SB Glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam Suta Goswami answers question 6 of the sages

Offering obeisances näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam devéà 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 abhadreñu nityaà bhägavata-sevayä bhagavaty 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 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 idaḿ bhāgavataḿ nāma/ purāṇaḿ brahma-sammitam uttama-śloka-caritaḿ/ cakāra bhagavān ṛṣiḥ niḥśreyasāya lokasya/ dhanyaḿ svasty-ayanaḿ 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 Two “of the Lord” Bhāgavatas Book Bhāgavat Literary incarnation “of Krsna” Person Bhāgavat Incarnation of Krsna – Vyasadev Pure person whose life is dedicated to His service 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. Blessings and Benefit through Personal contact of the Lord Blessings and benefit through careful and patient study of the Bhagavatam “It carries with it all the transcendental blessings of Lord Sri Krsna that we can expect from His personal contact”

SB tad idaḿ grāhayām āsa sutam ātmavatāḿ varam sarva-vedetihāsānāḿ sāraḿ sāraḿ samuddhṛtam 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 sa tu saḿśrāvayām āsa mahārājaḿ parīkṣitam prāyopaviṣṭaḿ gańgāyāḿ parītaḿ paramarṣibhiḥ Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, in his turn delivered the Bhāgavatam to the great Emperor Parīkṣit, who sat surrounded by sages on the bank of the Ganges, awaiting death without taking food or drink. Person Bhāgavat Sri Vyasadev Sukadeva Goswami

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 Kṛṣṇa), and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa. It is factually the essence of all histories.

SB kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa 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 Purāṇa. 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

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 Kṛṣṇa personified. We must therefore accept Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam as the direct representation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who can see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can see also Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa 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 viprā viprarṣer bhūri-tejasaḥ ahaḿ cādhyagamaḿ tatra niviṣṭas tad-anugrahāt so 'haḿ vaḥ śrāvayiṣyāmi yathādhītaḿ yathā-mati O learned brāhmaṇas, when Śukadeva Gosvāmī recited Bhāgavatam there [in the presence of Emperor Parīkṣit], 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 service HE IS RARE Serving him Nityam bhagavat Sevaya e.g Narada Muni Hearing from him Live lectures Hearing recordings Doing service under their guidance Enquiring how to apply principles Doing service with them -Seeing them acting on the basis of Bhagavatam From : 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 niviṣṭa 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa in person in the pages of Bhāgavatam.niviṣṭaSūtaBhāgavatam KṛṣṇaBhāgavatamŚrīKṛṣṇaBhāgavatam

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 s – 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”