Bhagwan Shri Hari reveals the secret and explained the importance of Shrimad Bhagwat.
Bhagwan Shri Hari reveals the secret and explained the importance of Shrimad Bhagwat.
Shri Narayan muni said:-
This Bhagavata-purana is the essence of all Shastras, because it contains the well established meaning of Sankhya-Sutras and also of Yoga-sutras. 1
‘O king, it contains the meanings embedded in Brahmasutras and the essence of Vedanta in detail, useful for the sake of growth of devotion to Lord Krishna. 2
The Pancharatras have described Shri Krishna as Chakravyuha by the names Vasudev, Sankarshan, Aniruddh and Pradyumn. He himself appears on this earth in different forms. 3
One needs to develop knowledge of His original nature, firm devotion towards Him, perform acts only for His pleasure and not for gaining any fruit, and develop detachment towards everything except Lord Krishna. 4
Similarly, the divine objective of His manifestations as Matsya etc. on this earth was to display His love for His devotees. 5
In the same way, one should properly know the nature of Atma. With this purpose, Vyas has described the Atma in great detail and in various ways. 6
This, the most secret meaning of Bhagavata is not clear to all; only a few intelligent people can understand this. 7
Listeners or speakers who have firm belief in their duties, who know the nature of the Atma very well and who are detached from the objects indulged in by the five sense organs – such people can understand Vasudev in the form of man accomplished with unlimited supremacy. Then they firmly become devoted to him. 8-9
Only those who politely love Satvatas can understand the mystery not others, ‘O king ! 10
The devotees having these characteristics can understand this only by listening to the Bhagavata, even though they are not attentive towards worldly things and have not learnt many Shastras. 11
Those devoid of these characteristics, who have studied multitudes of Shastras, who are expert in worldly affairs and in gaining greatness – such people, even if they study (the Bhagavatapuran) for their whole life or listen to it every day – they cannot understand the mystery and do not obtain love for God. 12-13
Knowing it from the mouth of right people, who do not uphold recommended behavior is similar to (learning from) the ignorant. It is to be known by devotion and service, after that. 14
Knowingly or unknowingly, those who read or listen to the Bhagavatapuran on this earth are at once liberated from sin; they do not commit any sin thereafter, and they become free from the bondage of this world. 15-16
For an old lady, whose great disease is her sin, who is deserted by all, the expert doctors have recommended listening to Bhagavata-katha as the panacea. 17
Vyas packaged this mystery in the form of Bhagavatapuran and told it to his son Shuka for the good of all the people. 18
That kind-hearted Shuka narrated it to King Parikshit on the banks of river Ganga when the king had taken the vow of fasting (i.e. Prayopaveshana) to death. 19
Since then, ‘O king, the Bhagavatapurana is considered the best when compared to other Puranas (because Vyas was the composer, Shuka the narrator and Parikshit the listener - all men of extraordinary qualities). 20
Three hundred years into the Kaliyug have passed since Lord Krishna put an end to his incarnation as a man, and then Shuka started narrating the Bhagavata-katha on the ninth day of the month of Bhadrapada (i.e. Shuddhanavami). 21
He narrated the whole along with explanation within seven days and completed it on the full moon day of Bhadrapada. 22
As the Bhagavata-katha is the essence of Vedas etc, it is excellent and hence worth listening at all times. 23
Just as the ghee that is present in the milk, cannot be used as ghee, but when it is separated, that fine ghee satisfies the taste buds of even the Gods. Sugar occupies the beginning, the middle and the end of the sugarcane and only when separated does it becomes sweet. Similar is the case of Bhagavata-katha. 24-25
With the purpose of destroying the terror created by the time- serpent, Shuka expressed the Bhagavata-Shastra in the Kaliyug. 26
Nothing other than this exists for the purification of mind and desire to listen to it is possible only because of the merit gathered during the previous births. 27
Demand of Purana-story-nectar in exchange with real nectar.
When Shuka was made to sit in the assembly to narrate the Bhagavata-katha to king Parikshit, Gods came there holding the pitcher of nectar. 28
Saluting Shuka, all the Gods expert in their own work, said, ‘please accept this nectar and in exchange give us the nectar of Bhagavata-katha. 29
When this exchange was accepted, the king drank the nectar and we all will now drink the Bhagavata-katha-nectar. 30
The Purana-story-nectar rare for Gods also.
How can the Bhagavata-katha be compared to nectar? Can a valuable jewel and a piece of glass be even compared? The creator asked this question to Gods and then he went away. 31
Thinking the Gods to be unworthy, he did not give them the Bhagavata-katha-nectar. Thus the Bhagavata-katha is difficult to obtain even for Gods. 32
The creator himself was astonished to see the emancipation of the king. He then hung a balance in which the Bhagavata was weighed against all the Shastras together. 33
They (all Shastras) were proved to be insignificant and only the Bhagavata proved to be great; seeing that, all the seers were astonished. 34
They thought that the Bhagavata-Puran is a form of Lord Krishna. Reading and listening to the Bhagavata gives/produces the fruit immediately in the form of a place in Vaikuntha. 35
Hearing this, all the residents of the three worlds, desirous of acquiring merit honored and worshipped only Bhagavatapuran and nothing else. 36
Kapila, Sanaka etc. the propounders of life of inactivity, also honored this Puran with extreme delight. 37
The teachers of active worldly life whose heads are Marichi etc. also treated this work respectfully among all auspicious works. 38
The residents of Shveta-Dveepa who were without food and free and the seers living in the Badarivana, all read and listened mainly to Bhagavata with great respect. 39
Because of that (patronage) Shruti, Smriti and other Puranas lost their support and they lamented and became feeble due to grief. In such a condition they approached the creator for shelter and said. 40
‘O God of Gods, the creator of the world, you are our Master; hence you should listen to our great misery. 41
Because of the greatness of Bhagavatapuran over all other shastras, a tendency has been developed in all the three worlds to not look at us with respect in any auspicious activity. Hence we feel that even our name will soon disappear from this world. 42-43
So, leaving all hopes for life, we have come to your shelter; please protect us, O creator, You are the guardian of this world. 44
Consoling them, the creator, then said to the Bhagavata-puran, ‘O sinless one, you should not cross over the limits of your relatives. 45
‘O dear, you alone should not go ahead leaving all your relatives behind. You should follow these words of mine. 46
Then saluting the Grandfather, Bhagavata said, ‘As per your order, from today, I will live in the group of Purana. 47
You please remember that I too do not desire more greatness than the other Shastras. But by weighing it against other Shastras, such a conclusion was reached by yourself and by Vyas. 48
‘O Great God, I will behave according to your order’. Hearing this promise of Bhagavata, the creator was pleased. 49
The creator then placed it in the fifth place among the Puranas in relation to listening, donation, worshipping etc., 50
Since that day, all Shrutis, Smritis and Puranas — following that order, secured proper support/protection and they followed Bhagavata all the time. 51
Because of this type of support of Bhagavata, the number five became famous in the whole world. It became more important than the number hundred etc., 52
‘O great king, those who read and listen the Bhagavatapuran accepted by Lord Krishna, are fortunate people. 53
Great is the story of Bhagavata which destroys the troubles underwent by this material body. Reading Bhagavata within seven days is also great as it gives you as its fruit, the Krishna-loka (Vaikuntha). 54
All sorts of sins cry at the time of our listening to Bhagavata- saptaha, saying ‘This Bhagavata-katha is our sudden death.’ 55
Any sin, wet or dry, small or big, produced by speech, mind or body is burnt by listening to Bhagavata-katha like the sacrificial grass (i.e. Samidha) is burnt in fire. 56
In this country named Bharata-Varsha, the assembly of saints has declared that he, who does not listen to Bhagavata-katha, leads a futile life. 57
What is the use of the body which is well-nourished, strong and perishable if it is not spent in listening to the Bhagavata-katha narrated by Shuka? 58
Such a body is a mere collection of bones, muscles, flesh, smeared with blood and covered with skin. It has a bad smell and is full of excretory things like urine etc. 59
It (The body) is troubled by old age, sorrow and various pains. It is the house of diseases. It can never be filled completely by food and water. It is ungrateful. It is full with Tri-Doshas-Kapha, Vata and Pittha. It is transitory. 60
This body is described as worm, excreta and ash, hence he is a wise person who accomplishes his work with the help of this body. 61
The food cooked in the morning gets spoilt in the evening; then this body nourished on that food, how can it be eternal? 62
Like bubbles on water, like mosquitoes in creatures, they are born to die who do not listen to the Bhagavata-katha. 63
Shrimad Bhagavata, which is very dear to the devotees of Vishnu, is a pious Puran. In it is sung the supreme and pure knowledge of an ascetic having control over his senses. In it is described inactivity along with knowledge, devotion and detachment. One who listens to it and reads it with faith gets liberated. 64
‘O king, thus I have narrated the glory of Bhagavata to you. Even listening to this glory gives people great fruits all the time. 65
Thus ends the third chapter entitled‘Explanation of glory of Bhagavata’ in the fourth Prakaran of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 3
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