Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Srimad Bhagawatam, First Canto, Volume Three
gain. In such discourses only the unlimited transcendental mellow is relished
both by the audience and speaker and therefore they can continue the topics
for many thousands of Bhagwat Saptahas held for seven days only and after
finishing the show, both the audience and the speaker become engaged in
material activities as usual. They can do so because neither the speaker is
Bhagwat Pradhana nor the audience is Sushrusu as explained above.
Sa vai mahabhagawatah parikshit
Yena apvargakhyam adabhra buddhih
Jnanena vaisaki sabditena
Bheje khagendra dhwaja padamulam.
Sa—he, Vai—certainly, Mahabhagawatah—first class devotee, Parikshit—the
king, Yena—by which, Apavargakhyam—by the name of liberation,
Adabhra—fixed up, Buddhi—intelligence, Jnanena—by knowledge,
Vaiasaki—the son of Vyasa, Sabditena—vibrated by, Bheje—taken to,
Khagendra—Gaduda the king of the birds, Dhwaja—flag, Padamulam—palm
of the feet.
Oh Suta Goswami you please do describe that topics of the Lord by
which Maharaj Parikshit fixed up in intelligence of liberation attained
the lotus feet of the Lord shelter of Goduda the king of the bird by
hearing instruction vibrated by the son of Vyasa
There is some controversy amongst the students on the path of liberation.
Such transcendental students are known as the impersonalist and the devotee
of the Lord. The devotee of the Lord worships the transcendental Form of the
Lord, whereas the impersonalist meditates upon the glaring effulgence of the
bodily ray of the Lord known as the Brhmajyoti. Here in this verse it is said
that Maharaj Parikshit attained the lotus feet of the Lord by instructions of
knowledge delivered by the son of Vyasadeva Srila Sukadeva Goswami.
Sukadeva Goswami was also an impersonalist in the beginning as he has
admitted himself in the Bhagwatam (SB 2.l.9); but later on he was attracted
by the transcendental pastimes of the Lord and thus became a devotee. Such
devotees with perfect knowledgc is called Mahabhagawata or the first elass
devotee. There are three classes of devotee namely the Prakrito, Madhyam
and Mahabhagawata or the 3rd, 2nd, 1st class class devotees respectively, The
Prakiita or 3rd class devotees are temple worshippers without any specific
knowledge of the Lord and the Lord's devotees, The Madhyam or the 2nd
class devotee knows well the Lord, the Lord's devotee, the neophytes and the
nondevotees also. But the Mahabhagawata or the first class devotee sees every
thing in relation with the Lord and the Lord present in every one's relation.
The Mahabhagwata therefore does not make any distinction particularly
between a devotee and non devotee. Maharaj Pasikshit was such
Mahabhagwata devotee because he was initiated by the Mahabhagawata
devotee like Sukadeva Goswami. He was equally kind even to the personality
of Kali and what to speak of others.
So there are many instances in the transcendental histories of the world that
an impersonalist has later on become a devotee; but never a devotee has
become an impersonlist. This very fact proves that on the transcendental
steps, the step occupied by a devotee is higher than the step occupied by the
impersonlist. It is also stated in the Bhagwat Geeta (Bg. 12.5) that persons
stuck up by the impersonal step undergoes more sufferings than achievement
of reality. Therefore knowledge imparted by Sukadeva Goswami unto the
king Maharaj Parikshit, helped him to attain the service of the Lord. And to
attain to this stage of perfection is called Apavarga or the perfect stage of
liberation. Simple knowledge of liberation, is material knowledge. Actually
freedom from material bondage is called liberation; but to attain the
transcendental service of the Lord is called the perfect stage of liberation.
Such stage is attained by knowledge and renunciation as we have already
explained (Bhag. l.2.12) and perfect knowledge as was delivered by Srila
Sukdeva Goswami, results in the attainment of transcendental service of the
Lord.
Tat nah param punyam asambritartham
Akhyanam ati adbhuta yoganistham
Akhyahi ananta acharitam upapannam
Parikhitam bhagawata abhramam.
Tat—therefore, Nah—unto us, Param—Supreme, Punyam—purifying,
Asambhritartham—as it is, Akhyanam—narration, Ati—very, Adbhutam—
wonderful, Yoganistha—compact in Bhaktiyoga, Akhyahi—describe,
Ananta—the unlimited, Acharitam—activities, Upapannam—full of,
Parikshitam—spoken to Maharaj Parikshit, Bhagawata—of the pure devotees,
Abhirama—particularly very dear.
Therefore you may narrate before us the narrations of the unlimited as
they are purifying and supreme as they were spoken to Maharaj
Parikshit full of Bhaktiyoga and very dear to the pure devotees.
By mentioning what was spoken to Maharaj Parikshit and which is very dear
to the pure devotees means Srimad Bhagwatam. Srimad Bhagwatam is mainly
full of the narrations in respect of the activities of the Supreme unlimited and
therefore it is the science of Bhaktiyoga or devotional service of the Lord. As
such it is para or the supreme because although it is enriched with all
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knowledge and religiosity specifically it is enriched with devotional service of
the Lord.
Suta Uvacha
Aho vayam janmabhrito adya haasma
Briddhanuvrittyapi vilomajatah.
Douskulyam adhim vidunoti sighram
Mahattamanam abhidhana yogah.
Aho—how, Vayam—we, Janmabhrito—promoted in birth, Adya—today,
Ha—clearly, Asma—have become, Briddhanuvrittya—by serving those who
are advanced in knowledge, Api—although, Vilomajatah—born in mixed
caste, Douskulyam—disqualification of birth, Adhim—sufferings,
Vidhunoti—purifies, Sighram—very soon, Mahattamanam—of those who are
great, Abhidhana—conversation, Yogah—connection.
Oh, God, although we are born in the mixed caste still we are distinctly
promoted in our birthright simply by serving and following the great who
are advanced in knowledge. Even by connection with great souls in the
matter of conversation, one can cleanse up disqualification of lower birth
without any delay.
Suta Goswami did not take his birth in the family of Brahmin. He was born in
the family of mixed caste or uncultured low family. But still on account of
good and higher association like learning from Sri Sukadeva Goswami and
again explaining them before the great Rishis of Naimsaranya, certainly the
disqualification of his inferior birth was washed off. Lord Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu followed this principles in pursuance of the Vedic usages and by
His transcendental association He elevated many low born or disqualified by
birth or action to the status of devotional service and established them in the
position of Acharyas or the authorities. He clearly defined that any man
whatever he may be either a Brahmin or Sudra by birth, or a house-holder or
mendicant by the order of society, if one is conversant with the science of
Krashna, one can be accepted as the Acharya or Guru the spirtual master.
Suta Goswami learnt the science of Krishna from great Rishis and
authorities like Sukdeva, Vyasdeva etc and he was so much qualified that
even the sages of Naimisaranya eagerly wanted to hear from him the science
of Krishna in the form of Srimad Bhagwatam. So he had double association of
great souls in the matter of hearning and preaching also. Transcendental
science or the science of Krishna has to be learnt from the authorities and
being conversant in the science when one preaches the science, he becomes
still more qualified. So Suta Goswami had both the advahtages and as such
undoubtedly he was completely freed from all disqualification of low birth
disadvantages of mental agonies. This verse definitely proves it, that neither
Srila Sukadeva Goswami denied to teach Suta Goswami about the
transcendental science nor the sages of the Naimisaranya denied to have
lessons from him on account of his inferior birth-right. This means that
thousands of years before also there was not bar in the matter of learning or
preaching the transcendental science on account of inferior birth. The rigidity
of so called caste-system in Hindu society became prominent within one
hundred years or so only when the number of Dwijabandhus or disqualified
men in the the family of higher castes, increased. Lord Sri Chaitanya revived
original vedic system and He elevated Thakur Haridas to the position of
Namacharya or the authority in the matter of preaching the glories of the holy
Name of the Lord, although His Holiness Srila Haridas Thakur was pleased to
appear himself in the family of a Mahamedan.
Such is the power of pure devotees of the Lord. The Ganges water is
accepted to be pure and one can become purified after taking bath in the water
of the Ganges; but so far the great devotees of the Lord are concerned they
can purify a degraded soul even by being seen by the low born and what to
speak of associating with them? Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprbhu wanted to
purify the whole atmosphere of the poluted world by sending qualified
preachers all over the world and it remains with the Indians only to take up
the task scientifically and thus to do the best kind of humanitarian work of
preaehing the holy Name of the Lord by qualified men than to immitate some
sterio-typed immitation philonthrophic work like opening of hospitals etc. The
mental disease of the present generation is more acute than bodily diseases; it
is quite fitness of things and proper to take up the work of preaching Srimad
Bhagwatam all oven the world by proper personalities and without any delay.
Mahattamanam Abhidhana means also dictionary of great devotees or a book
full of the words of great devotees. Such dictionary of the words of great
devotees and that of the Lord in the Veda and allied literatures specifically the
Srimad Bhagwatam."
Kutah punar grinatah nama tasya
Mahattama ekanta parayansya.
Yo ananta shaktirbhagwan ananto
Mahad gunatwat yam anantam ahu.
Kutah—what to say, Punar—again, Grinatah—one who chants, Nama—holy
Name, Tasya—his, Mahattama—great devotees, Ekanta—exclusive,
Parayanasya—of one who is shelter of, Yo—He who, Ananta—is the
unlimited, Shakti—potency, Bhagawan—the Personality of Godhead,