Brihad-bhagavatamrita is a sacred text for followers of the Hindu tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Along with Hari-bhakti-vilasa, it is one of the most important works of Vaishnava theologian Sanatana Goswami. While Hari-bhakti-vilasa sets out guidance for Vaishnava behavior and ritual, Brihad-bhagavatamrita contains an analysis of the teachings of Chaitanya from an ontological and metaphysical perspective.
Sri Brhad-bhagavatāmṛta is divided in two cantos: Pūrva-khaṇḍa,or first, and Uttar-khaṇḍa, or last. The name of the First Canto is ŚrīBhagavat-kṛpā-sāra-nirdhāraṇa khaṇḍa – Ascertaining the Essence of theMercy of the Supreme Lord. The Second Canto is known as Śrī Golokamāhātmya-nirūpaṇa khaṇḍa – Ascertaining the Glories of Śrī Goloka.[1] [2]
In the first part of Brihad-bhagavatamrita Sanatana Goswami has described a conversation between Parikshit and his mother, Uttara. It took place after Parikshit heard the Bhagavata Purana from Śuka. Uttara asked her son to explain the essence of Bhagavata Purana, and Parikshit revealed to her the stages of confidential Bhakti. He told her a story about how Narada was looking for greatest devotee of Krishna. The Great Rishi began his search with devotees of Krishna whose Bhakti was mixed with karma and jnana (Brahma and Shiva), then went up to Shanta-rasa (Prahlada), Dasya-rasa (Hanuman), Sakhya-rasa (Arjuna), and finally came to the greatest devotee of Krishna - Uddhava, who always longed to be in Vrindavan, and showed that the highest level of Bhakti is the love of the gopis for Krishna.
The second part of Brihad-bhagavatamrita tells us about the glory and bliss of the spiritual abode Goloka, as well as of the process of renunciation of the material world, true knowledge, Bhakti Yoga, love for Krishna and implementation of the higher purpose of life. The second part contains the narrative of a wandering shepherd boy, who received a mantra from a resident of Vrindavan, travelling from one planetary system to another, exploring the different levels of consciousness of living beings. His spiritual odyssey covers Vaikuntha, Brahmaloka, Shivaloka and the heavenly planets.
Second Canto contains four chapters:
(1) Vairāgya – Renunciation(2) Jñāna – Knowledge(3) Bhajana – Devotional Service(4) Vaikuṇṭha – The Spiritual WorldEach of the two cantos of this scripture is a separate history. Ourworshipful author has not merely written two histories. Rather, forfacilitating the worship of the divine couple, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, he has thoroughly analyzed Their Lordships’ fundamental reality and nature.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of all scriptures, such as theVedas, Vedānta, Purāṇas, Itihāsas, and so on. By churning that essence,this book, aptly named Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta – the Essential Nectarof the Bhāgavatam – has become manifest. Throughout this book, alltopics regarding devotional service to Bhagavān have been presented.The original discourse of the book between Śrī Jaimini andJanamejaya is based on a conversation between Śrī Parīkṣit andUttarā. After Śrī Parīkṣit had heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the lipsof Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and before the snake-bird Takṣaka arrived,Parīkṣit's mother, Śrī Uttarā-devī, said to him, “O my dear son, pleasenarrate to me, in simple, easy-to-understand language, the essenceof what you have heard from Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī.” Śrī Bṛhadbhāgavatāmṛtabegins with this inquiry.
In the Second Canto, the author examines all the manifestationsand incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, beginningwith Śrī Śālagrāma Bhagavān and ending with Śrī Nandanandana,the beloved son of Śrī Nanda Mahārāja. This volume begins with thehistory of Gopa-kumāra. Gopa-kumāra receives the gopāla-mantra fromhis gurudeva. Due to the influence of this gopāla-mantra, it becomespossible for him to travel to all abodes without restriction. First, hetakes darśana of the manifestations of Bhagavān that appear in thisearthly realm, or Bhū-maṇḍala, such as Śrī Śālagrāma Bhagavān; theDeity manifestation of the Lord who is ensconced in the palace of theking; and the ancient Deity of Śrī Jagannāthadeva. He sequentiallydescribes their progressively greater glories. Then, by the influence ofthe chanting of his mantra, he reaches the planets of Svarga, Mahar,Janas, Tapas, and Satya, where one by one he has divine vision ofthe worshipable manifestations of the Lord who manifest in thoseabodes. Thus he also experiences Their transcendental excellences insuccession. Yet Gopa-kumāra does not experience complete happinessin those places.
Thereafter, he takes darśana of the manifestations of Bhagavānthat are present in the eight coverings of the universe and arrives in the abode of liberation. In mukti-loka, the realm of liberation, Gopakumārasees the manifestation of the brilliance of the Supreme Person,but still, complete satisfaction eludes him. After this, in accordancewith regulative principles, he performs saṅkīrtana of the holy name,the most prominent of the nine processes of bhakti. By the potency ofnāma-saṅkīrtana, he travels first to Vaikuṇṭha, then to Ayodhyā, andthen to Dvārakā-purī. However, because in those realms the mood ofaiśvarya, or awe and reverence for the Lord, is prominent, he cannotfreely associate with the worshipful manifestations of the SupremePerson there.
Finally, Gopa-kumāra returns to Vṛndāvana manifest on earth,where he executes rāgānugā bhakti, spontaneous devotional servicethat follows the moods of the eternal associates of Vraja. By the potencyof his practice of rāgānugā bhakti, he attains Goloka-Vṛndāvana.There, he obtains his cherished goal – service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son ofthe king of Vraja.
One should not conclude from this history that there is anydifference in the tattva, or fundamental truth, of the variousmanifestations of Bhagavān. All manifestations of the Lord arecomplete, from Śrī Śālagrāma Bhagavān to Śrī Nandanandana(Kṛṣṇa, the darling son of Nanda Mahārāja). From the perspectiveof tattva, They are one, yet from the perspective of rasa, or thesweetness of transcendental relationships, Śrī Nandanandana is themost excellent.
Brihad-bhagavatamrita contains descriptions of the various categories of devotees of Krishna: close devotees, and devotees of the closest devotees. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in his comments to the Chaitanya-charitamrita (Adi Lila, 5.203) writes that anyone who wants to learn about the devotees and about devotional service to Krishna should read Brihad-bhagavatamrita.