Garga Samhita (Vaishnavite text)
| religion | Hinduism |
| language | Sanskrit |
| verses | 12,000 |
| chapters | 267 |
| author | Garga |
Garga-samhita (गर्ग संहिता, IAST: Garga-saṃhitā) is an ancient Sanskrit-language Vaishnavite scripture based on Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. Its authorship is attributed to the sage Garga, the head priest of Krishna’s clan Yadava. It is the earliest text that associates Radha Krishna and gopis with the Holi festival.
Chapters
| # | Khanda (Book) | Number of chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goloka-khanda | 20 | Pastimes of Radha Krishna in Goloka, Structure of Goloka. |
| 2 | Vrindavana-khanda | 26 | Krishna’s pastimes with Radha, Gopis and Gopas (cowherds); identifies various places (including Vrindavan) in the Mathura mandala (region) as the sites of these events. |
| 3 | Giriraja-khanda | 11 | Divinity of Govardhan Hill and its festivals |
| 4 | Madhurya-khanda | 24 | Love life of Radha Krishna in Vrindavan, including descriptions of Radha Krishna, Gopis, and Yamuna |
| 5 | Mathura-khanda | 25 | Krishna’s return to Mathura, and his killing of Kamsa; conversation between Uddhava and Gopis |
| 6 | Dvaraka-khanda | 22 | Foundation of the Dvārakā city, its description, and Krishna’s pastimes there |
| 7 | Vishvajit-khanda | 50 | Krishna’s exploits and divinity, including his role in the Mahabharata War |
| 8 | Balabhadra-khanda | 13 | Balarama’s exploits and divinity |
| 9 | Vijnana-khanda | 10 | Devotional instructions for deity worship |
| 10 | Ashvamedha-khanda | 62 | Ugrasena’s ashvamedha; Radha-Krishna’s reunion in Vrindavan and departure to Goloka |
| 11 | Garga-samhita Mahatmaya | 4 | Significance of Garga-samhita |
Garga-Sanmita contains 11 khandas or parts:
See also
- Brahma Samhita
- Brahma Vaivarta Purana
Further reading
- Includes the original Sanskrit text with Roman transliteration and English translation.
- Garga Sanhita in Sanskrit and Hindi
- Garga Sanhita in English