Question: ISKCON’s celebration of Bhādra Purnima is centered around SB 12.13.13 which states “If on the full-moon day of the month of Bhādra one places Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.”
What is the meaning of the ‘golden throne’ in this verse? Is it to be taken literally or otherwise?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
The meaning of the ‘golden throne’ in this verse is metaphorical, not literal.
VCT’s commentary to this verse: “The king of all scriptures, the sun among the Purāṇas, should be seated on a throne and treated royally. The king of all planets, the sun, enters into Siṁha or Leo zodiac sign during Bhādra month. Thus it is like a king seated on his throne (simhāsana). This is the metaphor.”
VCT is explicitly indicating that the ‘golden throne’ mentioned in this verse is metaphorical, namely that the sun itself is the ‘golden-ness’ feature – namely, SB is being compared to the golden-like ‘sun of the Purāṇas ‘ — and the ‘throne’ is the zodiac sign of the Bhādra month.
Jiva Gosvami states essentially the same understanding in Tattva Sandarbha, Anuccheda 23, where he describes Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as ‘luminous like the sun.’
