   – The Pandavas’ grief and Kṛṣṇa’s initial consolations03:53   – Bhīṣmadeva on the bed of arrows: the “good death” paradigm09:15   – Duty, remorse & the Mahābhārata as an argument against war14:04   – Love, violence & divine rasa in battlefield memory20:26   – Condensing the Mahābhārata: Bhāgavatam’s relational focus25:14   – Śrīla Prabhupāda’s first-canto commentary & sage biographies29:24   – Consolation in kāla vs. karma: relinquishing self-blame41:50   – Bhīṣmadeva’s prayers: from Viṣṇu’s four-armed form to Vṛndāvana leelas56:24   – The exemplary final teaching: attachments & detachment01:08:13 – Sages as witnesses: “We learn how to die by watching someone die well”01:12:00 – Closing reflections: life, death, and devotionSend us a text

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