The 12 Skandhas of the Bhagavatam

The twelve skandhas of the Bhagavatam unfold in order, from creation and the great devotees to Krishna's leelas and the age of Kali.

The Shrimad Bhagavatam is divided into twelve skandhas. In the devotional tradition they are compared to the limbs of the Lord's own form. Here is a brief introduction to each one.

The first skandha describes the questions of the sages at Naimisharanya, the dialogue of Vyasa and Narada, the life of the Pandavas after the war, and the birth and curse of King Parikshit. In the second, Shukadeva begins his narration and describes the cosmic form of the Lord and the process of creation. The third contains Vidura's conversations with Uddhava and the sage Maitreya, the Varaha avatar, and Lord Kapila's teaching to his mother Devahuti.

The fourth tells of Daksha's sacrifice and Sati, the penance of the child Dhruva, King Prithu and the Prachetas. The fifth describes Priyavrata, Rishabhadeva and Jada Bharata, along with the structure of the worlds. The sixth contains the story of Ajamila, the Narayana Kavacha and the episode of Vritrasura. The seventh tells of the devotee Prahlada and Lord Narasimha.

The eighth includes Gajendra Moksha, the Manvantaras, the churning of the ocean, the Vamana avatar and the Matsya avatar. The ninth describes the solar and lunar dynasties, King Ambarisha and the story of Shri Rama. The tenth narrates the life of Shri Krishna from his birth through his leelas in Vraja, Mathura and Dwarka. The eleventh describes the end of the Yadu dynasty, the Uddhava Gita and Krishna's return to his own abode. The twelfth describes the age of Kali, the liberation of Parikshit, the story of the sage Markandeya and a summary of the whole work.

Source

Shrimad Bhagavatam