Questions by King Pariksit

2.8.1

rajovaca

brahmana codito brahman

gunakhyane ’gunasya ca

yasmai yasmai yatha praha

narado deva-darsanah

SYNONYMS

raja—the King; uvaca—inquired; brahmana—by Lord Brahma; coditah—being instructed; brahman—O learned brahmana (Sukadeva Gosvami); guna-akhyane—in narrating the transcendental qualities; agunasya—of the Lord, who is without material qualities; ca—and; yasmai yasmai—and whom; yatha—as much as; praha—explained; naradah—Narada Muni; deva-darsanah—one whose audience is as good as that of any demigod.

TRANSLATION

King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: How did Narada Muni, whose hearers are as fortunate as those instructed by Lord Brahma, explain the transcendental qualities of the Lord, who is without material qualities, and before whom did he speak?

PURPORT

Devarsi Narada was directly instructed by Brahmaji, who was also directly instructed by the Supreme Lord; therefore the instructions imparted by Narada to his various disciples are as good as those of the Supreme Lord.

That is the way of understanding Vedic knowledge.

It comes down from the Lord by disciplic succession, and this transcendental knowledge is distributed to the world by this descending process.

There is no chance, however, to receive the Vedic knowledge from mental speculators.

Therefore, wherever Narada Muni goes, he represents himself as authorized by the Lord, and his appearance is as good as that of the Supreme Lord.

Similarly, the disciplic succession which strictly follows the transcendental instruction is the bona fide chain of disciplic succession, and the test for such bona fide spiritual masters is that there should be no difference between the instruction of the Lord originally imparted to His devotee and that which is imparted by the authority in the line of disciplic succession.

How Narada Muni distributed the transcendental knowledge of the Lord will be explained in later cantos.

It will appear also that the Lord existed prior to the material creation, and therefore His transcendental name, quality, etc., do not represent any material quality.

Whenever, therefore, the Lord is described as aguna, or without any quality, it does not mean that He has no quality, but that He has no material quality, such as the modes of goodness, passion or ignorance, as the conditioned souls have.

He is transcendental to all material conceptions, and thus He is described as aguna.

2.8.2

etad veditum icchami

tattvam tattva-vidam vara

harer adbhuta-viryasya

katha loka-sumangalah

SYNONYMS

etat—this; veditum—to understand; icchami—I wish; tattvam—truth; tattva-vidam—of those who are well versed in the Absolute Truth; vara—O best; hareh—of the Lord; adbhuta-viryasya—of the one who possesses wonderful potencies; kathah—narrations; loka—for all planes; su-mangalah—auspicious.

TRANSLATION

The King said: I wish to know.

Narrations concerning the Lord, who possesses wonderful potencies, are certainly auspicious for living beings in all planes.

PURPORT

Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is full of narrations of the activities of the Supreme Lord, is auspicious for all living beings residing in every plane.

One who takes it as belonging to a particular sect is certainly mistaken.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is certainly a very dear scripture for all the devotees of the Lord, but it is auspicious even for the nondevotees also because it explains that even the nondevotees hovering under the spell of material energy can be delivered from such clutches if they hear the narration of the Srimad-Bhagavatam with devotion and attention from the right source representing the Lord by disciplic succession.

2.8.3

kathayasva mahabhaga

yathaham akhilatmani

krsne nivesya nihsangam

manas tyaksye kalevaram

SYNONYMS

kathayasva—please continue speaking; mahabhaga—O greatly fortunate one; yatha—as much as; aham—I; akhila-atmani—unto the Supreme Soul; krsne—unto Lord Sri Krsna; nivesya—having placed; nihsangam—being freed from material qualities; manah—mind; tyaksye—may relinquish; kalevaram—body.

TRANSLATION

O greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, please continue narrating Srimad-Bhagavatam so that I can place my mind upon the Supreme Soul, Lord Krsna, and, being completely freed from material qualities, thus relinquish this body.

PURPORT

To be fully engaged in hearing the transcendental narration described in the text of Srimad-Bhagavatam means to constantly associate with the Supreme Soul, Sri Krsna.

And to constantly associate with the Supreme Lord Krsna means to be liberated from the qualities of matter.

Lord Krsna is like the sun, and material contamination is like darkness.

As the presence of the sun dissipates darkness, constant engagement in the association of the Lord Sri Krsna frees one from the contamination of the material qualities.

Contamination by the material qualities is the cause of repeated birth and death, and liberation from material qualities is transcendence.

Maharaja Pariksit was now a realized soul by this secret of liberation, through the grace of Sukadeva Gosvami, for the latter had informed the King that the highest perfection of life is to be in remembrance of Narayana at the end of life.

Maharaja Pariksit was destined to give up his body at the end of seven days, and thus he decided to continue remembering the Lord by His association with the topics of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and thus to quit his body in full consciousness of the presence of the Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Soul.

The hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam performed by professional men is different from the transcendental hearing of Maharaja Pariksit.

Maharaja Pariksit was a soul realized in the Absolute Truth, Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead.

The fruitive materialist is not a realized soul; he wants to derive some material benefit from his so-called hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Undoubtedly such an audience, hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam from the professional men, can derive some material benefit as they desire, but that does not mean that such a pretense of hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam for a week is as good as the hearing of Maharaja Pariksit.

It is the duty of the sane to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a self-realized soul and not be duped by professional men.

One should continue such hearing till the end of one’s life so that one can actually have the transcendental association of the Lord and thus be liberated simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Maharaja Pariksit had already given up all his connections with his kingdom and family, the most attractive features of materialism, but still he was conscious of his material body.

He wanted to be free of such bondage also by the constant association of the Lord.

2.8.4

srnvatah sraddhaya nityam

grnatas ca sva-cestitam

kalena natidirghena

bhagavan visate hrdi

SYNONYMS

srnvatah—of those who hear; sraddhaya—in earnestness; nityam—regularly, always; grnatah—taking the matter; ca—also; sva-cestitam—seriously by one’s own endeavor; kalena—duration; na—not; ati-dirghena—very prolonged time; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna; visate—becomes manifest; hrdi—within one’s heart.

TRANSLATION

Persons who hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna manifested in their hearts within a short time.

PURPORT

Cheap devotees or materialistic devotees of the Lord are very much desirous to see the Lord personally without meeting the requisite qualifications.

Such third-grade devotees should know well that material attachment and seeing the Lord face to face cannot go together.

It is not such a mechanical process that the professional Bhagavatam reciters can do the job on behalf of the third-grade materialistic pseudo-devotee.

The professional men are useless in this connection because they are neither self-realized nor interested in the liberation of the audience.

They are simply interested in maintaining the material establishment of family attachment and earning some material benefits out of the profession.

Maharaja Pariksit had no more than seven days to live, but for others Maharaja Pariksit personally recommends that one hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly, nityam, always by one’s own effort and with serious devotion also.

That will help one to see the Lord Sri Krsna manifested in one’s heart within no time.

The pseudo-devotee, however, is very anxious to see the Lord according to his whims, not making any serious effort to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and without detachment from material benefit.

That is not the way recommended by an authority like Maharaja Pariksit, who heard and benefited by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam.

2.8.5

pravistah karna-randhrena

svanam bhava-saroruham

dhunoti samalam krsnah

salilasya yatha sarat

SYNONYMS

pravistah—thus being entered; karna-randhrena—through the holes of the ears; svanam—according to one’s liberated position; bhava—constitutional relationship; sarah-ruham—the lotus flower; dhunoti—cleanses; samalam—material qualities like lust, anger, avarice and hankering; krsnah—Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; salilasya—of the reservoir of waters; yatha—as it were; sarat—the autumn season.

TRANSLATION

The sound incarnation of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Soul (i.e.

Srimad-Bhagavatam), enters into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of his loving relationship, and thus cleanses the dust of material association, such as lust, anger and hankering.

Thus it acts like autumnal rains upon pools of muddy water.

PURPORT

It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world.

Thus one who is actually in the confidence of a pure devotee like Narada or Sukadeva Gosvami and thus is empowered by one’s spiritual master, as Narada was by Brahmaji, can not only deliver himself from the clutches of maya, or illusion, but can deliver the whole world by his pure and empowered devotional strength.

The comparison to the autumnal rain that falls on muddy reservoirs of water is very appropriate.

During the rainy season, all the waters of the rivers become muddy, but in the month of July-August, the autumn season, when there is a slight rainfall, the muddy waters of the rivers all over the world become at once clear.

By addition of some chemical, a small reservoir of water like that of a metropolitan waterworks tank can be cleared, but by such a tiny effort it is not possible to clear up all the reservoirs of water like the rivers.

A powerful pure devotee of the Lord, however, can deliver not only his personal self but also many others in his association.

In other words, the cleansing of the polluted heart by other methods (like the culture of empiric knowledge or mystic gymnastics) can simply cleanse one’s own heart, but devotional service to the Lord is so powerful that it can cleanse the hearts of the people in general, by the devotional service of the pure, empowered devotee.

A true representative of the Lord like Narada, Sukadeva Gosvami, Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvamis and later Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, etc., can deliver all people by their empowered devotional service.

By sincere efforts to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam one realizes his constitutional relationship with the Lord in the transcendental humor of servitude, friendship, paternal affection or conjugal love, and by such self-realization one becomes situated at once in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

Not only were all the pure devotees like Narada self-realized souls, but they were engaged in preaching work automatically by spiritual impetus, and thus they delivered many poor souls entangled in the material modes.

They became so powerful because they sincerely followed the Bhagavatam principles by regular hearing and worshiping.

By such actions the accumulated material lusts, etc., become cleansed by the personal endeavor of the Lord within the heart.

The Lord is always within the heart of the living being, but He becomes manifested by one’s devotional service.

Purification of the heart by culture of knowledge or mystic yoga may be all right for the time being for an individual person, but it is like the cleansing of a small quantity of stagnant water by chemical processes.

Such clarification of water may stand for the time being and the sediments settle down, but by a slight agitation everything becomes muddy.

The idea is that devotional service to the Lord is the only method of cleansing the heart for good.

Whereas other methods may be superficially good for the time being, there is a risk of becoming muddy again due to agitation of the mind.

Devotional service to the Lord, with specific attention for hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and always, is the best recommended method for liberation from the clutches of illusion.

2.8.6

dhautatma purusah krsna-

pada-mulam na muncati

mukta-sarva-pariklesah

panthah sva-saranam yatha

SYNONYMS

dhauta-atma—whose heart has been cleansed; purusah—the living being; krsna—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pada-mulam—the shelter of the lotus feet; na—never; muncati—gives up; mukta—liberated; sarva—all; pariklesah—of all miseries of life; panthah—the traveler; sva-saranam—in his own abode; yatha—as it were.

TRANSLATION

A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been cleansed by the process of devotional service never relinquishes the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, for they fully satisfy him, as a traveler is satisfied at home after a troubled journey.

PURPORT

One who is not a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord Krsna is not completely cleansed in the heart.

But a perfectly cleansed person never quits the devotional service of the Lord.

In discharging such devotional service, as ordered by Brahmaji to Narada in the preaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam, sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties.

This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers.

But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied.

Prahlada Maharaja suffered greatly, but still he never forgot the lotus feet of the Lord.

This is because a pure devotee of the Lord is so purified in his heart that he cannot leave the shelter of Lord Krsna in any circumstances.

There is no self-interest in such service.

The progress of culturing knowledge by the jnanis or the bodily gymnastics by the yogis are ultimately given up by the respective performers, but a devotee of the Lord cannot give up the service of the Lord, for he is ordered by his spiritual master.

Pure devotees like Narada and Nityananda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life.

They do not mind what becomes of the future of their lives.

They take the matter very seriously as the order comes from the higher authority, from the representative of the Lord, or from the Lord Himself.

The example set herein is very appropriate.

A traveler leaves home to search for wealth in far distant places, sometimes in the forest and sometimes on the ocean and sometimes on hilltops.

Certainly there are many troubles for the traveler when he is in such unknown places.

But all such troubles are at once mitigated as soon as the sense of his family affection is remembered, and as soon as he returns home he forgets all such troubles on the way.

A pure devotee of the Lord is exactly in a family tie with the Lord, and therefore he is undeterred in discharging his duty in a full affectionate tie with the Lord.

2.8.7

yad adhatu-mato brahman

deharambho ’sya dhatubhih

yadrcchaya hetuna va

bhavanto janate yatha

SYNONYMS

yat—as it is; adhatu-matah—without being materially constituted; brahman—O learned brahmana; deha—the material body; arambhah—the beginning of; asya—of the living being; dhatubhih—by matter; yadrcchaya—without cause, accidental; hetuna—due to some cause; va—either; bhavantah—your good self; janate—as you may know it; yatha—so you inform me.

TRANSLATION

O learned brahmana, the transcendental spirit soul is different from the material body.

Does he acquire the body accidentally or by some cause? Will you kindly explain this, for it is known to you.

PURPORT

Maharaja Pariksit, being a typical devotee, is not only satisfied by confirming the importance of hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam from the representative of Brahmaji by disciplic succession, but he is still more anxious to establish the philosophical basis of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such all questions that may arise in the mind of a serious student must be cleared by the statements of the authority.

A person on the path of devotional service may inquire from his spiritual master all about the spiritual position of God and the living beings.

From the Bhagavad-gita, as well as from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is known that qualitatively the Lord and the living beings are one.

The living being in the conditioned state of material existence is subjected to many transmigrations by continuous changing of the material body.

But what are the causes of the material embodiment of the part and parcel of the Lord? Maharaja Pariksit inquires about this very important matter for the benefit of all classes of candidates on the path of self-realization and devotional service to the Lord.

Indirectly it is confirmed that the Supreme Being, the Lord, makes no such material changes of body.

He is spiritually whole, with no difference between His body and His soul, unlike the conditioned soul.

The liberated living beings, who associate with the Lord in person, are also exactly like the Lord.

Only the conditioned souls awaiting liberation are subjected to change of bodies.

How was the process first begun? In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process.

This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service.

Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Maharaja Pariksit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this.

In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees.

Thus one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain.

It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple.

2.8.8

asid yad-udarat padmam

loka-samsthana-laksanam

yavan ayam vai purusa

iyattavayavaih prthak

tavan asav iti proktah

samsthavayavavan iva

SYNONYMS

asit—as it grew; yat-udarat—from whose abdomen; padmam—lotus flower; loka—world; samsthana—situation; laksanam—possessed of; yavan—as it were; ayam—this; vai—certainly; purusah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iyatta—measurement; avayavaih—by embodiments; prthak—different; tavan—so; asau—that; iti proktah—it is so said; samstha—situation; avayavavan—embodiment; iva—like.

TRANSLATION

If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose abdomen the lotus stem sprouted, is possessed of a gigantic body according to His own caliber and measurement, then what is the specific difference between the body of the Lord and those of common living entities?

PURPORT

One should note how Maharaja Pariksit intelligently put questions before his spiritual master for scientific understanding of the transcendental body of the Lord.

It has been described in many places before this that the Lord assumed a gigantic body, like that of Karanodakasayi Visnu, from whose hair pores innumerable universes have generated.

The body of Garbhodakasayi Visnu is described as sprouting the lotus stem within which all the planes of the universe remain, and at the top of the stem is the lotus flower on which Lord Brahma is born.

In the creation of the material world the Supreme Lord undoubtedly assumes a gigantic body, and living entities also get bodies, big or small, according to necessity.

For example, an elephant gets a gigantic body according to its needs, and so also an ant gets its body according to its needs.

Similarly, if the Personality of Godhead assumes a gigantic body to accommodate the universes or the planes of a particular universe, there is no difference in the principle of assuming or accepting a particular type of body in terms of necessity.

A living being and the Lord cannot be distinguished simply by the difference in the magnitude of the body.

So the answer depends on the specific significance of the body of the Lord, as distinguished from the body of the common living being.

2.8.9

ajah srjati bhutani

bhutatma yad-anugrahat

dadrse yena tad-rupam

nabhi-padma-samudbhavah

SYNONYMS

ajah—one who is born without a material source; srjati—creates; bhutani—all those materially born; bhuta-atma—having a body of matter; yat—whose; anugrahat—by the mercy of; dadrse—could see; yena—by whom; tat-rupam—His form of body; nabhi—navel; padma—lotus flower; samudbhavah—being born of.

TRANSLATION

Brahma, who was not born of a material source but of the lotus flower coming out of the navel abdomen of the Lord, is the creator of all those who are materially born.

Of course, by the grace of the Lord, Brahma was able to see the form of the Lord.

PURPORT

The first living creature, Brahma, is called ajah because he did not take his birth from the womb of a mother materially born.

He was directly born from the bodily expansion of the lotus flower of the Lord.

Thus it is not readily understandable whether the body of the Lord and that of Brahma are of the same quality or different.

This must also be clearly understood.

One thing is, however, certain: Brahma was completely dependent on the mercy of the Lord because after his birth he could create living beings by the Lord’s grace only, and he could see the form of the Lord.

Whether the form seen by Brahma is of the same quality as that of Brahma is a bewildering question, and Maharaja Pariksit wanted to get clear answers from Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.

2.8.10

sa capi yatra puruso

visva-sthity-udbhavapyayah

muktvatma-mayam mayesah

sete sarva-guhasayah

SYNONYMS

sah—He; ca—also; api—as He is; yatra—where; purusah—the Personality of Godhead; visva—the material worlds; sthiti—maintenance; udbhava—creation; apyayah—annihilation; muktva—without being touched; atma-mayam—own energy; maya-isah—the Lord of all energies; sete—does lie on; sarva-guha-sayah—one who lies in everyone s heart.

TRANSLATION

Please also explain the Personality of Godhead, who lies in every heart as the Supersoul, and as the Lord of all energies, but is untouched by His external energy.

PURPORT

Undoubtedly the form of the Lord who was seen by Brahma must be transcendental, otherwise how could He simply look upon the creative energy without being touched? It is understood also that the same purusa lies in the heart of every living entity.

This also requires proper explanation.

2.8.11

purusavayavair lokah

sapalah purva-kalpitah

lokair amusyavayavah

sa-palair iti susruma

SYNONYMS

purusa—the universal form of the Lord (virat-purusah); avayavaih—by different parts of the body; lokah—the planeary system; sa-palah—with respective governors; purva—formerly; kalpitah—discussed; lokaih—by the different planeary systems; amusya—His; avayavah—different parts of the body; sa-palaih—with the governors; iti—thus; susruma—I heard.

TRANSLATION

O learned brahmana, it was formerly explained that all the planes of the universe with their respective governors are situated in the different parts of the gigantic body of the virat-purusa.

I have also heard that the different planeary systems are supposed to be in the gigantic body of the virat-purusa.

2.8.12

yavan kalpo vikalpo va

yatha kalo ’numiyate

bhuta-bhavya-bhavac-chabda

ayur-manam ca yat satah

SYNONYMS

yavan—as it is; kalpah—the duration of time between creation and annihilation; vikalpah—subsidiary creation and annihilation; va—either; yatha—as also; kalah—the time; anumiyate—is measured; bhuta—past; bhavya—future; bhavat—present; sabdah—sound; ayuh—duration of life; manam—measurement; ca—also; yat—which; satah—of all living beings in all planes.

TRANSLATION

Also please explain the duration of time between creation and annihilation, and that of other subsidiary creations, as well as the nature of time, indicated by the sound of past, present and future.

Also, please explain the duration and measurement of life of the different living beings known as the demigods, the human beings, etc., in different planes of the universe.

PURPORT

Past, present and future are different features of time to indicate the duration of life for the universe and all its paraphernalia, including the different living beings in different planes.

2.8.13

kalasyanugatir ya tu

laksyate ’nvi brhaty api

yavatyah karma-gatayo

yadrsir dvija-sattama

SYNONYMS

kalasya—of eternal time; anugatih—beginning; ya tu—as they are; laksyate—experienced; anvi—small; brhati—great; api—even; yavatyah—as long as; karma-gatayah—in terms of the work performed; yadrsih—as it may; dvija-sattama—O purest of all brahmanas.

TRANSLATION

O purest of the brahmanas, please also explain the cause of the different durations of time, both short and long, as well as the beginning of time, following the course of action.

2.8.14

yasmin karma-samavayo

yatha yenopagrhyate

gunanam guninam caiva

parinamam abhipsatam

SYNONYMS

yasmin—in which; karma—actions; samavayah—accumulation; yatha—as far as; yena—by which; upagrhyate—takes over; gunanam—of the different modes of material nature; guninam—of the living beings; ca—also; eva—certainly; parinamam—resultant; abhipsatam—of the desires.

TRANSLATION

Then again, kindly describe how the proportionate accumulation of the reactions resulting from the different modes of material nature act upon the desiring living being, promoting or degrading him among the different species of life, beginning from the demigods down to the most insignificant creatures.

PURPORT

The actions and reactions of all works in the material modes of nature, either in the minute form or in the gigantic form, are accumulated, and thus the result of such accumulated actions and reactions of karma, or work, become manifested in the same proportion.

How such actions and reactions take place, what the different procedures are, and in what proportion they act are all subject matters of Maharaja Pariksit’s inquiries from the great brahmana Sukadeva Gosvami.

Life in the higher planes, known as the abodes of the denizens of heaven, is obtained not by the strength of spacecraft (as is now being contemplated by the inexperienced scientists), but by works done in the mode of goodness.

Even on the very plane where we are now living, there are restrictions upon the entrance of foreigners into a country where the citizens are more prosperous.

For example, the American government has many restrictions for the entrance of foreigners from less prosperous countries.

The reason is that the Americans do not wish to share their prosperity with any foreigner who has not qualified himself as a citizen of America.

Similarly, the same mentality is prevailing in every other plane where there are more intelligent living beings residing.

The higher planeary living conditions are all in the mode of goodness, and anyone desiring to enter the higher planes like the moon, sun and Venus must qualify thoroughly by activity in complete goodness.

Maharaja Pariksit’s inquiries are on the basis of proportionate actions of goodness which qualify one in this plane to be promoted to the highest regions of the universe.

Even on this plane of our present residence, one cannot achieve a good position within the social order without being qualified with proportionate good work.

One cannot forcibly sit on the chair of a high-court judge without being qualified for the post.

Similarly, one cannot enter into the higher planeary systems without being qualified by good works in this life.

Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planeary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.

According to the statement of the Bhagavad-gita (9.25), persons trying to qualify themselves for promotion to the higher, heavenly planes can go there; similarly, persons trying for the Pitrlokas can go there; similarly, persons trying to improve the conditions on this earth can also do that, and persons who are engaged in going back home, back to Godhead, can achieve that result.

The various actions and reactions of work in the mode of goodness are generally known as pious work with devotional service, culture of knowledge with devotional service, mystic powers with devotional service and (at last) devotional service unmixed with any other varieties of goodness.

This unmixed devotional service is transcendental and is called para bhakti.

It alone can promote a person to the transcendental kingdom of God.

Such a transcendental kingdom is not a myth, but is as factual as the moon.

One must have transcendental qualities to understand the kingdom of God and God Himself.

2.8.15

bhu-patala-kakub-vyoma-

graha-naksatra-bhubhrtam

sarit-samudra-dvipanam

sambhavas caitad-okasam

SYNONYMS

bhu-patala—underneath the land; kakup—the four sides of the heavens; vyoma—the sky; graha—the planes; naksatra—the stars; bhubhrtam—of the hills; sarit—the river; samudra—the sea; dvipanam—of the islands; sambhavah—appearance; ca—also; etat—their; okasam—of the inhabitants.

TRANSLATION

O best of the brahmanas, please also describe how the creation of the globes throughout the universe, the four directions of the heavens, the sky, the planes, the stars, the mountains, the rivers, the seas and the islands, as well as their different kinds of inhabitants, takes place.

PURPORT

The inhabitants of different varieties of land, etc., are differently situated, and not all of them are equal in all respects.

The inhabitants of the land are different from the inhabitants of the water or the sky, and similarly the inhabitants of the different planes and stars in the sky are also different from one another.

By the laws of the Lord, no place is vacant, but the creatures of one particular place are different from those of other places.

Even in human society the inhabitants of the jungles or the deserts are different from those of the cities and villages.

They are so made according to different qualities of the modes of nature.

Such adjustment by the laws of nature is not blind.

There is a great plan behind the arrangement.

Maharaja Pariksit requests the great sage Sukadeva Gosvami to explain all these authoritatively, in accordance with proper understanding.

2.8.16

pramanam anda-kosasya

bahyabhyantara-bhedatah

mahatam canucaritam

varnasrama-viniscayah

SYNONYMS

pramanam—extent and measurement; anda-kosasya—of the universe; bahya—outer space; abhyantara—inner space; bhedatah—by division of; mahatam—of the great souls; ca—also; anucaritam—character and activities; varna—castes; asrama—orders of life; viniscayah—specifically describe.

TRANSLATION

Also, please describe the inner and outer space of the universe by specific divisions, as well as the character and activities of the great souls, and also the characteristics of the different classifications of the castes and orders of social life.

PURPORT

Maharaja Pariksit is a typical devotee of Lord Krsna, and as such he is anxious to know the complete significance of the creation of the Lord.

He wants to know the inner and outer space of the universal form.

It is quite fitting for the real searcher of knowledge to know all about this.

Those who are of the opinion that the devotees of the Lord are satisfied with mere sentiments can find in the inquiries of Maharaja Pariksit good lessons as to how inquisitive a pure devotee is to know things in their true perfection.

The modern scientist is unable to know about the inner space of the universal horizon, and what to speak of the space which covers the universe.

Maharaja Pariksit is not satisfied with only material knowledge.

He is inquisitive about the character and activities of the great souls, the devotees of the Lord.

The glories of the Lord and the glories of His devotees, combined together, comprise the complete knowledge of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Lord Krsna showed His mother the complete universal creation within His mouth, while she, completely charmed by her son, wanted to look inside the mouth of the Lord just to see how much earth the child had eaten.

By the grace of the Lord the devotees are able to see everything in the universe within the mouth of the Lord.

The very idea of the scientific divisions of four classes of human society and four orders of life is also inquired about herewith on the basis of individual personal quality.

The four divisions are exactly like the four divisions of one’s personal body.

The parts and parcels of the body are nondifferent from the body, but by themselves they are only parts.

That is the significance of the whole scientific system of four castes and four social orders.

The value of such scientific divisions of human society can be ascertained only in terms of the proportionate development of devotional service to the Lord.

Any person employed in government service, including the president, is a part and parcel of the entire government.

Everyone is a government servant, but no one is the government himself.

That is the position of all living entities in the government of the Supreme Lord.

No one can artificially claim the supreme position of the Lord, but everyone is meant to serve the purpose of the supreme whole.

2.8.17

yugani yuga-manam ca

dharmo yas ca yuge yuge

avataranucaritam

yad ascaryatamam hareh

SYNONYMS

yugani—the different ages; yuga-manam—the duration of each age; ca—as well as; dharmah—the particular occupational duty; yah ca—and which; yuge yuge—in each and every yuga, or particular age; avatara—the incarnation; anucaritam—and the activities of the incarnation; yat—which; ascaryatamam—the most wonderful activities; hareh—of the Supreme Lord.

TRANSLATION

Please explain all the different ages in the duration of the creation, and also the duration of such ages.

Also tell me about the different activities of the different incarnations of the Lord in different ages.

PURPORT

Lord Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead, and all the incarnations of the Supreme Lord, although nondifferent from Him, are emanations from the Supreme.

Maharaja Pariksit inquired from the great and learned sage Sukadeva Gosvami about the different activities of such incarnations so that the incarnation of the Lord might be confirmed by His activities in the authoritative scriptures.

Maharaja Pariksit was not to be carried away by the sentiments of the common man to accept an incarnation of the Lord very cheaply.

Instead he wished to accept the incarnation of the Lord by symptoms mentioned in the Vedic literatures and confirmed by an acarya like Sukadeva Gosvami.

The Lord descends by His internal energy without any obligation to the laws of material nature, and thus His activities are also uncommon.

The specific activities of the Lord are mentioned, and one should know that the activities of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical due to being on the absolute plane.

Thus to hear the activities of the Lord means to associate with the Lord directly, and association with the Lord directly means purification from material contamination.

We have already discussed this point in the previous volume.

2.8.18

nrnam sadharano dharmah

savisesas ca yadrsah

sreninam rajarsinam ca

dharmah krcchresu jivatam

SYNONYMS

nrnam—of human society; sadharanah—general; dharmah—religious affiliation; sa-visesah—specific; ca—also; yadrsah—as they are; sreninam—of the particular three classes; rajarsinam—of the saintly royal order; ca—also; dharmah—occupational duty; krcchresu—in the matter of distressed conditions; jivatam—of the living beings.

TRANSLATION

Please also explain what may generally be the common religious affiliations of human society, as well as their specific occupational duties in religion, the classification of the social orders as well as the administrative royal orders, and the religious principles for one who may be in distress.

PURPORT

The common religion of all classes of human beings, regardless of whosoever and whatsoever one may be, is devotional service.

Even the animals may be included in devotional service to the Lord, and the best example is set by Sri Vajrangaji, or Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Sri Rama.

As we have already discussed, even the aborigines and cannibals can also be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord if they happen to be under the guidance of a genuine devotee of the Lord.

In the Skanda Purana there is a narration that a hunter in the jungle became the most enlightened devotee of the Lord by the guidance of Sri Narada Muni.

Therefore devotional service to the Lord can be equally shared by every living being.

Religious affiliation in terms of different countries and cultural circumstances is obviously not the common religion of the human being; rather, the basic principle is devotional service.

Even if a particular type of religious principle does not recognize the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the followers still have to obey the disciplinary principles laid down by a particular leader.

Such a leader of a religious sect is never the supreme leader because such a circumstantial leader comes to the position of leadership after undergoing some penance.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not, however, require to be under disciplinary action to become leader, as we see in the activities of Lord Krsna.

The occupational duties of the castes and the orders of society, following the principles of livelihood, also depend on the principle of devotional service.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that a person can achieve the highest perfection of life simply by awarding the results of his occupational duty unto the devotional service of the Lord.

People following the principles of devotional service to the Lord can never be put into difficulty, and thus there cannot be any question of apad-dharma, or religion in distress.

As will be explained in this book by the greatest authority, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, there is no religion save and except the devotional service of the Lord, though this may be presented in different forms.

2.8.19

tattvanam parisankhyanam

laksanam hetu-laksanam

purusaradhana-vidhir

yogasyadhyatmikasya ca

SYNONYMS

tattvanam—of the elements that constitute the creation; parisankhyanam—of the number of such elements; laksanam—symptoms; hetu-laksanam—the symptoms of the causes; purusa—of the Lord; aradhana—of devotional service; vidhih—rules and regulations; yogasya—of cultivation of the yoga system; adhyatmikasya—spiritual methods leading to devotional service; ca—also.

TRANSLATION

Kindly explain all about the elementary principles of creation, the number of such elementary principles, their causes, and their development, and also the process of devotional service and the method of mystic powers.

2.8.20

yogesvaraisvarya-gatir

linga-bhangas tu yoginam

vedopaveda-dharmanam

itihasa-puranayoh

SYNONYMS

yoga-isvara—of the master of the mystic powers; aisvarya—opulence; gatih—advancement; linga—astral body; bhangah—detachment; tu—but; yoginam—of the mystics; veda—transcendental knowledge; upaveda—knowledge in pursuance of the Veda indirectly; dharmanam—of the religiosities; itihasa—history; puranayoh—of the Puranas.

TRANSLATION

What are the opulences of the great mystics, and what is their ultimate realization? How does the perfect mystic become detached from the subtle astral body? What is the basic knowledge of the Vedic literatures, including the branches of history and the supplementary Puranas?

PURPORT

The yogesvara, or the master of mystic powers, can exhibit eight kinds of wonders of perfection by becoming smaller than the atom or lighter than a feather, getting anything and everything he desires, going anywhere and everywhere he likes, creating even a plane in the sky, etc.

There are many yogesvaras having different proficiencies in these wonderful powers, and the topmost of all of them is Lord Siva.

Lord Siva is the greatest yogi, and he can perform such wonderful things, far beyond the ordinary living beings.

The devotees of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not directly practice the process of mystic powers, but, by the grace of the Lord, His devotee can defeat even a great yogesvara like Durvasa Muni, who picked a quarrel with Maharaja Ambarisa and wanted to show the wonderful achievements of his mystic powers.

Maharaja Ambarisa was a pure devotee of the Lord, and thus without any effort on his part the Lord saved him from the wrath of Yogesvara Durvasa Muni, and the latter was obliged to beg pardon from the King.

Similarly, at the time of Draupadi’s precarious position, when she was attacked by the Kurus who wanted to see her naked in the open assembly of the royal order, the Lord saved her from being stripped by supplying an unlimited length of sari to cover her.

And Draupadi knew nothing of mystic powers.

Therefore the devotees are also yogesvaras by the unlimited power of the Lord, just as a child is powerful by the strength of the parents.

They do not try to protect themselves by any artificial means, but are saved by the mercy of the parents.

Maharaja Pariksit inquired from the learned brahmana Sukadeva Gosvami about the ultimate destination of such great mystics or how they attain such extraordinary powers by their own efforts or by the grace of the Lord.

He inquired also about their detachment from the subtle and gross material bodies.

He inquired also about the purports of the Vedic knowledge.

As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), the whole purport of all the Vedas is to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become a transcendental loving servant of the Lord.

2.8.21

samplavah sarva-bhutanam

vikramah pratisankramah

ista-purtasya kamyanam

tri-vargasya ca yo vidhih

SYNONYMS

samplavah—the perfect means or complete devastation; sarva-bhutanam—of all living beings; vikramah—specific power or situation; pratisankramah—ultimate destruction; ista—performance of Vedic rituals; purtasya—pious acts in terms of religion; kamyanam—rituals for economic development; tri-vargasya—the three means of religion, economic development and sense satisfaction; ca—also; yah—whatsoever; vidhih—procedures.

TRANSLATION

Please explain unto me how the living beings are generated, how they are maintained, and how they are annihilated.

Tell me also of the advantages and disadvantages of discharging devotional service unto the Lord.

What are the Vedic rituals and injunctions of the supplementary Vedic rites, and what are the procedures of religion, economic development and sense satisfaction?

PURPORT

Samplavah, in the sense of perfect means is employed to denote the discharging of devotional service, and pratisamplavah means just the opposite, or that which destroys the progress of devotional service.

One who is firmly situated in the devotional service of the Lord can very easily execute the function of conditional life.

Living the conditional life is just like plying a boat in the middle of the ocean.

One is completely at the mercy of the ocean, and at every moment there is every chance of being drowned in the ocean by slight agitation.

If the atmosphere is all right, the boat can ply very easily, undoubtedly, but if there is some storm, fog, wind or cloud, there is every possibility of being drowned in the ocean.

No one can control the whims of the ocean, however one may be materially well equipped.

One who has crossed the oceans by ship may have sufficient experience of such dependence upon the mercy of the ocean.

But one can ply over the ocean of material existence by the grace of the Lord very easily, without any fear of storm or fog.

It all depends on the will of the Lord; no one can help if there is some unfortunate danger in the state of conditional life.

The devotees of the Lord, however, cross the ocean of material existence without anxiety because a pure devotee is always protected by the Lord (Bg.9.13).

The Lord gives special attention to His devotees in their activities within material, conditional life (Bg.9.29).

Therefore everyone should take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord and be a pure devotee of the Lord by all means.

One should know, therefore, from the expert spiritual master, the advantages and disadvantages of discharging devotional service, just as Maharaja Pariksit asked his spiritual master, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.

According to Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the science of devotional service, one should not eat more than what he requires to maintain body and soul together.

Vegetable diets and milk are sufficient for maintenance of the human body, and therefore one has no need to eat anything more to satisfy the palate.

One should also not accumulate money to become puffed up in the material world.

One should earn his livelihood easily and honestly, for it is better to become a coolie for an honest livelihood than to become a great man in society by hook and crook.

There is no harm if one becomes the richest man in the world by honest dealings, but one should not sacrifice the honest means of livelihood simply to accumulate wealth.

Such an endeavor is harmful to devotional service.

One should not talk nonsense.

A devotee’s business is to earn the favor of the Lord.

Therefore a devotee should always glorify the Lord in His wonderful creations.

A devotee should not decry the creation of the Lord, defying Him by saying that He has created a false world.

The world is not false.

Factually we have to take so many things from the world for our maintenance, so how we can say that the world is false? Similarly, how can one think of the Lord as being without form? How can one become formless and at the same time have all intelligence and consciousness, direct and indirect? So there are many things for a pure devotee to learn, and he should learn them perfectly from a bona fide personality like Sukadeva Gosvami.

The favorable conditions for discharging devotional service are that one should be very enthusiastic in serving the Lord.

The Lord in His form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted the cult of devotional service to the Lord to be preached all over the world, in every nook and corner, and therefore a pure devotee’s duty is to discharge this order as far as possible.

Every devotee should be very enthusiastic, not only in performing his daily rituals of devotional service, but in trying to preach the cult peacefully by following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya.

If he is not superficially successful in such an attempt, he should not be deterred from the discharge of his duty.

Success or failure has no meaning for a pure devotee because he is a soldier in the field.

Preaching the cult of devotional service is something like declaring war against materialistic life.

There are different kinds of materialists, such as the fruitive workers, the mental speculators, the mystic jugglers, and so many others.

All of them are against the existence of Godhead.

They would declare that they are themselves God, although in every step and in every action they are dependent on the mercy of the Lord.

Therefore a pure devotee may not associate with such gangs of atheists.

A strong devotee of the Lord will not be misled by such atheistic propaganda of the nondevotees, but a neophyte devotee should be very cautious about them.

A devotee should see to the right discharge of devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master and should not stick only to the formalities.

Under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, one should see how much service is being executed, and not simply in the matter of rituals.

A devotee should not hanker after anything, but he should be satisfied with things that may automatically come to him by the will of the Lord.

That should be the principle of a devotional life.

And all these principles are easily learned under the guidance of a spiritual master like Sukadeva Gosvami.

Maharaja Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva correctly, and one should follow his example.

Maharaja Pariksit inquired about the process of creation, maintenance and destruction of the material world, the process of Vedic rituals and the method of executing pious activities in terms of the supplementary Vedas like the Puranas and Mahabharata.

As explained before, the Mahabharata is the history of ancient India, and so also are the Puranas.

Pious acts are prescribed in the supplementary Vedas (smrtis), which specifically mention digging tanks and wells for the water supply of the people in general.

To plant trees on the public roads, to construct public temples and places of worship of God, to establish places of charity where the poor destitutes can be provided with foodstuff, and similar activities are called purta.

Similarly, the process of fulfilling the natural desires for sense gratification was also inquired about by the King for the benefit of all concerned.

2.8.22

yo vanusayinam sargah

pasandasya ca sambhavah

atmano bandha-moksau ca

vyavasthanam sva-rupatah

SYNONYMS

yah—all those; va—either; anusayinam—merged into the body of the Lord; sargah—creation; pasandasya—of the infidels; ca—and; sambhavah—appearance; atmanah—of the living beings; bandha—conditioned; moksau—being liberated; ca—also; vyavasthanam—being situated; sva-rupatah—in an unconditioned state.

TRANSLATION

Please also explain how, merged in the body of the Lord, living beings are created, and how the infidels appear in the world.

Also please explain how the unconditioned living entities exist.

PURPORT

The progressive devotee of the Lord must inquire from the bona fide spiritual master how living entities merged in the body of the Lord again come back at the time of creation.

There are two kinds of living entities.

There are the ever-liberated, unconditioned living beings as well as the ever-conditioned living beings.

Of the ever-conditioned living beings, there are two divisions.

They are the faithful and the infidels.

Of the faithful there are again two divisions, namely the devotees and the mental speculators.

The mental speculators desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, or to become one with the Lord, whereas the devotees of the Lord desire to keep separate identities and constantly engage in the service of the Lord.

The devotees who are not fully purified, as well as the empiric philosophers, become conditioned again during the next creation for further purification.

Such conditioned souls become liberated by further progress of devotional service to the Lord.

Maharaja Pariksit asked all these questions from the bona fide spiritual master in order to become fully equipped in the science of God.

2.8.23

yathatma-tantro bhagavan

vikridaty atma-mayaya

visrjya va yatha mayam

udaste saksivad vibhuh

SYNONYMS

yatha—as; atma-tantrah—independent; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; vikridati—enjoys His pastimes; atma-mayaya—by His internal potency; visrjya—giving up; va—as also; yatha—as He desires; mayam—the external potency; udaste—remains; saksivat—just as the witness; vibhuh—the almighty.

TRANSLATION

The independent Personality of Godhead enjoys His pastimes by His internal potency and at the time of annihilation gives them up to the external potency, and He remains a witness to it all.

PURPORT

Lord Sri Krsna, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead and fountainhead of all other incarnations, is the only independent person.

He enjoys His pastimes by creation as He desires and gives them up to the external energy at the time of annihilation.

By His internal potency only, He kills the demon Putana, even though enjoying His pastimes in the lap of His mother Yasoda.

And when He desires to leave this world He creates the pastimes of killing His own family members (Yadu-kula) and remains unaffected by such annihilation.

He is the witness of everything that is happening, and yet He has nothing to do with anything.

He is independent in every respect.

Maharaja Pariksit desired to know more perfectly, for a pure devotee ought to know well.

2.8.24

sarvam etac ca bhagavan

prcchato me ’nupurvasah

tattvato ’rhasy udahartum

prapannaya maha-mune

SYNONYMS

sarvam—all these; etat—inquiries; ca—also that I have not been able to ask; bhagavan—O great sage; prcchatah—of the inquisitive; me—myself; anupurvasah—from the beginning; tattvatah—just in accordance with the truth; arhasi—may kindly be explained; udahartum—as you will let know; prapannaya—one who is surrounded; maha-mune—O great sage.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, representative of the Lord, kindly satisfy my inquisitiveness in all that I have inquired from you and all that I may not have inquired from you from the very beginning of my questionings.

Since I am a soul surrendered unto you, please impart full knowledge in this connection.

PURPORT

The spiritual master is always prepared to impart knowledge to the disciple and specifically when the disciple is very inquisitive inquisitiveness on the part of a disciple is greatly necessary for the progressive disciple.

Maharaja Pariksit is a typical disciple because he is perfectly inquisitive.

If one is not very inquisitive about self-realization, one need not approach a spiritual master simply to make a show of discipleship.

Not only is Maharaja Pariksit inquisitive concerning all he has inquired about, but he is also anxious to know about what he has not been able to inquire.

Factually it is not possible for a man to inquire about everything from the spiritual master, but the bona fide spiritual master is able to enlighten the disciple in every way for the disciple’s benefit.

2.8.25

atra pramanam hi bhavan

paramesthi yathatma-bhuh

apare canutisthanti

purvesam purva-jaih krtam

SYNONYMS

atra—in this matter; pramanam—evidential facts; hi—certainly; bhavan—yourself; paramesthi—Brahma, the creator of the universe; yatha—as; atma-bhuh—born directly from the Lord; apare—others; ca—only; anutisthanti—just to follow; purvesam—as a matter of custom; purva-jaih—knowledge suggested by a previous philosopher; krtam—having been done.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, you are as good as Brahma, the original living being.

Others follow custom only, as followed by the previous philosophical speculators.

PURPORT

It may be argued that Sukadeva Gosvami is not the only authority of perfect knowledge in transcendence because there are many other sages and their followers.

Contemporary to Vyasadeva or even prior to him there were many other great sages, such as Gautama, Kanada, Jaimini, Kapila and Astavakra, and all of them have presented a philosophical path by themselves.

Patanjali is also one of them, and all these six great rsis have their own way of thinking, exactly like the modern philosophers and mental speculators.

The difference between the six philosophical paths put forward by the renowned sages above mentioned and that of Sukadeva Gosvami, as presented in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, is that all the six sages mentioned above speak the facts according to their own thinking, but Sukadeva Gosvami presents the knowledge which comes down directly from Brahmaji, who is known as atma-bhuh, or born of and educated by the Almighty Personality of Godhead.

Vedic transcendental knowledge descends directly from the Personality of Godhead.

By His mercy, Brahma, the first living being in the universe, was enlightened, and from Brahmaji, Narada was enlightened, and from Narada, Vyasa was enlightened.

Sukadeva Gosvami received such transcendental knowledge directly from his father, Vyasadeva.

Thus the knowledge, being received from the chain of disciplic succession, is perfect.

One cannot be a spiritual master in perfection unless and until one has received the same by disciplic succession.

That is the secret of receiving transcendental knowledge.

The six great sages mentioned above may be great thinkers, but their knowledge by mental speculation is not perfect.

However perfect an empiric philosopher may be in presenting a philosophical thesis, such knowledge is never perfect because it is produced by an imperfect mind.

Such great sages also have their disciplic successions, but they are not authorized because such knowledge does not come directly from the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana.

No one can be independent except Narayana; therefore no one’s knowledge can be perfect, for everyone’s knowledge is dependent on the flickering mind.

Mind is material and thus knowledge presented by material speculators is never transcendental and can never become perfect.

Mundane philosophers, being imperfect in themselves, disagree with other philosophers because a mundane philosopher is not a philosopher at all unless he presents his own theory.

Intelligent persons like Maharaja Pariksit do not recognize such mental speculators, however great they may be, but hear from the authorities like Sukadeva Gosvami, who is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the parampara system, as is specially stressed in the Bhagavad-gita.

2.8.26

na me ’savah parayanti

brahmann anasanad ami

pibato ’cyuta-piyusam

tad vakyabdhi-vinihsrtam

SYNONYMS

na—never; me—mine; asavah—life; parayanti—becomes exhausted; brahman—O learned brahmana; anasanat ami—because of fasting; pibatah—because of my drinking; acyuta—of the infallible; piyusam—nectar; tat—your; vakya-abdhi—ocean of speech; vinihsrtam—flowing down from.

TRANSLATION

O learned brahmana, because of my drinking the nectar of the message of the infallible Personality of Godhead, which is flowing down from the ocean of your speeches, I do not feel any sort of exhaustion due to my fasting.

PURPORT

The disciplic succession from Brahma, Narada, Vyasa and Sukadeva Gosvami is particularly different from others.

The disciplic successions from other sages are simply a waste of time, being devoid of acyuta-katha, or the message of the infallible Lord.

The mental speculators can present their theories very nicely by reason and arguments, but such reasons and arguments are not infallible, for they are defeated by better mental speculators.

Maharaja Pariksit was not interested in the dry speculation of the flickering mind, but he was interested in the topics of the Lord because factually he felt that by hearing such a nectarean message from the mouth of Sukadeva Gosvami he was not feeling any exhaustion, even though he was fasting because of his imminent death.

One can indulge in hearing the mental speculators, but such hearing cannot endure for any length of time.

One will be exhausted very soon from hearing such hackneyed ways of thinking, and no one in the world can be satisfied simply by hearing such useless speculations.

The message of the Lord, especially from a personality like Sukadeva Gosvami, can never be tiring, even though one may be exhausted from other causes.

In some editions of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the text of the last line of this verse reads anyatra kupitad dvijat, which means that the King might be overwhelmed by the thought of his imminent death by snakebite.

The snake is also twice-born, and its anger is compared to the cursing brahmana boy who was without good intelligence.

Maharaja Pariksit was not at all afraid of death, for he was fully encouraged by the message of the Lord.

One who is fully absorbed in acyuta-katha can never be afraid of anything in this world.

2.8.27

suta uvaca

sa upamantrito rajna

kathayam iti sat-pateh

brahmarato bhrsam prito

visnuratena samsadi

SYNONYMS

sutah uvaca—Srila Suta Gosvami said; sah—he (Sukadeva Gosvami); upamantritah—thus being inquired; rajna—by the King; kathayam—in the topics; iti—thus; sat-pateh—of the highest truth; brahma-ratah—Sukadeva Gosvami; bhrsam—very much; pritah—pleased; visnu-ratena—by Maharaja Pariksit; samsadi—in the meeting.

TRANSLATION

Suta Gosvami said: Thus Sukadeva Gosvami, being invited by Maharaja Pariksit to speak on topics of the Lord Sri Krsna with the devotees, was very much pleased.

PURPORT

Srimad-Bhagavatam can be legitimately discussed only among the devotees of the Lord.

As the Bhagavad-gita was authoritatively discussed between Lord Krsna and Arjuna (the Lord and the devotee respectively), similarly Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the postgraduate study of the Bhagavad-gita, can also be discussed between the scholars and devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit.

Otherwise the real taste of the nectar cannot be relished.

Sukadeva Gosvami was pleased with Maharaja Pariksit because he was not at all tired of hearing the topics of the Lord and was more and more anxious to hear them on and on with interest.

Foolish interpreters unnecessarily tackle the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam when they have no access to the subject matter.

There is no use in nondevotees’ meddling with the two topmost Vedic literatures, and therefore Sankaracarya did not touch Srimad-Bhagavatam for commentation.

In his commentation on the Bhagavad-gita, Sripada Sankaracarya accepted Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but later on he commented from the impersonalist’s view.

But, being conscious of his position, he did not comment on the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was protected by Lord Krsna (vide Brahma-vaivarta Purana), and therefore he is known as Brahmarata, and Sriman Pariksit Maharaja was protected by Visnu, and thus he is known as Visnurata.

As devotees of the Lord, they are always protected by the Lord.

It is clear also in this connection that a Visnurata should hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from Brahmarata and no one else because others misrepresent the transcendental knowledge and thus spoil one’s valuable time.

2.8.28

praha bhagavatam nama

puranam brahma-sammitam

brahmane bhagavat-proktam

brahma-kalpa upagate

SYNONYMS

praha—he said; bhagavatam—the science of the Personality of Godhead; nama—of the name; puranam—the supplement of the Vedas; brahma-sammitam—just in pursuance of the Vedas; brahmane—unto Lord Brahma; bhagavat-proktam—was spoken by the Personality of Godhead; brahma-kalpe—the millennium in which Brahma was first generated; upagate—just in the beginning.

TRANSLATION

He began to reply to the inquiries of Maharaja Pariksit by saying that the science of the Personality of Godhead was spoken first by the Lord Himself to Brahma when he was first born.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the supplementary Vedic literature, and it is just in pursuance of the Vedas.

PURPORT

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the science of the Personality of Godhead.

The impersonalist always tries to misrepresent the personal feature of the Lord, not knowing the science of this great knowledge, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is in pursuance of the Vedas and scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead.

To learn this science one should take shelter of the representative of Sri Sukadeva and follow in the footsteps of Maharaja Pariksit without foolishly attempting to interpret, thereby committing a great offense at the feet of the Lord.

The dangerous ways of interpretations by the nondevotee class of men have played havoc in understanding the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the careful student should be always alert in this matter if he at all wants to learn the science of Godhead.

2.8.29

yad yat pariksid rsabhah

pandunam anuprcchati

anupurvyena tat sarvam

akhyatum upacakrame

SYNONYMS

yat yat—whatsoever; pariksit—the King; rsabhah—the best; pandunam—in the dynasty of Pandu; anuprcchati—goes on inquiring; anupurvyena—the beginning to the end; tat—all those; sarvam—fully; akhyatum—to describe; upacakrame—he just prepared himself.

TRANSLATION

He also prepared himself to reply to all that King Pariksit had inquired from him.

Maharaja Pariksit was the best in the dynasty of the Pandus, and thus he was able to ask the right questions from the right person.

PURPORT

Maharaja Pariksit asked many questions, some of them very curiously, to know things as they are, but it is not necessary for the master to answer them in the order of the disciple’s inquiries, one after the other.

But Sukadeva Gosvami, experienced teacher that he was, answered all the questions in a systematic way as they were received from the chain of disciplic succession.

And he answered all of them without exception.