Sri Brahma Samhita - English

With the full commentary (tika) of Srila Jiva Gosvami,
the most expert disciple of Sri Rupa and Sanatana,
president of the Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha,
and protector of the Sri Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya,
in the third disciplic generation from kali-yuga-pavana
Sri Krsna Caitanya, who descended to perform His own bhajana
and distribute to others the ultimate goal of devotion to Sri Krsna

With foreword, explanations of Srila Jiva Gosvami’s
commentary, and purports (tatparya) by the eminent personality
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura,
in the eighth disciplic generation from Sri Krsna Caitanya

With a foreword by the effulgent acarya
and founder of Sri Caitanya Math and Sri Gaudiya Math,
Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura,
in the ninth disciplic generation from Sri Krsna Caitanya

Compiled and with expanded commentary by
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja,
under the shelter and guidance of acarya-kesari
Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami,
founder of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
and in the tenth disciplic generation from Sri Krsna Caitanya

Lord Brahma's prayers of devotion to Sri Krsna. These prayers, offered at the dawn of creation by Brahma, the secondary creator of the universe, contain all the essential truths of Vaisnava philosophy. "Lord Brahmā described in a saṁhitā (compilation) of one hundred chapters whatever essence of pure bhakti he had been holding in his heart in connection with the Supreme Lord. Among those chapters, this Fifth Chapter is most worshipable for Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas because it is extremely practical and advantageous for the living entity. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally brought Brahma-saṁhitā from South India for His devotees." [Śrīla Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura].

"After accepting the renounced order, Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari resided briefly in Sri Puri-dhama, and then began His tour of South India on the pretext of visiting the holy places of pilgrimage. After visiting Kanyakumari, He arrived in the holy place called Vetapani, located in Mallara Desa, where He had darsana of Sri Raghunatha and then took rest for the night. A band of gypsies from the nomadic Bhattathari community, who had made their camp there, captured Kala-krsnadasa, Sriman Mahaprabhu’s servant and associate, by alluring him with women. However, Mahaprabhu rescued him by the power of His divine opulence, and then immediately proceeded to the sacred banks of the Payasvini River.

After taking evening bath in the river, Sriman Mahaprabhu went for darsana of Sri Adi-Kesava. While beholding the deity, He became absorbed in ecstatic love and began to dance, sing and recite prayers and verses. When the scholarly devotees and thousands of pilgrims there saw Him, they were all struck with wonder. After taking darsana of the deity, Sriman Mahaprabhu noticed that some devotees, who were immensely learned and realized in philosophical principles, were lecturing on this book, the Fifth Chapter of Sri Brahma-samhita. He was overjoyed to hear this devotional treatise, and after reading only a few verses Himself, He was unable to maintain His composure. The eight symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, such as tears, horripilation and trembling, became manifest.

Indeed, Brahma-samhita is unprecedented and unique among the literature of the bhakti tradition. It is filled with descriptions of the paramount glories of Svayam Bhagavan Sri Govindadeva, and with knowledge of the essential reality of the Supreme Personality and the essential reality of bhakti. It is as if a vast ocean has been bottled in one succinct treatise. Here one will find the collected essence of all Vaisnava scripture, including the Vedas, the Puranas, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sriman Mahaprabhu had this great literature copied very carefully, and then He brought it back with Him to Sridhama Jagannatha Puri."
SRI BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA

"It is common knowledge that Sri Brahma-samhita was not propagated in India prior to its being collected by Sri Gaurasundara. Rather, the literary composition that had been widely popularized throughout the nation was Srimad-Bhagavatam, the satvatasamhita (compilation for those in pure goodness) that was previously spoken in Naimisaranya. The word brahma means both "Veda" and also "the factual substance or reality established by the Vedas," which is none other than the Supreme Personality and Enjoyer, Sri Krsna, or Sri Govinda. The understanding of the word apauruseya ("not of human origin," or "divine") is considered marginal if the word is used to confound the mundane conception by eliminating the irrelevant ("neti neti"), but does not refer to the Supreme Personality and Enjoyer, Sri Krsna.

Sri Caturmukha Brahma discarded mundane considerations from within the Vedas, which are called apauruseya (of divine origin), and then described in a samhita (compilation) of one hundred chapters whatever essence of pure bhakti he had been holding in his heart in connection with the Supreme Enjoyer. Among those chapters, this Fifth Chapter is most worshipable for Gaudiya Vaisnavas because it is extremely practical and advantageous for the living entity. Especially from the point of view of the Sri Brahma sampradaya, the factual substance of reality has been revealed in the four original verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam by the mercy of Bhagavan."
SRI SIDDHANTA SARASVATI

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was the first to make Sri Brahma-samhita well-known all over the world. By his inspiration the Radha-Krishna Temple Album made the prayers of Brahma-samhita heard in millions of homes outside India. He gave many lectures elaborately explaining various verses of Sri Brahma-samhita, and republished the first English edition of his gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. All who read this English edition and benefit from the deep illuminations of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Jiva Gosvami are forever indebted to this great personality who brought the flood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prema-sankirtana movement to the western world, and in eleven short years made "Hare Krishna" a household word.

"Brahmaji is the great-grandfather of the world, the original poet, and the presiding deity of the creation. When he appeared from Garbhodakasayi Visnu’s lotus navel, he saw nothing but darkness in all directions, and he became confused about his duty. By the mercy of Bhagavan, he heard the sound "tapa," and began to perform severe austerities. When Brahma’s austerity was mature, Bhagavan’s intrinsic nature of eternity, knowledge and bliss manifested in his heart by the mercy of the Supreme Lord. This has also been mentioned in the auspicious invocation or opening verse of the satvata-samhita Srimad-Bhagavatam: "tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye - by the mercy of Bhagavan, transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Lord, who is the proprietor of unlimited potencies and the embodiment of eternal cognizance and bliss, was manifested in Sri Brahma’s heart." Consequently, his prayers in glorification of Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krsna, which he composed after he had personally realized the Absolute Truth and which contain perfectly conclusive statements revealing the essence of all the Vedas, are called Brahmasamhita.

There are one hundred chapters in this epic scripture. The essence of the entire text has been kept in this, the Fifth Chapter, just as if the ocean had been stored in a jar. The totality of established truths contained in all the Vedas, Puranas and Samhitas, and in the Mahabharata, Srimad-Bhagavatam and other authentic Vaisnava literature, is included within this great monarch of scriptures. When the most munificent Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari was traveling in South India for the benefit of the world, He arrived in Trivendram, the capital of Kerala Pradesh, intending to take darsana of Sri Ananta Padmanabha. On the way, He came across the temple of Adi-Kesavaji on the banks of the sacred Payasvini River. There He became overjoyed to hear the highly qualified devotees of that place reciting the Fifth Chapter of Brahma-samhita and, after having a copy made, He took it with Him. That Fifth Chapter is now celebrated by the name Brahmasamhita"
SRI BHAKTIVEDANTA NARAYANA

Contents: FOR THE READER’S INTEREST, FEELINGS OF APPRECIATION, INTRODUCTION, PREFACE, Verses 1 to 24, The eighteen-syllable mantra, Verses 25 to 62, SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI'S SANSKRIT COMMENTARY, SANSKRIT GLOSSARY, ENGLISH GLOSSARY, VERSE INDEX, INDEX.

TITLE: Sri Brahma Samhita - English
AUTHORS: Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakur,
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
PUBLISHER: Gaudiya Vedanta Publications
ISBNs: 978-81-86737-10-1 9788186737101 81-86737-10-3 8186737103 
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 2015938876 2015-938876
EDITION: First, 2015 (Third Printing)
PAGES: 450 with Indices
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 700 grams
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