Madhya24.304

TEXT 304

’api’-sabda--avadharane, seha cari bara

cari-sabda-sange evera karibe uccara

SYNONYMS

api-sabda—the word api; avadharane—in the matter of ascertaining; seha cari bara—those four times; cari-sabda—four words; sange—with; evera—of the word eva; karibe—one can do; uccara—pronouncing.

TRANSLATION

"The word api is then used in the sense of ascertainment, and then four times with four words the word eva can be uttered.

Madhya24.305

TEXT 305

“urukrame eva bhaktim eva ahaitukim eva kurvanty eva”

SYNONYMS

urukrame—unto the most powerful; eva—only; bhaktim—devotional service; eva—only; ahaitukim—without motives; eva—only; kurvanti—they perform; eva—only.

TRANSLATION

"The words urukrama, bhakti, ahaituki and kurvanti are added to the word eva again and again. Thus another meaning is explained.

Madhya24.306

TEXT 306

ei ta’ kahilun slokera ’sasti’ sankhyaka artha

ara eka artha suna pramane samartha

SYNONYMS

ei ta’—thus; kahilun—I have explained; slokera—of the verse; sasti—sixty; sankhyaka—numbering; artha—imports; ara—another; eka—one; artha—import; suna—please hear; pramane samartha—quite fit for giving evidence.

TRANSLATION

"Now I have given sixty different meanings to the verse, and yet there is another meaning which is also very strongly evident.

Madhya24.307

TEXT 307

’atma’-sabde kahe ’ksetrajna jiva’-laksana

brahmadi kita-paryanta--tanra saktite ganana

SYNONYMS

atma-sabde—by the word atma; kahe—it is said; ksetra-jna jiva—the living entity who knows about his body; laksana—symptom; brahma-adi—beginning from Lord Brahma; kita-paryanta—down to the insignificant ant; tanra—His; saktite—as the marginal potency; ganana—counting.

TRANSLATION

"The word atma also refers to the living entity who knows about his body. That is another symptom. From Lord Brahma down to the insignificant ant, everyone is counted as the marginal potency of the Lord.

Madhya24.308

TEXT 308

visnu-saktih para prokta

ksetrajnakhya tatha para

avidya-karma-samjnanya

trtiya saktir isyate

SYNONYMS

visnu-saktih—the potency of Lord Visnu; para—spiritual; prokta—it is said; ksetra-jna-akhya—the potency known as ksetrajna; tatha—as well as; para—spiritual; avidya—ignorance; karma—fruitive activities; samjna—known as; anya—other; trtiya—third; saktih—potency; isyate—known thus.

TRANSLATION

" ’The potency of Lord Visnu is summarized in three categories-namely the spiritual potency, the living entities and ignorance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are subject to bewilderment; and the third energy, which is full of ignorance, is always visible in fruitive activities.’

PURPORT

Madhya24.309

TEXT 309

"ksetrajna atma purusah

pradhanam prakrtih striyam"

SYNONYMS

ksetra-jnah—the word ksetrajna; atma—the living entity; purusah—the enjoyer; pradhanam—the chief; prakrtih—the material nature; striyam—in the feminine gender.

TRANSLATION

" ’The word ksetrajna refers to the living entity, the enjoyer, the chief and material nature.’

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Svarga-varga (7) of the Amara-kosa dictionary.

Madhya24.310

TEXT 310

bhramite bhramite yadi sadhu-sanga paya

saba tyaji’ tabe tinho krsnere bhajaya

SYNONYMS

bhramite bhramite—wandering in different forms in different manners; yadi—if; sadhu-sanga paya—one obtains the association of devotees; saba tyaji’-giving up everything; tabe—then; tinho—he; krsnere bhajaya—engages himself in the service of Lord Krsna.

TRANSLATION

"The living entities are wandering in different species of life on different planets, but if by chance they get the association of a pure devotee [sadhu] they give up all other engagements and engage in the service of Lord Krsna.

Madhya24.311

TEXT 311

sati artha kahilun, saba--krsnera bhajane

sei artha haya ei saba udaharane

SYNONYMS

sati—sixty; artha—imports; kahilun—I explained; saba—all; krsnera bhajane—aiming at rendering transcendental loving service to Krsna; sei artha haya—that is the only meaning; ei saba—all these; udaharane—examples.

TRANSLATION

"I have thus explained sixty different meanings, and all of them aim at the service of Lord Krsna. After giving so many examples, that is the only meaning.

Madhya24.312

TEXT 312

’eka-sasti’ artha ebe sphurila toma-sange

tomara bhakti-vase uthe arthera tarange

SYNONYMS

eka-sasti—sixty-one; artha—imports; ebe—now; sphurila—has awakened; toma-sange—because of your association; tomara—your; bhakti-vase—by dint of devotional service; uthe—there arises; arthera—of imports; tarange—waves.

TRANSLATION

"Now, due to your association, another meaning has awakened. It is due to your devotional service that these waves of meaning are arising.

PURPORT

The word atma refers to the living entity. From Lord Brahma down to an insignificant ant, everyone is considered a living entity. Living entities are considered part of the Lord’s marginal potency. All of them are ksetrajna, knowers of the body. When they become nirgrantha, or free, saintly persons, they engage in Lord Krsna’s service. That is the sixty-first meaning of the verse.

Madhya24.313

TEXT 313

aham vedmi suko vetti

vyaso vetti na vetti va

bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam

na buddhya na ca tikaya

SYNONYMS

aham—I (Lord Siva); vedmi—know; sukah—Sukadeva Gosvami; vetti—knows; vyasah—Vyasadeva; vetti—knows; na vetti va—or may not know; bhaktya—by devotional service (executed in nine different processes); bhagavatam—the Bhagavata Purana (called Paramahamsa-samhita, the text or treatise readable by the topmost transcendentalists); grahyam—to be accepted; na—not; buddhya—by so-called intelligence or experimental knowledge; na—nor; ca—also; tikaya—by imaginary commentary.

TRANSLATION

“[Lord Siva said,] ’I may know; Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva, may know; and Vyasadeva may know or may not know the Srimad Bhagavatam. On the whole, Srimad-Bhagavatam, the spotless Purana, can be learned only through devotional service, not by material intelligence, speculative methods or imaginary commentaries.’ ”

PURPORT

Devotional service includes nine processes, beginning with hearing, chanting and remembering the activities of Lord Visnu. Only one who has taken to devotional service can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the spotless Purana for a transcendentalist (paramahamsa). So-called commentaries are useless for this purpose. According to the Vedic injunction: yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. All Vedic literatures maintain that Srimad-Bhagavatam has to be learned from the person bhagavata, and to understand it one has to engage in pure devotional service. Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot be understood by so-called erudite scholars or grammarians. One who has developed pure Krsna consciousness and has served the pure devotee, the spiritual master, can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Others cannot.

Madhya24.314

TEXT 314

artha suni’ sanatana vismita hana

stuti kare mahaprabhura carane dhariya

SYNONYMS

artha suni’—by hearing the meaning (of the atmarama verse); sanatana—Sanatana Gosvami; vismita hana—becoming struck with wonder; stuti kare—offers prayers; mahaprabhura—of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carane dhariya—touching the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

After hearing all the explanations of all the different meanings of the atmarama verse, Sanatana Gosvami was struck with wonder. He fell down at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and began to offer prayers.

Madhya24.315

TEXT 315

"saksat isvara tumi vrajendra-nandana

tomara nisvase sarva-veda-pravartana

SYNONYMS

saksat isvara tumi—You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vrajendra-nandana—the son of Maharaja Nanda; tomara nisvase—by Your breathing; sarva-veda—all Vedic literatures; pravartana—are vibrated.

TRANSLATION

Sanatana Gosvami said, "My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda. All the Vedic literatures are vibrated through Your breathing.

Madhya24.316

TEXT 316

tumi--vakta bhagavatera, tumi jana artha

toma vina anya janite nahika samartha"

SYNONYMS

tumi—Your Lordship; vakta—the speaker; bhagavatera—of Srimad-Bhagavatam; tumi—You; jana—know; artha—the import; toma vina—except for You; anya—anyone else; janite—to know; nahika—is not; samartha—able.

TRANSLATION

“My dear Lord, You are the original speaker of the Bhagavatam. You therefore know its real import. But for You, no one can understand the confidential meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam.”

PURPORT

Following this statement by Srila Sanatana Gosvami, we have written our introduction to Srimad-Bhagavatam (First Canto, Part One, pages 7-41).

Madhya24.317

TEXT 317

prabhu kahe,--"kene kara amara stavana

bhagavatera svarupa kene na kara vicarana?

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kene kara—why do you do; amara stavana—My personal glorification; bhagavatera sva-rupa—the real form of Srimad-Bhagavatam; kene—why; na kara—you do not do; vicarana—consideration.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Why are you glorifying Me personally? You should understand the transcendental position of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why don’t you consider this important point?

Madhya24.318

TEXT 318

krsna-tulya bhagavata--vibhu, sarvasraya

prati-sloke prati-aksare nana artha kaya

SYNONYMS

krsna-tulya bhagavata—Srimad-Bhagavatam is identical with Krsna; vibhu—the supreme; sarva-asraya—the origin of everything, or that which controls everything; prati-sloke—in every verse; prati-aksare—in every syllable; nana artha kaya—there are varieties of imports.

TRANSLATION

"Srimad-Bhagavatam is as great as Krsna, the Supreme Lord and shelter of everything. In each and every verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam and in each and every syllable, there are various meanings.

Madhya24.319

TEXT 319

prasnottare bhagavate kariyache nirdhara

yanhara sravane loke lage camatkara

SYNONYMS

prasna-uttare—in the form of questions and answers; bhagavate—in Srimad-Bhagavatam; kariyache—has made; nirdhara—conclusion; yanhara sravane—hearing which; loke—in all people; lage—there is; camatkara—wonderful astonishment.

TRANSLATION

"The form of Srimad-Bhagavatam is given in questions and answers. Thus the conclusion is established. By hearing these questions and answers, one is highly astonished.

Madhya24.320

TEXT 320

bruhi yogesvare krsne

brahmanye dharma-varmani

svam kastham adhunopete

dharmah kam saranam gatah

SYNONYMS

bruhi—kindly explain; yoga-isvare—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all mystic power; krsne—Lord Krsna; brahmanye—the protector of brahminical culture; dharma-varmani—the strong arms of religious principles; svam—His own; kastham—to the personal abode; adhuna—at present; upete—having returned; dharmah—the religious principles; kam—unto what; saranam—shelter; gatah—have gone.

TRANSLATION

" ’Now that Sri Krsna, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us by whom religious principles are presently protected.’

PURPORT

Madhya24.321

TEXT 321

krsne svadhamopagate

dharma-jnanadibhih saha

kalau nasta-drsam esa

puranarko ’dhunoditah

SYNONYMS

krsne—Lord Krsna; sva-dhama—to His personal abode; upagate—having returned; dharma-jnana-adibhih saha—along with religious principles, transcendental knowledge, and so on; kalau—in this Age of Kali; nasta-drsam—of persons who have lost their spiritual vision; esah—this; purana-arkah—Purana or Vedic literature that shines like the sun; adhuna—at the present moment; uditah—has arisen.

TRANSLATION

" ’After Lord Krsna departed for His abode along with religious principles and transcendental knowledge, this Purana, Srimad-Bhagavatam, has arisen like the sun in this Age of Kali to enlighten those who have no spiritual vision.’

Madhya24.322

TEXT 322

ei mata kahilun eka slokera vyakhyana

vatulera pralapa kari’ ke kare pramana?

SYNONYMS

ei mata—in this way; kahilun—I have spoken; eka—one; slokera—of a verse; vyakhyana—the explanation; vatulera pralapa—the talking of a madman; kari’-doing; ke kare pramana—who will accept this as evidential proof.

TRANSLATION

"In this way, like a madman, I have explained the meaning of just one verse. I do not know who will take this as evidence.

Madhya24.323

TEXT 323

ama-hena yeba keha ’vatula’ haya

ei-drste bhagavatera artha janaya"

SYNONYMS

ama-hena—exactly like Me; yeba—anyone who; keha—a person; vatula haya—becomes a madman; ei-drste—according to this process; bhagavatera—of Srimad-Bhagavatam; artha—import; janaya—he can understand.

TRANSLATION

“If one becomes a madman like Me, he may also understand the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam by this process.”

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu plainly explains that Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot be understood by those who are materially situated. In other words, one has to become a madman like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Apart from being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is an acarya who exhibited love of God like a madman. According to His own written verse: yugayitam nimesena. He says that for Him, “a moment seems to last twelve years.” Caksusa pravrsayitam: “My tears are flowing like torrents of rain.” Sunyayitam jagat sarvam: “I feel as if the entire universe were vacant.” Why? Govinda-virahena me: “Due to My being separated from Govinda, Krsna.”

One can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam only by following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who was mad for Krsna. We cannot, of course, imitate Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not possible. However, unless one is very serious about understanding Krsna, he cannot understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam gives the full narration of Krsna’s transcendental activities. The first nine cantos explain who Krsna is, and the Lord’s birth and activities are narrated in the Tenth Canto. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated: janma karma ca me divyam. Krsna’s appearance and disappearance are transcendental, not mundane. A person is eligible to return home, back to Godhead, if he perfectly understands Krsna and His appearance and disappearance. This is verified by Bhagavad-gita: tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna.

It is therefore concluded that one has to learn about Krsna from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, and one has to follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Those who do not follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cannot understand Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Madhya24.324

TEXT 324

punah sanatana kahe yudi’ dui kare

"prabhu ajna dila ’vaisnava-smrti’ karibare

SYNONYMS

punah—again; sanatana—Sanatana Gosvami; kahe—says; yudi’ dui kare—folding his two hands; prabhu ajna dila—Your Lordship has ordered me; vaisnava-smrti karibare—to write a dictionary of Vaisnava activities.

TRANSLATION

Folding his hands, Sanatana Gosvami said, "My Lord, You ordered me to write a directory about the activities of Vaisnavas.

Madhya24.325

TEXT 325

muni--nica-jati, kichu na janon acara

mo-haite kaiche haya smrti-paracara

SYNONYMS

muni—I; nica-jati—belong to a lower caste; kichu—anything; na—not; janon—I know; acara—about proper behavior; mo-haite—from me; kaiche—how; haya—there is; smrti-paracara—propagation of the directions of Vaisnava behavior.

TRANSLATION

“I am a most lowborn person. I have no knowledge of good behavior. How is it possible for me to write authorized directions about Vaisnava activities?”

PURPORT

Actually Sanatana Gosvami belonged to a very respectable brahmana family. Nonetheless, he submitted himself as a fallen, lowborn person because he had served in the Mohammedan government. A brahmana is never supposed to be engaged for anyone’s service. Accepting service for a livelihood (paricaryatmakam karma) is the business of sudras. The brahmana is always independent and busy studying sastra and preaching sastra to subordinate social members such as ksatriyas and vaisyas. Sanatana Gosvami felt unfit to write Vaisnava smrti about the behavior of Vaisnavas because he had fallen from the brahminical position. Thus Sanatana Gosvami clearly admits that the brahminical culture should be standardized. Presently in India, so-called brahmanas are almost all engaged in some mundane service, and they do not understand the import of the Vedic sastras. Nonetheless, they are passing themselves off as brahmanas on the basis of birth. In this connection, Sanatana Gosvami declares that a brahmana cannot be engaged in anyone’s service if he wants to take a leading part in society. In Srimad-Bhagavatam Narada Muni states that even if a brahmana is in a difficult position, he should not accept the occupation of a sudra. This means that he should not be engaged in service for another, for this is the business of dogs. Under the circumstances, Sanatana Gosvami felt very low because he had accepted the service of the Muslim government. The conclusion is that no one should claim to be a brahmana simply by birthright while engaging in someone else’s service.

Madhya24.326

TEXT 326

sutra kari’ disa yadi karaha upadesa

apane karaha yadi hrdaye pravesa

SYNONYMS

sutra kari’—making a synopsis; disa—direction; yadi—if; karaha upadesa—You kindly instruct; apane—personally; karaha—You do; yadi—if; hrdaye pravesa—entering into me or manifesting in my heart.

TRANSLATION

Sanatana Gosvami then requested the Lord, "Please personally tell me how I can write this difficult book about Vaisnava behavior. Please manifest Yourself in my heart.

PURPORT

The writing of Vaisnava literatures is not a function for ordinary men. Vaisnava literatures are not mental concoctions. They are all authorized literature meant to guide those who are going to be Vaisnavas. Under these circumstances, an ordinary man cannot give his own opinion. His opinion must always correspond with the conclusion of the Vedas. Unless one is fully qualified in Vaisnava behavior and authorized by superior authority (the Supreme Personality of Godhead), one cannot write Vaisnava literatures or purports and commentaries on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita.

Madhya24.327

TEXT 327

tabe tara disa sphure mo-nicera hrdaya

isvara tumi,--ye karaha, sei siddha haya"

SYNONYMS

tabe—if you do so; tara—of that; disa—the process of writing; sphure—manifests; mo-nicera—of someone lowborn like me; hrdaya—in the heart; isvara tumi—You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ye karaha—whatever You cause to do; sei siddha haya—that is perfectly done.

TRANSLATION

“If You would please manifest Yourself within my heart and personally direct me in writing this book, then, although I am lowborn, I may hope to be able to write it. You can do this because You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Yourself, and whatever You direct is perfect.”

Madhya24.328

TEXT 328

prabhu kahe,--"ye karite kariba tumi mana

krsna sei sei toma karabe sphurana

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; ye—whatever; karite—to do; kariba tumi mana—you want; krsna—Lord Krsna; sei sei—that; toma—to you; karabe sphurana—will manifest.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Whatever you want to do you will be able to do correctly by Lord Krsna’s favor. He will manifest the real purport.

PURPORT

Sanatana Gosvami was a pure devotee of Krsna. A pure devotee has no business other than serving Krsna; consequently Krsna is always ready to help him. This benediction was given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Gosvami, who was authorized to write Vaisnava smrti. Sanatana Gosvami was a pure devotee of the Lord, and through the blessings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he was able to write the book perfectly.

Madhya24.329

TEXT 329

tathapi ei sutrera suna dig-darasana

sakarana likhi adau guru-asrayana

SYNONYMS

tathapi—still; ei sutrera—of the synopsis of this book; suna—hear; dik-darasana—an indication; sakarana—the cause; likhi—we should write; adau—in the beginning; guru-asrayana—accepting a bona fide spiritual master.

TRANSLATION

"Because you asked me for a synopsis, please hear these few indications. In the beginning one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.

Madhya24.330

TEXT 330

guru-laksana, sisya-laksana, donhara pariksana

sevya--bhagavan, sarva-mantra-vicarana

SYNONYMS

guru-laksana—the symptoms of a bona fide spiritual master; sisya-laksana—the symptoms of a bona fide disciple; donhara—of both; pariksana—the testing; sevya-bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable; sarva-mantra-vicarana—consideration of the different types of mantras.

TRANSLATION

"In your book there should be the characteristics of the bona fide guru and the bona fide disciple. Then, before accepting a spiritual master, one can be assured of the spiritual master’s position. Similarly, the spiritual master can also be assured of the disciple’s position. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, should be described as the worshipable object, and you should consider the bija-mantra for the worship of Krsna, Rama or any other expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

In the Padma Purana, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide spiritual master, have been described:

maha-bhagavata-srestho
brahmano vai gurur nrnam
sarvesam eva lokanam
asau pujyo yatha harih

maha-kula-prasuto ’pi
sarva-yajnesu diksitah
sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca
na guruh syad avaisnavah

The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nrnam. The word nrnam means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadesamrta of Rupa Gosvami that a guru is a gosvami, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Prthivim sa sisyat. This is the test of the guru.

In India there are many so-called gurus, and they are limited to a certain district or a province. They do not even travel about India, yet they declare themselves to be jagad-guru, gurus of the whole world. Such cheating gurus should not be accepted. Anyone can see how the bona fide spiritual master accepts disciples from all over the world. The guru is a qualified brahmana; therefore he knows Brahman and Parabrahman. He thus devotes his life for the service of Parabrahman. The bona fide spiritual master who accepts disciples from all over the world is also worshiped all over the world because of his qualities. Lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih: the people of the world worship him just as they worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All these honors are offered to him because he strictly follows the brahminical principles and teaches these principles to his disciples. Such a person is called an acarya because he knows the principles of devotional service, he behaves in that way himself, and he teaches his disciples to follow in his footsteps. Thus he is an acarya or jagad-guru. Even though a person is born in a brahminical family and is very expert in performing sacrifices, he cannot be accepted as a guru if he is not a strict Vaisnava. A guru is a brahmana by qualification, and he can turn others into brahmanas according to the sastric principles and brahminical qualifications. Brahmanism is not a question of heredity. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.32.11) Sri Narada Muni tells Maharaja Yudhisthira what a brahmana is. He states that if brahminical qualifications are observed in ksatriyas, vaisyas or even sudras, one should accept them as brahmanas. In this regard, Srila Sridhara Svami has commented: samadibhir eva brahmanadi-vyavaharo mukhyah, na jati-matradity aha-yasyeti. yad yadi anyatra varnantare ’pi drsyeta, tad-varnantaram tenaiva laksana-nimittenaiva varnena vinirdiset, na tu jati-nimittenety arthah.

There is a similar statement made by Nilakantha, the commentator on Mahabharata:

sudro ’pi samady-upeto brahmana eva
brahmano ’pi kamady-upetah sudra eva

“Although one may be born in a sudra family, if he is endowed with the brahminical qualities beginning with sama [control of the mind], he is to be accepted as a brahmana. Although one may be born in a brahmana family, if he is endowed with the qualities beginning with kama [lust], he is to be considered a sudra.” No one should present himself as a brahmana simply on the basis of being born in a brahminical family. One must be qualified by the brahminical qualities mentioned in the sastras, particularly Bhagavad-gita:

samo damas tapah saucam
ksantir arjavam eva ca
jnanam vijnanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam