SB 1.3.40 - 44Glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam

Suta Goswami answers question 6 of the sages

Offering obeisancesnäräyaëaà namaskåtya

naraà caiva narottamamdevéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà

tato jayam udérayet

“Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, unto Nara-näräyaëa Åñi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvaté, the goddess of learning, and unto Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author.” SB 1.2.4

nañöa-präyeñv abhadreñunityaà bhägavata-sevayäbhagavaty uttama-çloke

bhaktir bhavati naiñöhiké

“By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” SB1.2.18

So Far in Chapter 3 :

• Description of the Lord’s Purusa Avatars• Description of the Lord’s Lila Avatars• 1.3.28 - .. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam –

paribhasa sutra –lens to interpret SB• Progressing from matter upwards to Brahman,

Paramatma and finally Bhagavan

So far in Chapter 3 :

• Suta Goswami glorifies the sages questions – Why?

• Because they give rise to his speaking Bhagavatam which has immense spiritual potency

Why is the Bhagavatam considered potent?

This is discussed in Texts 40-44

SB 1.3.40

idam bhāgavatam nāma/ purānam brahma-sammitam

uttama-śloka-caritam/ cakāra bhagavān rsih

nihśreyasāya lokasya/ dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of God. It is

meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and all-perfect.

The Bhagavatam is Krsna !!

• We benefit by associating with Bhāgavat -means “of Bhagavat” or “of the Lord”

SB 1.3.40

Person Bhagavatam is the self realized bonafide spiritual master and through him only one can understand the lessons of Bhagavatam in order to get the desired result.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport

• SB should be worshipped as respectfully as we worship the Lord.

“It carries with it all the transcendental blessings of Lord Sri Krsna that we can expect from His personal contact”

SB 1.3.41

tad idam grāhayām āsa

sutam ātmavatām varam

sarva-vedetihāsānām

sāram sāram samuddhrtam

Śri Vyāsadeva delivered it to his son, who is the most respected among the self-realized, after extracting the cream of all Vedic literatures and histories of the

universe.

SB 1.3.42

sa tu samśrāvayām āsa

mahārājam parīksitam

prāyopavistam gańgāyām

parītam paramarsibhih

Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, in his turn delivered the Bhāgavatam to the great Emperor Parīksit, who sat surrounded by sages on the bank of the Ganges,

awaiting death without taking food or drink.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport (1.3.41)

Cream of Vedic Literature:It is compared to the cream of the milk. Vedic literature is like

the milk ocean of knowledge. Cream or butter is the most palatable essence of milk, and so also is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, for it contains all palatable, instructive and authentic versions of different activities of the Lord and His devotees. ………….In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that the purpose of all the Vedas is to know Him (Lord Krsna), and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Lord Śrī Krsna Himself in the form of recorded knowledge. Therefore, it is the cream of all the Vedas, and it contains all historical facts of all times in relation with Śrī Krsna. It is factually the essence of all histories.

SB 1.3.43

krsne sva-dhāmopagatedharma-jñānādibhih saha

kalau nasta-drśām esapurānārko 'dhunoditah

This Bhāgavata Purāna is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purāna.

Answer to Saunaka’s sixth and final question: Since Sri Krsna , the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us to whom the religious principles have now gone for shelter – SB 1.1.23

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport

• “In other words, if men in this age of Kali want to see the real light of life, they must take to these two books only, and their aim of life will be fulfilled. Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of the Bhāgavatam. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the summum bonum of life, Lord Śrī Krsna personified. We must therefore accept Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the direct representation of Lord Krsna. One who can see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can see also Lord Śrī Krsna in person. They are identical.”

• Krsna spoke the Bhagavad Gita and inspired Srila Vyasadev through Narada Muni to compile Bhagavatam

• Srila Prabhupada has based the ISKCON movement on these two books – if we follow the process Srila Prabhupada has given we are taking shelter of these two books.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport

tatra kīrtayato viprāviprarser bhūri-tejasah

aham cādhyagamam tatranivistas tad-anugrahāt

so 'ham vah śrāvayisyāmiyathādhītam yathā-mati

O learned brāhmanas, when Śukadeva Gosvāmī recited Bhāgavatam there [in the presence of Emperor Parīksit], I heard him with rapt attention, and thus, by his mercy, I learned the Bhāgavatam from that great and powerful sage. Now I shall try to make you hear the very same thing as I learned it from him and as I have realized it.

Learning from the Person Bhāgavat – to realize the text Pure person whose

life is dedicated to His serviceHE IS RARE

From 1.2.18: A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata…... Bhāgavata book and person are identical

•Knowledge will come thru reading but realization will come through association of person bhagavata •Person Bhagavata is rare•Srila Prabhupada

“Somehow or Other” Factor for us

• Simple hearing is not all; one must realize the text with proper attention. The word nivista means that Sūta Gosvāmī drank the juice of Bhāgavatam through his ears. That is the real process of receiving Bhāgavatam. One should hear with rapt attention from the real person, and then he can at once realize the presence of Lord Krsna in every page. The secret of knowing Bhāgavatam is mentioned here. No one can give rapt attention who is not pure in mind. No one can be pure in mind who is not pure in action. No one can be pure in action who is not pure in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. But somehow or other if someone hears with rapt attention from the right person, at the very beginning one can assuredly see Lord Śrī Krsna in person in the pages of Bhāgavatam.

Why should we study SB?

• Cream of Vedic Literatures• Coming from Krsna• Non-different from Krsna• Benefit of Associating with Krsna• Religious principles have taken shelter• As brilliant as the Sun• Light for people in the age of Kali• Nasta-prayesv abhadresu• Full of Pastimes of the Lord• How to pray?• Examples of devotees and their surrender• We get to associate with Srila Prabhupada• Satisfies pre-req for participating in Caitanya Lila

How to read Srimad Bhagavatam?

• Mood for reading:– Careful and patient study– Worship– Going into the deep space

• Krsna is going to reveal something to me today• “My dear ……, “

– Seek blessings from Person Bhagavata– Only Purposes of reading: Pleasing the Lord and for

personal purification – HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj

How to read Srimad Bhagavatam

• Some Techniques for Reading:– Writing:

• Paraphrase• Practical application• Appreciation of characters

– Understanding realizations of other devotees:• Hearing lectures related to the set of verses• Unveiling His Lotus Feet, Past Granthraj group emails

– Imagining yourself in the pastime as an observer

References:

• Srila Prabhupada’s purports on these verses• HG Bhurijana Prabhu’s book: “Unveiling His

Lotus Feet”