Laghu Bhagavatamrta

Laghu Bhagavatamrta

We are delighted to announce the release of the new publication, Śrī Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

 Sri Laghu-Bhagavatamrta is a magnum opus by Srila Rupa Gosvami further embellished with the intricate and vivid commentary by Gopiparanadhana Dasa. This theological milieu by the ace hermeneutic Srila Rupa Gosvami establishes Lord Sri Krsna as the Avatari, or the Source of all incarnations, upholding His pre-eminence as the superlative original Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 Rupa Gosvami’s elder brother Sanatana Gosvami composed Sri Brhat Bhagavatamrta wherein the highest of all devotees, was intricately and sequentially established. Sri Rupa Gosvami felt the need of establishing the epicentre of this devotion of the devotees, i.e. the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself with all His potencies and opulence, clearly outlining the relationship between Sri Krishna and His emanations. Hence as a subsequent edition to Sanatana Gosvami’s Brhat (greater) Bhagavatamrta, Rupa Gosvami composed the Laghu (concise or lesser) Bhagavatamrta as an offering to his brother. He presented Sri Laghu Bhagavatamrta in the typically concise style of philosophical thesis: short definitions and statements of fact with the support of quotations from authoritative scriptures, which are then often followed by the author’s own explanatory verses.

In the sixteenth century, Srila Rupa Gosvami had authored Sri Laghu Bhagavatamrta, an era where there was dire need to prove Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Most Vaisnavas then accepted Lord Visnu as the original form of the Supreme Lord, considering Krishna merely one of His incarnations-albeit the most beloved of the Lord’s many forms. Much has changed since this marvel was penned down, however the need to demonstrate that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead predominantly exists till date. In a modern world permeated by varieties of atheism, voidism and impersonalism, this masterpiece has great relevance for the spiritual lives of all sincere seekers, especially devotees of Krishna.  

 Rupa Gosvami articulately, with sheer erudition establishes Lord Krishna to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is the foundational axiom of Gaudiya Vaisnava belief and principle. Laghu Bhagavatamrta pushes Gaudiya Vaisnavism to a realm far beyond the poetic sentiment or personal opinion, using some serious philosophical exegesis. This crème de la crème of Vedic knowledge is divided into two parts:

 Part 1 introduces the readers to the anatomy of Bhagavan along with His emanations and incarnations, while Part 2 classifies His devotees according to the depth of their devotion.

 Gopiparanandhana Dasa, with utmost brilliance in Sanskrit language and profound knowledge, following the footsteps of the stalwarts of Gaudiya Vaisnava society and Srila Prabhupada, corroborates the sublime assertion of every scripture by translating the original text as authored by Rupa Gosvami. The book’s numerous appendices were completed by Giriraja Publishing’s researchers after Gopiparanandhana’s untimely departure. The impeccable foreword to the book was written by Professor Dr. Edwin Bryant and the eloquent preface by Mukunda Datta Dasa of Vrindavan.

 This edition is among the last literary works of late Gopiparanadhana Dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s faithful disciple who dedicated his life to the BBT. His efforts serve the fervent desire of Srila Prabhupada to enlighten sincere souls with a solid, authoritative understanding of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and the nature of the pure devotees eternally associated with Him. His work thus speaks with transparent authority. Present and future generations of Gaudiya Vaisnavas owe a significant debt to the late Gopiparanadhana Dasa, for producing Sri Laghu Bhagavatamrta which is a true learned labour of love.

 After many many years of dedicated hard work, Giriraja Publishing, an arm of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, published this edition, which finally came off the press. It is now being distributed by Touchstone Media in India. It will soon be available internationally in a few weeks. With this marvellous scripture we hope the readers essentially realize and appreciate Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the fountainhead of all incarnations as presented to us by the prolific Srila Rupa Gosvami and to enter into a realm of pure devotional service of Lord Sri Krishna. 

To order, get your copy here NOW: https://touchstonemedia.com/products/laghu-bhagavatamrta

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