Bhattadeva’s Mention of Sankaradeva as the First Propagator of Pure Devotion

Bhattadeva, in the Dasama rendering of his Katha Bhagavata, makes a clear mention of the Bhagavata tradition in Assam:

he sabhāsadasava, pūrbbata santa mahanta mahāguṇavanta śrī śaṅkare śrībhāgavata śāstrara paẏāra kari lokata bhakti panthā pravarttāilā, yāka pāi antya jātio saṃsāra tarilā. pāche tāra avaśeṣa kathā ananta kandali pada racilā . tāko dekhi moro kṛṣṇaguṇa barṇāite manata icchā hailā . tāka jāni śrīkṛṣṇe śrī dāmodararūpe ājñā dilā . eteke mañi ṭīkā-bhāṣya anusāre saṃkṣepe kathā nibandhilo .

“O members of the assembly! In the past, Sri Sankara, saint, exemplar-devotee and one endowed with great qualities, had composed verses of the Bhagavata scripture and propagated for the first time the path of pure devotion among the people; obtaining which, even the lowest of the low castes survived samsara. Later, Ananta Kandali had made verses out of the leftover sections. Seeing that, I also had a wish in mind to describe the glories of Krsna. Knowing that, Lord Krsna, in Sri Damodara’s form, gave me permission. Therefore, I, following the notes and commentaries, have composed, in abbreviated form, the (Bhagavata) katha.”