Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

many frailties in the action. Our body has blackened by the smoke but we
are factually pleased by the nectarine, of the lotus feet of the Personality
of Godhead Govind, administered by you."
The sacrificial fire kindled by the sages of Naimisaranya was certainly full of
smoke and doubts on account of so many flaws in such activity. The first flaw
is that there is acute scarcity of expert Brahmins able to carry out such
performances successfully in this age of Kali. Any discrepancy in such
sacrifices spoils the whole show and the result is uncertain like that in the
matter of agricultural enterprises. Good result of tilling the paddy field
depends on providential rain and therefore the result is uncertain. Similarly
performances of any kind of sacrifice in this age of Kali is also uncertain.
Unscrupulous greedy Brahmins of the age of Kali induce innocent public for
such uncertain sacrificial show without disclosing the scriptural injunction
that in the age of Kali there is no other fruitful sacrifial performance, except
the sacrifice of congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Suta
Goswami was narrating such transcendental name and glories of the Lord
before the congregation of sages and they were factually perceiving result of
hearing of the transcendental activities of the Lord. One can feel like that
practically as much as one can feel the result of eating foodstuff within
oneself. spiritual realisation acts in that way.
The sages of Naimisaranya were practically sufferers from the smoke of a
sacrificial fire and were doubtful about the result; but by hearing from a
realised person like Suta Goswami they were fully satisfied. In the
Brahmavaivarta Puranam it is said by Vishnu to Shiva that in the age of Kali
men full with anxieties of various kinds, can vainly labour in the matter of
fruitive activity and philosophical speculations but when they are engaged in
the matter of devotional service, the result is sure and certain without any loss
of energy. In other words anything performed either for spiritual realisaiion or
for material benefit, can not be successful without being accompanied by
devotional service of the Lord.
Tulayama lavena api na swargam na apunarbhavam
Bhagwatsamgi sangasya martanam kim uia ashisah.
Tulayama—to be balanced with, Lavena—by a moment, Api—even, Na—
never, Swargam—heavenly planets, Na—neither, Apunarbhavam—liberation
from matter, Bhagwatsamgi—Devotee of the Lord, Samgasya—of the
association, Martanam—those who are meant for death, Kim—what is there,
Uta—to speak of, Ashisah—worldly benediction.
The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot
be compared even with the value of attainment of heavenly planets or
becoming birthless (liberation from matter) and what to speak about
wordly benediction in the shape of material prosperity of persons who
are meant for death.
When there are some points of similarities it is possible then to compare one
thing with similar another. As such one cannot compare association of a pure
devotee, with anything materially valuable. Men who are too much addicted
with material happiness, aspire after reaching the heavenly planets like the
planet of Moon, Venus Indraloka etc and those who are advanced in matesial
philosophical speculations do aspire after liberation from all material
bondage. When one becomes frustrated in all kinds of material advancement
of prosperity, one desires after the opposite number of liberation which is
called Apunarbhava or not to take birth again. But the pure devotees of the
Lord do not aspire after the happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom
neither do they aspire after liberation from the material bondage. In other
words for the pure devotees of the Lord the material pleasures obtainable in
the heavenly planets are something like phantasmagoria and because they are
already liberated from all material conception of pleasure and distresses, they
are factually liberated even in the material world. This means the pure
devotees of the Lord are engaged in a different transcendental objective of
existence namely in the loving service of the Lord in this material world or in
the spiritual world. As government servant is always the same, either in the
office or at home or at any place, so a devotee has nothing to do with anything
material and they are exclusively engaged in the matter of transcendental
service of the Lord. As they have nothing to do with anything material what
pleasuse they can derive in the matter of material benedictions like kingship
or similal other overlordship which are finished quickly along with the end of
the body. Devotional service is eternal and it has no finishing because it is
spiritual. Such transcendental engagement is eternal and is never to be
finished. Therefore, the assets, of a pure devotee being completely different
from material assets, there is no question of comparision between the two,
Suta Goswami was a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore his association
for the Rishis in the Naimisaranya engaged in fruitive sacrificial activities, is
not comparable. Association of Suta Goswami for the sage is unique. In the
material world, association of the gross materialists is veritably condemned.
The materialiset is called, yoshitsamgi or one who is much attached with
material engagement of women and paraphernalia. Such attachment is
conditioned because it drives away benedictions of life and prosparity. And
just the opposite number is "Bhagwatsamgi' or one who is always in the
association of the Lord's Name Form Qualities etc. Such association is always
Eighteenth Chapter - Maharaj Parikshit Cursed By A Brahmin Boy
57
disirable, it is worshipable, it is praiseworthy and one may accept as the
highest goal of life.
Ko nama tripyed rasauit kathayam
Mahattamaikanta parayanasya
Na antam gunanam agunasya jagmur
Yogeswara ye bhava padma mukhya.
Ka—who is he, Nama—specifically, Tripyed—get full satisfaction, Rasavit—
expert in relishing mellow, Kathayam—in the topics of, Mahattama—the
greatest amongst the living being, Ekanta—exclusively, Parayanasya—of one
who is the shelter of, Na—never, antam—end, Gunanam—of attributes,
Agunasya—of the trascendence, Jagmur—could ascertain, Yogeswara—the
lords of mystic power, Ye—all they, Bhava—Lord Shiva, Padma—Lord
Brahma, Mukhyah—heads.
The personality of Godhead Lord Krishna (Govinda) is the exclusive
shelter for all the greatest of the living being and His transcendental
attributes could not be measured even by the heads of mystic powers like
Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. Can any one, who is expert in relishing
mellow, be fully satisfied by hearing the topics of Him ?
Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma are two heads of the demi-gods. They are full of
mystic powers. For example Lord Shiva drunk an ocean of poison of which
one drop is sufficient to kill an ordinary living being. Similarly Brahama
could create many such powerful demigods including Lord Shiva. So they are
Iswaras or the lords of the universe. But they are not the Supreme powerful.
The Supreme powerful is Govinda Lord Krishna. He is trancendence and His
trancedental attributes could not be measured even by such powerful Iswaras
like Shiva and Brahma. Therefore. Lord Krishna is the exclusive shelter of the
greatest of all living beings. Brahma is counted amongst the living beings but
he is the greatest of all us. And why such greatest of all the living being is so
much attached to the transcendental topic of Lord Krishna ? Because He is the
reservoir of all mellows. Every one wants to relish some kind of mellow from
everything in use but one one who is engaged in tne transcendental loving
service of the Lord can derive unlimited mellow from such engagement. The
Lord is unlimited and His Name, Attributes, Pastimes, Entourage
variegatedness everything are unlimited and those who relish in them can do
so unlimitedly and still no body feels satiated in such transcendental
engagements. This fact in confirmed in the Padam Puranam and it is said thus.
(In Devanagari:)
"ramante yogino ’nante satyanande cid-atmani
iti rama-padenasau param brahmabhidhiyate"
There is no end of such transcendental discourses. In mundane affairs there is
law of satiation but in the transcendence there is no such satiation. Suta
Goswami desired to continue the topics of Lord Krishna before the sages of
Naimisaranya and sages also expressed their readiness to hear from him
continually; because the Lord being transcendence and this attributes being
transcendental, such discourses increase receptive mood of the purified
audience.
Tat no bhavan vai bhagawat pradhano
Mahattamo ekanta parayanasya
Harer udaram charitam visuddham
Sushrusatam no vitanotu vidwan.
Tat—therefore, No—of us, Bhavan—your goodself, Vai—certainly,
Bhagawat—in relation with the qersonality of Godhead, Pradhano—chiefly,
Mahattamo—the greatest of all great, Ekanta—exclusively, Parayanasya—of
the shelter, Harer—of the Lord, Udaram—impartial, Charitam—activities,
Vishudham—transcendental, Sushrvsatam—those who are receptive, No—
ourselves, Vitanotu—kindly describe, Vidwna—oh the learned.
Oo Suta Goswami you are learned and a pure devotee of the Lord
because the Personaiity of Godhead is chiefly your object of service.
Therefore the pastimes of the Lord which is above all material
conception, may kindly be described by you to us who are anxious to
receive such messages.
The qualification of the speaker of the transcendental activities of the Lord, is
that one should have only one object of worship and service of Lord Krishna
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the audience for such topic are
those who are anxious to hear about Him. When such combination is made
possible namely the qualified speaker and the qualified audience it is then and
there it becomes very much congenial to continue the discourses of the
transcendence. Professional speaker and materially absorbed audience cannot
derive the real benefit from such discourses. Professional speakers make a
show of Bhagwat Saptaha for the sake of family maintenance and the
materially disposed audience hear such discourses of Bhagwat Saptaha for
some material benefit namely religiosity, wealth, gratification of the senses or
liberation. Such exchange business of Bhagwatam discourses, is not purified
from the contamination of material qualities. But the discourses between the
saints of Naimisranya and Sri Suta Goswami are on the transcendental level
for the sake of hearing the Lord's activities without any motive for material