# Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam * [[sb/0a|Preface]] * [[sb/0b|Introduction]] 1. [[sb/1|Creation]] 2. [[sb/2|The Cosmic Manifestation]] 3. [[sb/3|The Status Quo]] 4. [[sb/4|The Creation of the Fourth Order]] 5. [[sb/5|The Creative Impetus]] 6. [[sb/6|Prescribed Duties for Mankind]] 7. [[sb/7|The Science of God]] 8. [[sb/8|Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations]] 9. [[sb/9|Liberation]] 10. [[sb/10|The Summum Bonum]] *** ![[srimad-bhagavatam.jpg]] *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* an epic philosophical and literary classic, holds a prominent position in India's voluminous written wisdom. The timeless wisdom of India is is expressed in the *Vedas,* ancient Sanskrit texts that touch upon all fields of human knowledge. Originally preserved through oral tradition, the *Vedas* were first put into writing by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the "literary incarnation of God." After compiling the *Vedas,* Śrīla Vyāsadeva was inspired by his spiritual master to present their profound essence in the form of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* Known as "the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic literature," *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the most complete and authoritative exposition of Vedic knowledge.