Difference Between Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam
Last Updated on February 1, 2023
People often confuse the Srimad Bhagavatam with the Bhagavad Gita, yet they are two separate works with distinct meanings.
The Mahabharata contains one of India’s most well-known epic poems, The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which is a 700-verse Hindu text; and The Srimad Bhagavatam, which is one of Hinduism’s 18 Puranas and is more often known as the Bhagavata Purana.
Read this article all the way through to the conclusion in order to gain an understanding of the difference between Srimad Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.
In order to understand what differs Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, we need to understand what they both are.
What is Bhagavad Gita?
As the name implies, the Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and the great warrior Prince Arjuna. Arjuna goes to war with his own cousins, and the Lord Krishna serves as his charioteer on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Popularly known as “The Song of the Lord,” Gita is the central part of the great Indian Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.
It is comprised of 18 brief chapters and contains approximately 700 verses. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita synthesises the beliefs in a universal creator and the unity of all beings into a single vision, constructing on the ideas presented in the Vedas and the Upnishads, the two main significant texts of Hindu Dharma.
There is no greater literary treasure in Hinduism than the Bhagavad Gita. It’s the gospel for everyone. Yoga of Synthesis is a practise that is taught in the Gita. It holds a prominent place among the scriptures of world religious literature.
What is Srimad Bhagavatam?
There are 18 Puranas in total, but the Srimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana, is the fifth most important one. A lot of people think it sums up everything else in the Vedas. There are roughly 18,000 verses spread across its 12 sections (skandhas). The Srimad Bhagavatham, like the other Puranas, is the work of Sage Vyasa.
The Bhagavatam was recited by Vyasa’s son, Sage Shuka, to King Parikshit after Sage Shrungi cursed him to die within seven days. When it comes to worshipping Lord Vishnu, the Bhagavata Purana is a sacred text in the Vaishnava school of Hinduism.
The text offers an alternative to the Vedic understanding of dharma, one in which self-knowledge, salvation, and bliss can be iattained through devotion (bhakti). Srimad Bhagavatam is the text that talks about every Avatar of Lord Vishnu and the reason behind those incarnations in detail.
The Difference Between Gita And Bhagavat Purana
So, what is the difference between the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam?
Although the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam may sound similar, they are not the same because they discuss completely different topics. The Bhagavatam is the essence of the Vedas, discussing the various incarnations of Vishnu and their respective “Lilas,” or divine plays, while the Gita is the conversation between Shri Krishna and Arjuna about the divine wisdom and principals of Dharma.
Here’s a simple difference table to help you understand the difference between both Gita and Bhagavatam easily:
| Srimad Bhagavatam | Bhagavad Gita |
|---|---|
| Srimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana, is the fifth most important one which sums up everything else in the Vedas and talks about the Lilas of Lord Vishnu. | Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and the great warrior Prince Arjuna, known as the “Song of God.” |
| It is the part of 18 major Puranas. | It is the part of the 6th section of Mahabharata. |
| Comprised of 18,000 verses spread across in 12 sections. | Comprised of f 18 brief chapters and contains approximately 700 verses. |
| The Bhagavatam was recited by Vyasa’s son, Sage Shuka, to King Parikshit. | The Gita was recited by Shri Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield. |
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