* IMPORTANT NOTE* You must purchase this product alone, with no other products. For the shipping method please choose "Special Items Only" instead of "Royal Mail". Thank you!
This edition is a 2005 reprint of the very first printed Srimad Bhagavatams, the first Canto in three volumes. The first volume was originally printed in 1962, the second volume was originally printed in 1964, and the third volume was printed originally in 1965.
Srila Prabhupada called it the encyclopedia of spiritual life, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called it the amala (spotless) purana. The Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) is the essential and complete guide to Krishna Consciousness.
When Srila Prabhupada in 1965 came on the Jaladuta ship to America he carried with him a box of some of these original first editions of Srimad Bhagavatam.
For years this original edition was almost impossible to see, except in collectors and museum shelfs behind glass. Now they have been reprinted in its original layout and typesetting, finally you are able to hold these books in your hands.
This is a must for your bookshelf as a collectors item as it contains this very unique first translation by Srila Prabhupada, before he came to the west.
================
Author: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Format: Hard Cover, 3 volumes, with dust-jackets
Pages: 1200
ISBN: 0-912776-27-7
Srila Prabhupada came to the United States in 1965 with very little. His luggage basically consisted of cases of the three volumes of the First Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam he had personally translated and published just prior to his departure to the United States on the Jaladuta. Prabhupada's Delhi Bhagavatam is now available again in a limited collectors edition.
These Srimad Bhagwatams are among the most valuable memorabilia one can have of Srila Prabhupada. The timing of their publication coincides directly with Srila Prabhupada's departure for the Western world. He left India a very short time after the last volume was printed, and it seems obvious that the completion of this task signaled the time for his departure.
When one reads these original Bhagwatams, perhaps more than any of Srila Prabhupada's other writings, you can feel the Vrindaban mood. Srila Prabhupada was there alone writing his purports, whereas the other Bhagavatams were translated and written while he was surrounded by many followers and his ISKCON movement was rapidly growing. This was quite a contrast to the circumstances surrounding his first books. Although these books were not edited as the later ones were, and thus contain some typos and English imperfections, there is absolutely no less spiritual potency. In fact, whether its sentiment or realization, to my mind these early editions are preferable, and represent one of the strongest arguments for not making any changes or 'improvements' to the Sampradaya Acarya's books after his departure.
I feel that every newcomer to Krsna Consciousness should have the opportunity to read these original Bhagwatams so they can get to know Srila Prabhupada in a more intimate way.
Srila Prabhupada with his Bhagavatams in DelhiThis image shows Srila Prabhupada in Delhi with his Bhagavatams before departing for the US. After obtaining his passport and visa, Srila Prabhupada boarded the Jaladuta steamship in Calcutta, on August 13th, 1965. Several trunks containing 200 sets of his 3-volume Srimad-Bhagwatams were loaded aboard en route.
In this entry from Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta Dairy, August 22, 1965, he wrote:
"At about 10 a.m. we are now in the dockyard of Cochin. The dock is peculiar because it is by nature full of small islands. Some of the islands are full with nice hutments formerly known as British Island. I saw my books from Bombay arrived in five cases and the agents loaded them on the ship at 4 p.m. on 22/8/65."
In his letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar, written 2-05-70 in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada tells some of the history of his Srimad Bhagwatams:
".... In 1936, my Spiritual Master left this world leaving a message for me that it would be better for me to preach in English language. So I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, "Back to Godhead." Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban. In 1959, I was awarded Sannyas by one of my Godbrothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaja.
Then I began translating Srimad-Bhagavatam in 1960; and, perhaps in 1961, I was your guest in the Gita Bagicha. You were very kind to help me partially for publishing my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam through the Dalmia Charitable Trust. With great difficulty, I then published the second and third volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam until 1965, when I prepared myself to come to this country with some books.
With great difficulty, I was able to get the "P" Form passed by the Controller of Foreign Exchange, and, someway or other, I reached Boston on 17th September, 1965. I was thinking, while on board the ship "Jaladuta," why Krishna had brought me to this country. I knew that Western people are too much addicted to so many forbidden things according to our Vedic conception of life. So out of sentiment I wrote a long poetry addressing Lord Krishna as to what was His purpose in bringing me to this country.
Srila Prabhupada with Bhagavatams in ButlerAt that time, I was sponsored by a friend's son, Gopala Agarwal, who is settled up in this country by marrying an American girl, Sally. I was their guest, and I feel very much obliged to Gopala and his wife Sally for their nice treatment and reception. I was with them for three weeks in Butler, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then I came to New York. I was getting some money by selling my Srimad-Bhagavatam, thus I was maintaining myself in New York. After some time, I rented one apartment at number 100 71st Street West, but after a few months, all my things--typewriter, tape recorder, books--were stolen. Then for some time one of my students gave me shelter at Bowery Street.
I then rented one store-front and an apartment at 26 Second Avenue for $200 per month, but without any source of income. I started my classes and sometimes, on Sundays, I used to chant Hare Krishna Mantra in Tomkins Square Park from three to 5 P.M. During this time, all the young boys and girls used to gather around me, sometimes poet Ginsberg would come to see me, and sometimes a reporter from the New York Times came to see me. In this way, the Hare Krishna Mantra chanting became very popular on the Lower East Side."
(Rocana dasa)
