Bhagavata Purana
The Bhagavata Purana, also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, is one of the Puranas, a part of the literature of Hinduism. Its focus is on the bhakti cult of Vishnu/Krishna, understood as Bhagavat (all-embracing God). Earlier parts of the work contain stories of some devotees and objects of their devotion, avataras of God. The last and most important part of the work is an elaboration of the traditional story of Krishna.
sarva-vedanta saram hi sri bhagavatam-isyate
tad-rasamrta-trptasya nanyatra syad-ratim kvacit
"Srimad Bhagavatam is accepted as the essence of all Vedic
literature and Vedantic philosophy. Whoever tastes the transcendental
mellow of Srimad Bhagavatam is never attracted to any other
literature." (12.13.15)
It is considered a natural commentary on the Vedanta-sutra and is used as a textual source for Vaishnava Theology and Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology.
According to tradition it was written by Vyasa in about c.3100 BCE.
Modern scholars date it to the first millennium, as part of the
development of the bhakti traditions. However, it mentions the Vedic_Sarasvati_River (which dried up about 2000 BCE) more than 30 times, as a great river (maha-nadi, 9.16.23).
The Bhagavata Purana is a narration of a conversation. King Pariksit of India, who has been cursed to die in seven days by a Brahmin,
decides to give up his kingly duties to learn about the goal of life.
As he prepares for his impending death, the saint Shuka (Shukadeva Goswami),
who has been searching for a suitable disciple to whom he might impart
his great knowledge, approaches the king and agrees to teach him. Their
conversation goes on uninterrupted for seven days, during which the
king does not eat, drink or sleep. During this time the saint explains
that one's goal in life is understanding the supreme absolute truth
defined as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna (1.3.28, etc.).
The Purana mentions the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhadeva, and includes the Lord Buddha (Buddhadev) as the ninth avatar of Vishnu, instead of Balarama.
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