Chapter 5

                                       CHAPTER FIVE

TEXT 29

tasyaivaà me 'nuraktasya

praçritasya hatainasaù

çraddadhänasya bälasya

däntasyänucarasya ca

tasya—his; evam—thus; me—mine; anuraktasya—attached to them; praçritasya—obediently; hata—freed from; enasaù—sins; çraddadhänasya—of the faithful; bälasya—of the boy; däntasya—subjugated; anucarasya—strictly following the instructions; ca—and.

TRANSLATION

I was very much attached to those sages. I was gentle in behavior, and all my sins were eradicated in their service. In my heart I had strong faith in them. I had subjugated the senses, and I was strictly following them with body and mind.

PURPORT

These are the necessary qualifications of a prospective candidate who can expect to be elevated to the position of a pure unadulterated devotee. Such a candidate must seek always the association of pure devotees. One should not be misled by a pseudo-devotee. He himself must be plain and gentle to receive the instructions of such a pure devotee. A pure devotee is a completely surrendered soul unto the Personality of Godhead. He knows the Personality of Godhead as the supreme proprietor and all others as His servitors. And by the association of pure devotees only, one can get rid of all sins accumulated by mundane association. A neophyte devotee must faithfully serve the pure devotee, and he should be very much obedient and strictly follow the instructions. These are the signs of a devotee who is determined to achieve success even in the existing duration of life.

TEXT 30

jïänaà guhyatamaà yat tat

säkñäd bhagavatoditam

anvavocan gamiñyantaù

kåpayä déna-vatsaläù

jïänam—knowledge; guhyatamam—most confidential; yat-what is; tat—that; säkñät—directly; bhagavatä uditam—propounded by the Lord Himself; anvavocan—gave instruction; gamiñyantaù—while departing from; kåpayä—by causeless mercy; déna-vatsaläù—those who are very kind to the poor and meek.

TRANSLATION

As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedäntas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject, which is instructed by the Personality of Godhead Himself.

PURPORT

A pure Vedäntist, or a bhakti-vedänta, instructs followers exactly according to the instructions of the Lord Himself. The Personality of Godhead, both in the Bhagavad-gétä and in all other scriptures, has definitely instructed men to follow the Lord only. The Lord is the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything. The whole manifested creation is existing by His will, and by His will when the whole show will be finished He will remain in His eternal abode with all His paraphernalia. Before the creation He was there in the eternal abode, and after the annihilation He will continue to remain. He is not, therefore, one of the created beings. He is transcendental. In the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord says that long, long ago, the instruction was imparted to Arjuna, the same was instructed to the sun-god, and in course of time, the same instruction, being wrongly handled and being broken, was again reinstructed to Arjuna because he was His perfect devotee and friend. Therefore, the instruction of the Lord can be understood by the devotees only and no one else. The impersonalist, who has no idea of the transcendental form of the Lord, cannot understand this most confidential message of the Lord. The word "most confidential" is significant here because knowledge of devotional service is far, far above knowledge of impersonal Brahman. Jïänam means ordinary knowledge or any branch of knowledge. This knowledge develops up to the knowledge of impersonal Brahman. Above this, when it is partially mixed with devotion, such knowledge develops to knowledge of Paramätmä, or the all-pervading Godhead. This is more confidential. But when such knowledge is turned into pure devotional service and the confidential part of transcendental knowledge is attained, it is called the most confidential knowledge. This most confidential knowledge was imparted by the Lord to Brahmä, Arjuna, Uddhava, etc.

TEXT 31

yenaivähaà bhagavato

väsudevasya vedhasaù

mäyänubhävam avidaà

yena gacchanti tat-padam

yena—by which; eva—certainly; aham—I; bhagavataù—of the Personality of Godhead; väsudevasya—of Lord Çré Kåñëa; vedhasaù—of the supreme creator; mäyä—energy; anubhävam—influence; avidam—easily understood; yena—by which; gacchanti—they go; tat-padam—at the lotus feet of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

By that confidential knowledge, I could understand clearly the influence of the energy of Lord Çré Kåñëa, the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything, and knowing that, I could return to Him and personally meet Him.

PURPORT

By devotional service or by the most confidential knowledge, one can understand very easily how the different energies of the Lord are working. One part of energy is manifesting the material world; the other (superior) part of His energy is manifesting the spiritual world. And the via medium energy is manifesting the living entities who are serving either of the above-mentioned energies. The living entities serving material energy are struggling hard for existence and happiness, which is presented to them as illusion. But those in the spiritual energy are placed under the direct service of the Lord in eternal life, complete knowledge and perpetual bliss. The Lord desires, as He has directly said in the Bhagavad-gétä, that all conditioned souls, rotting in the kingdom of material energy, come back to Him by giving up all engagements in the material world. This is the most confidential part of knowledge. But this can be understood only by the pure devotees, and only such devotees enter the kingdom of God to see Him personally and serve Him personally. The concrete example is Närada Himself, who attained this stage of eternal knowledge and eternal bliss. And the ways and means are open to all, provided one agrees to follow in the foot steps of Çré Närada Muni. According to Çruti, the Supreme Lord has unlimited energies (without effort by Him) and these are described under three principal headings, as above mentioned.

TEXT 32

etat saàsücitaà brahmaàs

täpatraya-cikitsitam

yadéçvare bhagavati

karma brahmaëi bhävitam

etat—this much; saàsücitam—decided by the learned; brahmam—O brähmaëa Vyäsa; täpatraya—three kinds of miseries; cikitsitam—remedial measures; yat—what; éçvare—the supreme controller; bhagavati—unto the Personality of Godhead; karma—one's prescribed activities; brahmaëi—unto the great; bhävitam—dedicated.

TRANSLATION

O Brähmaëa Vyäsadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one's activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead [Çré Kåñëa].

PURPORT

Çré Närada Muni personally experienced that the most feasible and practical way to open the path of salvation or get relief from all miseries of life is to hear submissively the transcendental activities of the Lord from the right and bona fide sources. This is the only remedial process. The entire material existence is full of miseries. Foolish people have manufactured, out of their tiny brains, many remedial measures for removing the threefold miseries pertaining to the body and mind, pertaining to the natural distrubances and in relation with other living beings. The whole world is struggling very hard to exist out of these miseries, but men do not know that without the sanction of the Lord no plan or no remedial measure can actually bring about the desired peace and tranquility. The remedial measure to cure a patient by medical treatment is useless if it is not sanctioned by the Lord. To cross the river or the ocean by a suitable boat is no remedial measure if it is not sanctioned by the Lord. We should know for certain that the Lord is the ultimate sanctioning officer, and we must therefore dedicate our attempts to the mercy of the Lord for ultimate success or to get rid of the obstacles on the path of success. The Lord is all-pervading, all-powerful, omniscient and omnipresent. He is the ultimate sanctioning agent of all good or bad effects. We should, therefore, learn to dedicate our activities unto the mercy of the Lord and accept Him either as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramätmä or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It does not matter what one is. One must dedicate everything in the service of the Lord. If one is a learned scholar, scientist, philosopher, poet, etc., then he should employ his learning to establish the supremacy of the Lord. Try to study the energy of the Lord in every sphere of life. Do not decry Him and try to become like Him or take His position simply by fragmental accumulation of knowledge. If one is an administrator, statesman, warrior, politician, etc., then one should try to establish the Lord's supremacy in statesmanship. Fight for the cause of the Lord as Çré Arjuna did. In the beginning, Çré Arjuna, the great fighter, declined to fight, but when he was convinced by the Lord that the fighting was necessary, Çré Arjuna changed his decision and fought for His cause. Similarly, if one is a businessman, an industrialist, an agriculturist, etc., then one should spend his hard-earned money for the cause of the Lord. Think always that the money which is accumulated is the wealth of the Lord. Wealth is considered to be the goddess of fortune (Lakñmé), and the Lord is Näräyaëa or the husband of Lakñmé. Try to engage Lakñmé in the service of Lord Näräyaëa and be happy. That is the way to realize the Lord in every sphere of life. The best thing is, after all, to get relief from all material activities and engage oneself completely in hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. But in case of the absence of such an opportunity, one should try to engage everything, for which one has specific attraction, in the service of the Lord, and that is the way of peace and prosperity. The word saàsücitam in this stanza is also significant. One should not think for a moment that the realization of Närada was childish imagination only. It is not like that. It is so realized by the expert and erudite scholars, and that is the real import of the word saàsücitam.

TEXT 33

ämayo yaç ca bhütänäà

jäyate yena suvrata

tad eva by ämayaà dravyaà

na punäti cikitsitam

ämayaù—diseases; yaù ca—whatever; bhütänäm-of the living being; jäyate—become possible; yena—by the agency; suvrata—O good soul; tat—that; eva—very; hi—certainly; ämayam—disease; dravyam—thing; na—does it not; punäti—cure; cikitsitam—treated with.

TRANSLATION

O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which was caused by that very same thing?

PURPORT

An expert physician treats his patient with a therapeutic diet. For example, milk preparations sometimes cause disorder of the bowels, but the very same milk converted into curd and mixed with some other remedial ingredients cures such disorders. Similarly, the threefold miseries of material existence cannot be mitigated simply by material activities. Such activities have to be spiritualized, just as by fire iron is made red-hot, and thereby the action of fire begins. Similarly, the material conception of a thing is at once changed as soon as it is put into the service of the Lord. That is the secret of spiritual success. We should not try to lord it over the material nature, nor should we reject material things. The best way to make the best use of a bad bargain is to use everything in relation with the supreme spiritual being. Everything is an emanation from the supreme spirit, and by His inconceivable power He can convert spirit into matter and matter into spirit. Therefore a material thing (so-called) is at once turned into a spiritual force by the great will of the Lord. The necessary condition for such a change is to employ so-called matter in the service of the spirit. That is the way to treat our material diseases and elevate ourselves to the spiritual plane where there is no misery, no lamentation and no fear. When everything is thus employed in the service of the Lord, we can experience that there is nothing except the Supreme Brahman. The Vedic mantra that "everything is Brahman" is thus realized by us.

TEXT 34

evaà nåëäà kriyä-yogäù

sarve saàsåti-hetavaù

ta evätma-vinäçäya

kalpante kalpitäù pare

evam—thus; nåëäm—of the human being; kriyä-yogäù—all activities; sarve—everything; saàsåti—material existence; hetavaù—causes; te—that; eva—certainly; ätma—the tree of work; vinäçäya—killing; kalpante—become competent; kalpitäù—dedicated; pare—unto the Transcendence.

TRANSLATION

Thus when all a man's activities are dedicated to the service of the Lord, those very activities which caused his bondage become the destroyer of the tree of work.

PURPORT

Fruitive work which has perpetually engaged the living being is compared with the banyan tree in the Bhagavad-gétä, for it is certainly very deeply rooted. As long as the propensity for enjoying the fruit of work is there, one has to continue the transmigration of the soul from one body or place according to one's nature of work. The propensity for enjoyment may be turned into the desire for serving the mission of the Lord. By doing so, one's activity is changed into karma-yoga, or the way by which one can attain spiritual perfection while engaging in the work for which he has a natural tendency. Here the word ätmä indicates the categories of all fruitive work. The conclusion is that when the result of all fruitive and other work is dovetailed with the service of the Lord, it will cease to generate further karma and will gradually develop into transcendental devotional service, which will not only cut off completely the root of the banyan tree of work but will also carry the performer to the lotus feet of the Lord.

The summary is that one has to, first of all, seek the association of pure devotees who are not only learned in the Vedänta but are self-realized souls and unalloyed devotees of Lord Çré Kåñëa the Personality of Godhead. In that association, the neophyte devotees must render loving service physically and mentally without reservation. This serivce attitude will induce the great souls to be more favorable in bestowing their mercy, which injects the neophyte with all the transcendental qualities of the pure devotees. Gradually this is developed into a strong attachment to hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, which makes him able to catch up the constitutional position of the gross and subtle bodies and beyond them the knowledge of pure soul and his eternal relation with the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead. After the relation is ascertained by establishment of the eternal relation, pure devotional service of the Lord begins gradually developing into perfect knowledge of the Personality of Godhead beyond the purview of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramätmä. By such Puruñottama-yoga, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä, one is made perfect even during the present corporeal existence, and one exhibits all the good qualities of the Lord to the highest percentage. Such is the gradual development by association of pure devotees.

TEXT 35

yadatra kriyate karma

bhagavat-paritoñaëam

jïänaà yat tad adhénaà hi

bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

yat—whatever; atra—in this life or world; kriyate—does perform; karma—work; bhagavat—unto the Personality of Godhead; paritoñaëam—satisfaction of; jïänam—knowledge; yat tat—what is so called; adhénam—dependent; hi—certainly; bhakti-yoga—devotional; samanvitam—dovetailed with bhakti-yoga.

TRANSLATION

Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service of the Lord, and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor.

PURPORT

The general and popular notion is that by discharging fruitive work in terms of the direction of the scriptures one becomes perfectly able to acquire transcendental knowledge for spiritual realization. Bhakti-yoga is considered by some to be another form of karma. But factually bhakti-yoga is above both karma and jïäna. Bhakti-yoga is independent of jïäna or karma; on the other hand, jïäna and karma are dependent of bhakti-yoga. This kriyä-yoga or karma-yoga, as recommended by Çré Närada to Vyäsa, is specifically recommended because the principle is to satisfy the Lord. The Lord does not want His sons, the living beings, to suffer the threefold miseries of life. He desires that all of them come to Him and live with Him, but going back to Godhead means that one must purify himself from material infections. When work is, therefore, performed to satisfy the Lord, the performer becomes gradually purified from the material affection. This purification means attainment of spiritual knowledge. Therefore knowledge is dependent on such karma or work which is done on behalf of the Lord. Other knowledge, being devoid of bhakti-yoga or satisfaction of the Lord, cannot lead one back to the kingdom of God, which means that it cannot even offer salvation as is already explained in connection with the stanza, naiñkarmyam apy acyuta-bhäva-varjitam, etc. The conclusion is that a devotee engaged in the unalloyed service of the Lord, specifically in hearing and chanting of His transcendental glories, becomes simultaneously spiritually enlightened by the divine grace, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä.

TEXT 36

kurväëä yatra karmäëi

bhagavac-chikñayäsakåt

gåëanti guëa-nämäni

kåñëasyänusmaranti ca

kurväëäù—while performing; yatra—thereupon; karmäëi—duties; bhagavat—the Personality of Godhead; çikñayä—by the will of; asakåt—constantly; gåëanti—takes on; guëa—qualities; nämäni—names; kåñëasya—of Kåñëa; anusmaranti—constantly remembers; ca—and.

TRANSLATION

While performing duties according to the order of Çré Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and qualities.

PURPORT

An expert devotee of the Lord can mold his life in such a way that while performing all kinds of duties either for this or the next life, he can constantly remember the Lord's name, fame, qualities, etc. The order of the Lord is distinctly there in the Bhagavad-gétä: one should work only for the Lord in all spheres of life. In every sphere of life the Lord should be situated as the proprietor. According to the Vedic rites, even in the worship of some demigods like Indra, Brahmä, Sarasvaté, Gaëeça, the system is that in all circumstances the representation of Viñëu must be there as the yajïeçvara, or the controlling power of such sacrifices. It is recommended that a particular demigod be worshiped for a particular purpose, but still the presence of Viñëu is compulsory in order to make the function proper.

Apart from such Vedic duties, even in our ordinary dealings (for example, in our household affairs or in our business or profession) we must consider that the result of all activities must be given over to the supreme enjoyer Lord Kåñëa. In the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord has declared Himself to be the supreme enjoyer of everything, as the supreme proprietor of every planet and the supreme friend of all beings. Except Lord Çré Kåñëa, no one else can claim to be the proprietor of everything within His creation. A pure devotee remembers this constantly, and in doing so he repeats the transcendental name, fame and qualities of the Lord, which means that he is constantly in touch with the Lord. The Lord is identical with His name, fame, etc., and therefore to be associated with His name, fame, etc., constantly, means actually to associate with the Lord.

The major portion of our monetary income, not less than fifty percent, must be spent to carry out the order of Lord Kåñëa. We should not only give the profit of our earning to this cause, but we must also arrange to preach this cult of devotion to others because that is also one of the orders of the Lord. The Lord definitely says that no one is more dear to Him than one who is always engaged in the preaching work of the Lord's name and fame all over the world. The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. He wants the message of the Bhagavad-gétä to be preached amongst His devotees. It may not be so done amongst those who have no credit of austerities, charity, education, etc. Therefore, the attempt must go on to convert unwilling men to become His devotees. Lord Caitanya has taught a very simple method in this connection. He has taught the lesson for preaching the transcendental message through singing, dancing and refreshment. As such, fifty percent of our income may be spent for this purpose. In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendant associate with the Lord and thereby purify himself in spiritual realization. The only condition for successfully executing such spiritual activities is that they must be conducted under the guidance of a pure devotee who is completely free from all mundane desires, fruitive activities and dry speculations about the nature of the Lord. No one has to discover the nature of the Lord. It is already spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gétä especially and in all other Vedic literatures generally. We have simply to accept them in toto and abide by the orders of the Lord. That will guide us to the path of perfection. One can remain in his own position. No one has to change his position, especially in this age of variegated difficulties. The only condition is that one must give up the habit of dry speculation to become one with the Lord. And after giving up such lofty puffed up vanities, one may very submissively receive the orders of the Lord in the Bhagavad-gétä or Bhägavatam from the lips of a bona fide devotee whose qualification is mentioned above. That will make everything successful, without a doubt.

TEXT 37

om namo bhagavate tubhyaà

väsudeväya dhémahi

pradyumnäyäniruddhäya

namaù saìkarñaëäya ca

om—the sign of chanting the transcendental glory of the Lord; namaù—offering obeisances unto the Lord; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; tubhyam—unto You; väsudeväya—unto the Lord, the son of Vasudeva; dhémahi—let us chant; pradyumnäya, aniruddhäya and saìkarñaëäya—all plenary expansions of Väsudeva; namaù—respectful obeisances; ca—and.

TRANSLATION

Let us all chant the glories of Väsudeva along with His plenary expansions, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Saìkarñaëa.

PURPORT

According to Païcarätra, Näräyaëa is the primeval cause of all expansions of Godhead. These are Väsudeva, Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Väsudeva and Saìkarñaëa are on the middle left and right, Pradyumna is on the right of Saìkarñaëa, and Aniruddha is on the left of Väsudeva, and thus the four Deities are situated. They are known as the four aides-de-camp of Lord Çré Kåñëa.

This is a Vedic hymn or mantra beginning with omkära praëava, and thus the mantra is established by the transcendental chanting process, namely, om namo dhémahi, etc.

The purport is that any transaction, either in the field of fruitive work or empiric philosophy, which is not ultimately aimed at transcendental realization of the Supreme Lord, is considered to be useless. Näradajé has therefore explained the nature of unalloyed devotional service by his personal experience in the development of intimacy between the Lord and the living entity by gradual process of progressive devotional activities. Such a progressive march of transcendental devotion for the Lord culminates in the attainment of loving service of the Lord, which is called prema in different transcendental variegatedness called rasas (tastes). Such devotional service is also executed in mixed forms, namely mixed with fruitive work or empiric philosophical speculations.

Now the question which was raised by the great åñis headed by Çaunaka regarding the confidential part of Süta's achievement through the spiritual master is explained herein by chanting this hymn consisting of thirty-three letters. And this mantra is addressed to the four Deities or the Lord with His plenary expansions. The central figure is Lord Çré Kåñëa because the plenary portions are His aides-de-camp. The most confidential part of the instruction is that one should always chant and remember the glories of the Lord Çré Kåñëa the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with His different plenary portions expanded as Väsudeva, Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. These expansions are the original Deities for all other truths, namely either Viñëu-tattva or çakti-tattvas.

TEXT 38

iti mürty-abhidhänena

mantra-mürtim amürtikam

yajate yajïa-puruñaà

sa samyag darçanaù pumän

iti—thus; mürti—representation; abhidhänena—in sound; mantra-mürtim—form representation of transcendental sound; amürtikam—the Lord who has no material form; yajate—worship; yajïa—Viñëu; puruñam—the Personality of Godhead; saù—he alone; samyak—perfectly; darçanaù—one who has seen; pumän—person.

TRANSLATION

Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, who has no material form.

PURPORT

Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are imperfect to realize the transcendental form of Lord Viñëu. He is therefore worshiped by sound representation via the transcendental method of chanting. Anything which is beyond the scope of experience by our imperfect senses can be realized fully by the sound representation. A person transmitting sound from a far distant place can be factually experienced. If this is materially possible, why not spiritually? This experience is not a vague impersonal experience. But it is actually an experience of the transcendental Personality of Godhead who possesses the pure form of eternity, bliss and knowledge. In the Amarakoça Sanskrit dictionary the word mürti carries import in twofold meanings, namely, form and difficulty.

Therefore amürtikam is explained by Äcärya Çré Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkur as meaning without difficulty. The transcendental form of eternal bliss and knowledge can be experienced by our original spiritual senses which can be revived by chanting of the holy mantras or transcendental sound representations. Such sound should be received from the transparent agency of the bona fide spiritual master, and the chanting may be practiced by the direction of the spiritual master. That will gradually lead us nearer to the Lord. This method of worship is recommended in the Päïcarätrika system, which is both recognized and authorized. The Päïcarätrika system has the most authorized codes for transcendental devotional service. Without the help of such codes, one cannot approach the Lord, certainly not by dry philosophical speculation. The Päïcarätrika system is both practical and suitable for this age of quarrel. The Païcarätra is more important than the Vedänta for this modern age.

TEXT 39

imaà svanigamaà brahmann

avetya mad-anuñöhitam

adän me jïänam aiçvaryaà

svasmin bhävaà ca keçavaù

imam—thus; svanigamam—confidential knowledge of the Vedas in respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; brahmam—O brähmaëa (Vyäsadeva); avetya—knowing it well; mat—by me; anuñöhitam—executed; adät—bestowed upon me; me—me; jïänam—transcendental knowledge; aiçvaryam—opulence; svasmin—personal; bhävam—intimate affection and love; ca—and; keçavaù—Lord Kåñëa.

TRANSLATION

O brähmaëa, thus by the Supreme Lord Kåñëa I was endowed first with the transcendental knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the confidential parts of the Vedas, then with the spiritual opulences, and then with His intimate loving service.

PURPORT

Communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound is nondifferent from the whole spirit Lord Çré Kåñëa. It is a completely perfect method for approaching the Lord. By such pure contact with the Lord, without offense of material conceptions (numbering ten), the devotee can rise above the material plane to understand the inner meaning of the Vedic literatures, including the Lord's existence in the transcendental realm. The Lord reveals His identity gradually to one who has unflinching faith, both in the spiritual master and in the Lord. After this, the devotee is endowed with mystic opulences, which are eight in number. And above all, the devotee is accepted in the confidential entourage of the Lord and is entrusted with specific service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master. A pure devotee is more interested in serving the Lord than in showing an exhibition of the mystic powers dormant in him. Çré Närada has explained all these from his personal experience, and one can obtain all the facilities which Çré Närada obtained by perfecting the chanting process of the sound representation of the Lord. There is no bar for chanting this transcendental sound by anyone, provided it is received through Närada's representative, coming down by the chain of disciplic succession, or the paramparä system.

TEXT 40

tvam apy adabhra-çruta viçrutaà vibhoù

samäpyate yena vidäà bubhutsitam

präkhyähi duùkhair muhur arditätmanäà

saìkleça-nirväëam uçanti nänyathä

tvam—your good soul; api—also; adabhra—vast; çruta—Vedic literatures; viçrutam—have heard also; vibhoù—of the Almighty; samäpyate—satisfied; yena—by which; vidäm—of the learned; bubhutsitam—who always desire to learn transcendental knowledge; prakhyähi—describe; duùkhaiù—by miseries; muhuù—always; ardita-ätmanäm—suffering mass of people; saìkleça—sufferings; nirväëam—mitigation; uçanti na—do not get out of; anyathä—by other means.

TRANSLATION

Please, therefore, describe the Almighty Lord's activities which you have learned by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of such miseries.

PURPORT

Çré Närada Muni from practical experience definitely asserts that the prime solution of all problems of material work is to broadcast very widely the transcendental glories of the Supreme Lord. There are four classes of good men, and there are four classes of bad men also. The four classes of good men acknowledge the authority of the Almighty God, and therefore such good men when 1) they are in difficulty, 2) when they are in need of money, 3) when they are advanced in knowledge and 4) when they are inquisitive to know more and more about God, intuitively take shelter of the Lord. As such, Näradajé advises Vyäsadeva to broadcast the transcendental knowledge of God in terms of the vast Vedic knowledge which he had already attained.

As far as the bad men are concerned, they are also four in number: 1) those who are simply addicted to the mode of progressive fruitive work and thus are subjected to the accompanying miseries, 2) those who are simply addicted to vicious work for sense satisfaction and so suffer the consequence, 3) those who are materially very much advanced in knowledge but have no sense to acknowledge the authority of the Almighty Lord and thus suffer a lot, and 4) the class of men who are known as atheists and therefore purposely hate the very name of God, although they are always in difficulty.

Çré Näradajé advised Vyäsadeva to describe the glories of the Lord just to do good to all the eight classes of men, both good and bad. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is therefore not meant for any particular class of men or sect. It is for the sincere soul who wants actually his own welfare and peace of mind.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Fifth Chapter, of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, entitled "Çré Närada's Instructions on Çrémad-Bhägavatam for Vyäsadeva."

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