6

Lesson 10 Purification of the living being submerged in matter is made possible by the
prescribed activities in the Vedas, but the ultimate achievement is different

31. Catches the possible clue – Feels the defect of not describing devotional service
specifically and sufficient

Lesson 11 Unless one is fixed in the normal condition of service, neither the Lord nor the
living being can become fully satisfied

32. Narada reaches Vyasadev’s cottage who was regretting

• Inspiration of such feeling infused by Krishna in heart of Vyasadev

Lesson 12 without the transcendental loving service of the Lord, everything is void; but in
the transcendental service of the Lord, everything is tangible without any separate attempt
at fruitive work or empiric philosophical speculation

33. Sri Vyasadev receives Sri Naradaji

• Got up respectfully,Worshiped him and Respecting him equal to Bramhaji
o Viddhi means Bramha, who is the first created living being and father of all
regulations (Viddhis)
o Bramha is the 1’st Student and professor of Vedas and Narada is his disciple

Lesson 13 All successive disciples in the chain are to be equally respected as

representatives of the original spiritual master

-----------------------End of Chapter 4----------------------------

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• Simplification of Vedas could help people who are in passion and ignorance.

25A. Edited Vedas and compiled Mahabharata for women, sudras and dvija bandus to
help people attain ultimate goal of life
• Importance of Samskaras in life
o Two births of the twice born – At the time of Garbhädhäna-saàskära and at
sacred thread ceremony
o Dvija bandhus, are born without purificatory ceremony
o Sudras and women do not undergo any other saàskäras except marriage
ceremony

25B This indicates the compassionate mood of Vyasadev

• Vyasadev and Lord Krishna collaborate on transcendental plane – they offer philosophy
packed in stories for less intelligent class
o BhavagadGita (so are the Upanishads) is the first book of spiritual values
o Vedanta is for spiritual graduates
o Postgraduates enter into devotional service (Under the great professor Lord
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)

Lesson 6 Persons who are empowered by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can initiate others
in the transcendental loving service of the Lord

Vyasadev’s dissatisfaction expressed (26 -27)

26. No satisfaction in spite of such vast compilation for the welfare of all
• He expected satisfaction but failed to achieve satisfaction

27. Reflected on the cause of dissatisfaction, because he knew the essence of religion

Lesson 7 Perfection is never achieved until one is satisfied at heart

Lesson 8 This satisfaction of heart has to be searched beyond matter

Causes of dissatisfaction considered (28 -31)

28-29. Reflects on his efforts which should not have caused such dissatisfaction
• Followed a strict disciplinary vows and disciplic succession
• Worshiped Vedas, spiritual master and sacrificial fire.
• Complied Mahabharata for less intelligent

Lesson 9 No one can understand the import of the Vedas without having undergone a
strict disciplinary vow and disciplic succession

30. Missed the clue – Vyasadev appears to have lost the clue although fully equipped in
Vedic details
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 Because poor crop production and poor cow’s milk productions

o Mutual dealings full of hypocrisy
• Great liberated souls see through scriptures, by the power of sharp spiritual
attainment(para 2)
o Analogy of Astrologer and Astronomer

17-18B. Desired welfare – He contemplated for the welfare of all

• Devotees of Lord are the greatest philanthropists and real friends of society
• They represent the one and only one mission of great äcäryas – to deliver fallen
souls – back to Godhead

19A. Contemplated the solution – He also saw Vedic sacrifices as the means to purify
people’s occupations

How did Vyasadev responded (19B-23)

19B. Simplified Vedic Process – Divided one Veda into four (one original Yajur Veda into
4 divisions)
• Shows the kind and sympathetic mood of Vyasadev and his disciples to fallen souls
• Authority of Puranas and Mahabharata
o They are related historical facts explaining the teachings of 4 Vedas
o Chandogya Upanishad mentions these as the fifth Veda – that is way of
ascertaining the respective value of revealed scriptures according to Jiva
Goswami.

20. Histories and Authentic stories are the fifth Veda

21-22. Vyasadev entrusted different Vedas to different learned scholars

• Rg Veda Paila Rsi

• Sama Veda Jaimini
• Yajur Veda Vaisampayana
• Atharva Veda Sumantu Muni Angira
• Puranas Suta Goswami’s father Romaharsana

23. Further divisions – Further got divided into branches of knowledge through disciples
and grand disciples.
• There are no branches of knowledge, either mundane or transcendental, which do
not belong to the original text of the Vedas.

Reason for making all these divisions(Text 24-25)

24. Edited Vedas to help less intelligent class assimilate the subject matter of Vedas.
• Birthright is not their qualification – Vedas and their ultimate goal Sri krishna can
be understood only by men with exceptional quality of goodness (Passion and
ignorance disable them)
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o Shelter for others – He was fully detached and no selfish interests but his life
was devoted for the cause of Personality of Godhead and thus for welfare
and happiness of others.
o Being a devotee – had all good qualifications

Lesson 4 The king is the representative of the Supreme Lord, and therefore the king's
interest must be identical with that of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord wants all
living beings to be obedient to Him and thereby become happy. Therefore the king's
interest is to guide all subjects back to the kingdom of God

Lesson 5 If all living beings are satisfied with food and shelter and obey the prescribed
rules, there cannot be any disturbance between one living being and another

13. Sages acknowledge the qualification of Suta Goswami by the strength of his
realizations – although he might not be expert in chanting vedic mantras.
• Study the difference between Brahmanas and Parivijakacharyas and difference
between Vedas and Puranas

Lesson 6 Realisation is more important than parrot like chanting

Suta Goswami starts answering the questions

14 Answers the history of Vyasadev’s birth as a hint to the questions mentioned in point
3A
• Study the time of overlapping (which Manu, etc) and reason of overlapping
• Study the concept of sandhya

15 Place is indicated – Samyaprasa at Badrikasrama, at banks of saraswati

16 Vyasadev noted the future anomalies expected in kali yuga

• Liberated souls can see past and future

Lesson 5 The people in general in this age of Kali are too much interested in matter, which
is temporary. Because of ignorance they are unable to evaluate the assets of life and be
enlightened in spiritual knowledge

Vyasadev’s vision described (17-19A)

17-18A. Saw Deterioration – He would see the deterioration of everything material due to
influence of age of kali
• This indicates the power of unmanifested forces of time(para 1)
o Duration of life reduced / Memory reduced
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o Vyasadev, although in transcendental stage , being a householder did not

pretend to be a liberated soul, as a matter of custom

Lesson 1 One should, therefore, attempt to know the distinction between body and soul
without any attachment for male and female. As long as such distinction is there, one
should not try to become a sannyäsé like Çukadeva Gosvämé. At least theoretically one
must be convinced that a living entity is neither male nor female

Lesson 2 A sage is not, therefore, recognized by sight, but by hearing. One should
approach a sädhu or great sage not to see but to hear him. If one is not prepared to hear the
words of a sädhu, there is no profit

7-8. Inquiries about meeting of Sukdev Goswami and Parikshit Maharaj

How did Sukhdev Goswami happen to meet Parikshit Maharaj, a household King and
spend so much time with him speaking Srimad Bhagavatam, although Sukhdev Goswami
would only stay at door of a householder only long enough for a cow to be milked.

• Sukhdev Goswami spoke Srimad Bhagvatam – therefore Srimad Bhavatam is also

called Suka- Samhita (Text 7)
• Srimad Bhagavatam is called ‘Sruti’ here – because it is the essence of Vedas and not
an imaginary story (Text 7)
• Sukdev Maharaj sets the example as an ideal preacher by not spending too much
time with worldly people (Text 8)
• Analogy :- For a renounced person, to be allured by glamour of worldly men is
more dangerous than drinking poison and committing suicide (Text 8)

Lesson 3 Those who are in the renounced order of life and dedicated to the mission of
preaching the message of Godhead should learn that they have no business with
householders save and except to enlighten them in transcendental knowledge.

9-12. Questions about Parikshit Maharaj wonderful birth and activities – Why did he
gave up everything in spite of special qualities and opulence.
• Birth, death and activities – all were wonderful
o Birth – Because he was protected by Supreme Personality of Godhead in the
womb
o Activities – Because protected cow from kali and chastised kali.
o Death – Because he got a prior notice (unusual for any mental being) and
thus prepared for death by hearing Srimad Bhagavatam
• Qualities – Seven in number mentioned here
o Inherited kingdom – He was a Great emperor with all the opulences
inherited without any effort
o Doing well in administration – Increasing the prestige of Pandy dynasty
o Commanded Respect – All the kings would bow down and pay taxes
willingly
o Full of Youth and Strength
o Full of Piety – Therefore kingdom was full of material prosperity
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Chapter – 4
The Appearance of Çré Närada
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !
‘
1. Saunaka Rsi congratulates Suta Goswami
• Expected qualifications for the congratulator – leader, elderly and vastly learned
• Speaker’s qualification is understood from the words “yathädhétaà yathä-mati”
o This indicates that his words represent the words of äcäryas and also based
on personal realization
o Concept of ‘personal realization’
 Presenting with full confidence in previous äcäryas
 Maintaining the original purpose of the text – No obscure meaning to
be screwed out
 Must realize the subject matter very nicely
 Present in an interesting and suitable manner
• Standard of recitation of Srimad Bhagavatam – Bonafide authenticity of Speaker and
eagerness of audience

2A. Saunaka Muni expresses great eagerness to hear – This eagerness is based on seeing
the qualifications of Suta Goswami
• Qualifications of Bonafide participants in Bhagavatam Katha
o One who is prepared to present the topic in light of Sukdev Goswami, and
o Those who are prepared to hear Sukdev goswami and his representatives

Link 2A to 2B Srimad Bhagavatam being a special contribution of Vyasadev, and being

transcendental to Vedic writings, Saunaka Rsi has many inquiries about Srimad
Bhagavatam

Saunaka Rsi’s questions (Texts 2 – 12)

2B. Relate the pious messages of Srimad Bhagavatam, as told by the great and powerful
sage Sukdev Goswami

3A. Questions about the history – In what period and at what place was this Srimad
Bhagavatam first begun, why was this taken up

3B. From where did Vyasadev got the inspiration to compile Srimad Bhagavatam

4-6. Inquiries about Sukdev Goswami – Sukdev Goswami who was the most elevated
transcendentalist and completely indifferent to matter, roaming like a madman, how was
he perceived in Hastinapur
• Example of Sukdev Goswami’s indifference mentioned – Young ladies were not
affected by his presence (text 5)
o Analogy – Ladies could sense Sukdev Goswami just like one understands the
innocence of the child by looking at the child