Srimad Bhagavata-anta

In a previous post, I had briefly compared Datta-Atreya and Suka. In this post we will see the how in the 12th chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatha, Datta-Atreya teaches the essence of Advaita.

First an explanation on the title of the post. The interpretation of Upanishads being referred to as Vedanta is quite well known. The title Bhagavatha-anta can also be interpreted as the following: Suka and Vyasa have come to a conclusion in Bhagavatha. What follows in chapter 12 is the essence of their conclusion.

Srimad-Bhagavatha also is well known for its many discrete, and sometimes contradicting schools of thought. More notes is here. As explained in the previous post, the conclusion of the Bhagavatha can be thought of the highly theistic chapters of 10 and 11, where the story of Lord Krishna is explained. In chapter 12, however, there is the advaitic conclusion of the Bhagavatha as explained to Uddhava by Lord Krishna himself. The dialogue seems to happen at the time when Lord Krishna is about to leave his material body.

Avadhutha refers to how the learnt all he wanted to from the world itself. He sites 24 examples (I am sure this 24 has got a metaphorical meaning: like number of letters in Gayathri-Mantra) of his learnings from the world. He gives simple examples of teachings which emphasize detachement, etc. This is a post about the 24 teachings Avadhuta explained to Yadu.