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The Bhagavata Podcast
The Bhagavata Podcast invites listeners on an engaging journey through the Bhagavata Purana, more commonly known as the Srimad Bhagavatam. Each episode features conversations between scholars, many of whom are also practitioners, as they reflect on and analyze a chapter of this text together. The podcast offers a unique blend of academic rigor and personal insight, providing fresh perspectives that illuminate the beauty and uniqueness of the Bhagavatam.
In each episode, host Dr. Måns Broo, an esteemed scholar and Gaudiya Vaishnava practitioner, invites expert guests to reflect on a chapter of the Bhagavata Purana. Following a linear progression through the text, the discussions explore the philosophical, theological, and literary dimensions of the Bhagavatam, offering both traditional insights and modern academic interpretations. This thoughtful approach enables listeners to journey through the Bhagavata Purana chapter by chapter, uncovering the intricate teachings of this work.
The Bhagavata Podcast is an initiative supported by the Gaudiya Studies Research Programme of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, furthering the mission of connecting living traditions with academic exploration.
The Bhagavata Podcast
1.6 Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva with Radhika Raman Das
In this moving and richly layered episode of The Bhagavata Podcast, Bhrigupada Dasa (Dr. Måns Broo) is joined once again by Radhika Ramana Dasa (Dr. Ravi Gupta) to explore Chapter 6 of the First Canto of the Bhagavata Purana—a pivotal narrative that recounts Narada Muni’s spiritual origin story.
Prompted by Vyasa’s curiosity, Narada Muni narrates the story of his previous life as the son of a humble maidservant serving in an ashram of sages. What unfolds is a deeply human tale of loss, love, renunciation, and longing—as a five-year-old boy sets out alone into the wilderness in search of the Lord. The conversation touches on bhakti in separation, the nature of divine grace, and the soul’s awakening through both suffering and song.
Key themes include:
- The transformative power of sādhu-saṅga (association with sages)
- Bhakti in separation (viraha) as a hallmark of the Bhagavatam
- The relationship between freedom and surrender
- How emotion, devotion, and renunciation coexist in the Bhagavata tradition
- The metaphor of Narada’s veena as each soul’s personal gift of seva
- The evolution from individual liberation to compassionate service to the world
The speakers also reflect on how Narada’s depiction in pop culture distorts his spiritual stature—and how the Bhagavatam restores his identity as the quintessential bhakta and teacher of devotees across generations.
Whether you’re new to the Bhagavatam or a seasoned reader, this discussion offers a poetic, philosophical, and deeply personal look into the making of a saint—and what it teaches us about our own path.
📚 Chapter Markers
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
02:15 Narada’s Backstory Begins
04:59 A Five-Year-Old Seeker
07:44 The Journey into the Forest
11:44 Prabhupada and the Bhaktivedantins
16:43 Bound by Love, Freed by Loss
20:46 Sightseeing as Sadhana
26:41 Meditation and Bhakti in Separation
31:50 The Lord’s Tough Love
38:44 From Vision to Voice: Hearing as Darshan
43:59 The Full Path of Bhakti
48:14 Narada’s Veena as a Metaphor for All Souls
52:12 Joyful Service to a Suffering World
59:35 Compassion as the Culmination of Freedom
1:04:31 Full-Circle Transformation
Bhagavata Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam, Narada Muni, Radhika Ramana Dasa, Bhrigupada Dasa, Vaishnava philosophy, Bhakti, Separation, Devotion, Veena, Prabhupada, Sadhusanga, Spiritual Growth, Renunciation, Freedom, Krishna, ISKCON, Harikatha, Bhava Bhakti, Emotional Spirituality, Indian Theology, Religious Studies