Unit 1

Introduction
to Çrémad-Bhägavatam

Lesson 1
This temple, these ISKCON
centers are open, just to give
everyone the chance of hearing
about Kåñëa so that his dirty heart
may be cleansed. This is the
purpose. We have no other
purpose. We are not opening
these centers for some material
benefit. No, we want to give to the
whole world the spiritual
enlightenment without which they
are suffering. And this human
form of body is especially meant
for this purpose to understand our
spiritual position.
New York, July 6, 1972
 Chapter 1 Overview
Verses 1-3
Prelude to Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
Subject, Glories and Goal of Bhägavatam

Verses 4-8 : Setting the scene

Sages of Naimiñäraëya 1000 year sacrifice
Enumerated Süta Gosvämé qualifications
Made inquiries…

Verses 9-23
The 6 Questions of the Sages
 oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya
janmädy asya yato 'nvayäd itarataç
cärtheñv abhijïaù svaräö
tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye
muhyanti yat sürayaù
tejo-väri-mådäà yathä vinimayo
yatra tri-sargo 'måñä
dhämnä svena sadä nirasta-kuhakaà
satyaà paraà dhémahi

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1
 Madhya 20.358
bhägavatärambhe vyäsa maìgaläcaraëe
‘parameçvara’ nirüpila ei dui lakñaëe
SYNONYMS
bhägavata-ärambhe—in the beginning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam;
vyäsa—the great author Vyäsadeva; maìgala-äcaraëe—in the
auspicious invocation; parama-éçvara—the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; nirüpila—has described; ei dui lakñaëe—by these two
characteristics, namely svarüpa (personal) and taöastha (marginal)
symptoms.
TRANSLATION
“In the auspicious invocation at the beginning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
Çréla Vyäsadeva has described the Supreme Personality of
Godhead by these symptoms.
 se maìgaläcaraëa haya tri-vidha prakära
vastu-nirdeça, äçérväda, namaskära
SYNONYMS
se—that; maìgala-äcaraëa—auspicious invocation; haya—is; tri-
vidha—three kinds; prakära—processes; vastu-nirdeça—defining
the object; äçéù-väda—benedictions; namaù-kära—obeisances.
TRANSLATION
The invocation involves three processes: defining the objective, offering
benedictions and offering obeisances.
Ädi 1.22
 Madhya 20.357
äkåti, prakåti, svarüpa,—svarüpa-lakñaëa
kärya-dvärä jïäna,—ei taöastha-lakñaëa
SYNONYMS
äkåti—bodily features; prakåti—nature; svarüpa—form;
svarüpa-lakñaëa—personal symptoms; kärya-dvärä—by
activities; jïäna—knowledge; ei—this; taöastha-
lakñaëa—the marginal symptoms.
TRANSLATION
“Bodily features, nature and form are the personal
characteristics. Knowledge of His activities provides the
marginal characteristics.
 Madhya 20.359
PURPORT
This verse, quoted from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.1.1), links
the Çrémad-Bhägavatam with the Vedänta-sütra with the
words janmädy asya yataù. It is stated that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Väsudeva, is the Absolute Truth
beyond the material creation. This has been accepted by
all äcäryas. Even Çaìkaräcärya, the most elevated
impersonalist, says in the beginning of his commentary
on the Bhagavad-gétä: näräyaëaù paro ’vyaktät. When
this material creation is not yet manifested from the
mahat-tattva, it is called avyakta, and when it is
demonstrated from that total energy, it is called vyakta.
Näräyaëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is
beyond this vyakta-avyakta, manifested and
unmanifested material nature. This is the chief
qualification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
when He assumes a particular incarnation.
 Madhya 20.359
PURPORT
Since Kåñëa is beyond the cosmic creation, He is in the
exalted position of being able to remember everything in
the past. Everything within the cosmic creation has a
material body, but Kåñëa, being beyond the material
cosmic creation, always has a spiritual body. He
imparted Vedic knowledge into the heart of Brahmä.
Although Brahmä is the most important and exalted
personality within this universe, he could not remember
what he did in his past life. Kåñëa had to remind him
through the heart. When Lord Brahmä was thus inspired,
he was able to create the entire universe. Remembering
everything about the past and inspiring Lord Brahmä to
create are vivid examples of the characteristics called
svarüpa-lakñaëa and taöastha-lakñaëa.
 Madhya 20.360
ei çloke ‘paraà’-çabde ‘kåñëa’-nirüpaëa
‘satyaà’ çabde kahe täìra svarüpa-lakñaëa
SYNONYMS
ei çloke—in this verse; param-çabde—by the word param,
or supreme; kåñëa—of Lord Kåñëa; nirüpaëa—there is
an indication; satyam çabde—by the word satyam, or
Absolute Truth; kahe—indicates; täìra—His; svarüpa-
lakñaëa—personal characteristics.
TRANSLATION
“In this invocation from Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the word
‘param’ indicates Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and the word ‘satyam’ indicates His
personal characteristics.
 Madhya 20.361
viçva-såñöy-ädi kaila, veda brahmäke paòäila
arthäbhijïatä, svarüpa-çaktye mäyä düra kaila
TRANSLATION
“In that same verse it is stated that the Lord is the creator,
maintainer and annihilator of the cosmic manifestation
and that He enabled Lord Brahmä to create the universe
by infusing him with the knowledge of the Vedas. It is
also stated that the Lord has full knowledge, directly and
indirectly, that He knows past, present and future, and
that His personal energy is separate from mäyä, the
illusory energy.
 Madhya 20.362
ei saba kärya—täìra taöastha-lakñaëa
anya avatära aiche jäne muni-gaëa
TRANSLATION
“All these activities are His marginal characteristics. Great
saintly persons understand the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead by the indications of
the two characteristics known as svarüpa and taöastha.
All the incarnations of Kåñëa should be understood in this
way.
oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya

janmädy asya yato

'nvayäd itarataç
cärtheñv abhijïaù svaräö

tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye

muhyanti yat sürayaù

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1
oà namo bhagavate
väsudeväya…

SB 11.16.32
sätvatäà nava-mürténäm
ädi-mürtir ahaà parä
My devotees worship Me
in nine different forms,
among which I am the
original and primary
Väsudeva.
oà namo bhagavate
väsudeväya…
So Vyäsadeva is offering his obeisances to
satyaà param, the Absolute Supreme
Truth, not to the relative truth. Everyone
has to offer obeisances to somebody.
Somebody... In our practical life, at least,
we have to offer obeisances to the police
constable. When you go on the street, as
soon as they, "Stop!" So we have to obey.
So how you can avoid obeying? They are
saying that "We don't believe in God. God
is dead. I am God." But why you are
offering obeisances even to the small
constable? That means you have to offer
your obeisances to somebody. That is your
position.
oà namo bhagavate
väsudeväya…
But we are offering obeisances to the relative truth. Relative
truth means... That has been explained here that tejo-väri-
mådäà yathä vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'måñä. We are offering
obeisances to a temporary manifestation of tejo-väri-mådäà
vinimayaù. Tejaù means fire, väri means water, and måt means
earth. So you take earth, mix with water, and put it into fire.
Then grind it, so it becomes mortar and the brick, and you
prepare a very big skyscraper and offer obeisances there. Yes.
"Oh, such a big house, mine." Tri-sargo 'måñä. But there is
another place: dhämnä svena nirasta-kuhakam. We are
offering here obeisances to the bricks, stone, iron. Just like in
your country especially—in all Western countries—there are so
many statues. The same thing, tejo-väri-mådäà vinimayaù. But
when we install Deity, actually the form, eternal form of Kåñëa,
nobody offers obeisances. They'll go to offer obeisances to the
dead. Just like in British Museum. They are standing in queue
to offer obeisances to a dead body. It has no value, but they
are wasting time there. But here, if they are invited, "Oh, they
are worshiping idol. Why shall I go? Why shall I go there?" This
is called illusion. They are actually doing that, obeisances, but
oà namo bhagavate
väsudeväya…

Vyäsadeva is explaining
what is Kåñëa. First of all let
us understand what is
Kåñëa, then we enter into
the other information of
Kåñëa…. So our Kåñëa
consciousness movement
is against all this
rascaldom…
oà namo bhagavate
väsudeväya…

We present, "Here is God."

Take His name. Take His
address also. That is
also... It is so perfect. They
are searching after God.
We are giving the name,
address, activity,
everything, quality, all…

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1
London, August 7, 1971
Janmädy asya yataù [SB 1.1.1], that is
the first Vedänta-sütra. The Çrémad-
Bhägavatam is the natural
commentary on Vedänta-sütra.
Vedänta-sütra philosophy was
expounded by Vyäsadeva, Mahämuni.
And thinking that in future so many
fools and rascals will misuse the
Vedänta-sütra as so-called Vedantists,
and send all people to hell, therefore
he personally wrote this commentary
on Vedänta-sütra, the Çrémad-
Bhägavatam. Bhäñyaà brahma-
süträëäà vedärtha paribhåàhitaù **.
This is bhäñya. Bhäñya means
commentary. Therefore he begins from
the first aphorism of Vedänta-sütra,
janmädy asya yataù [SB 1.1.1],
New York,July 6, 1972
 God, by His plenary expansion, He is situated
everywhere. Therefore His name is Väsudeva.
Now Väsudeva is the origin of everything. So that
is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä, väsudevaù
sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù [Bg. 7.19].
Anyone who has understood that everything,
whatever we see, that is Väsudeva... But we
should always remember that Väsudeva is
everything; still, everything is not Väsudeva. Just
like in a big factory. In your country or in America
that Ford, Mr. Ford, he has got very big factory.
So in the factory, everywhere the Mr. Ford is
there. But if you have to see Mr. Ford, you cannot
see the car Ford and you become satisfied. The
car is also written there, "Ford." So if I want to see
Mr. Ford and if we see the car, and we say, "Now
I have met with Mr. Ford," that is foolishness.
(laughter) The car is Ford, but Ford is not the car
Caracus, Feb 21, 1975.
 VCT 1.1.1

 The Lord’s supreme power is indicated in this verse with

janmädy asya yataù. (Vedänta-sütra 1.1.2) (Let us meditate on
the Supreme Lord) from whom (yataù) arises creation,
maintenance and destruction (janmädi) of the universe (asya).
Should they meditate on time, which causes all this?
 No. The Lord is the cause because he is the material and
efficient cause (anvyäd itarataç ca). Anvayäd itarataù (anvaya
and its opposite) can mean anvaya-vyatireka, which, in talking
about causality, can refer to cause and effect. The Lord in
relation to the universe is like the earth which, as a material
cause, is inherent in the pot, and the pot which, as an effect, is
inherent in its material cause, the earth. Thus this phrase
means that the Lord is the material cause (upädäna-käraëa).
The word ca indicates the efficient cause (nimitta-käraëa)
which is time, because the Lord takes the form of time to
influence prakåti. Thus the Lord is the cause (janma) by being
the material (anvayäd itarataù) and the efficient cause (ca).

 VCT 1.1.1

 Or the word anvaya (meaning inclusion or entrance into)

can also indicate that the Lord is the cause and destruction
(janmädi) because everything enters the Lord. The universes
enter into the Lord at destruction (and issues from him at the
time of creation). Itarataù then indicates divisions of matter
taking place at the level of secondary creation outside the Lord.
That means that the Lord is the basis (adhisthätå-käraëa) of the
whole universe, just as water is the basis of earth, and fire is
the basis of water. Thus the Lord is that person from whom
creation, maintenance and destruction takes place because
everything is contained within him (anvayät) and everything in
the secondary creation is outside him, but based on him
(itarataù).

 VCT 1.1.1

 Or the word anvaya (meaning sequence) can mean that

the Lord is creation and destruction (janmädi), because he is
the whole sequence of creation, maintenance and destruction.
 The universe itself is kept at a distance from the svarüpa of the
Lord by the use of the descriptive word itarataù (different),
since the creation, maintenance and destruction of the
universe is different from the Lord’s svarüpa-çakti. Ca indicates
it is non-different from the mäyä-çakti. Thus anvayäd itarataù
ca means the Lord is the creator, maintainer and destroyer
since he is non-different from the universe in its phases of
creation, maintenance and destruction, but this universe is
different from his svarüpa, and non-different from his mäyä-
çakti.

 SB 10.87.31 purport

 The combination of material nature and her controller that produces the
numerous conditioned beings in material creation is likened here to the
combination of water and air that produces countless bubbles of foam on the
surface of the sea. Just as the efficient cause, air, impels the ingredient
cause, water, to form itself into bubbles, so by His glance the Supreme
Puruña inspires prakåti to transform herself into the array of material
elements and the innumerable material forms manifest from those elements.
Prakåti thus serves as the upädäna-käraëa, or ingredient cause, of creation.
In the ultimate issue, however, since she is also an expansion of the
Supreme Lord, it is the Lord alone who is the ingredient cause as well as the
efficient cause. This is as stated in the Taittiréya Upaniñad (2.2.1), tasmäd vä
etasmäd ätmana äkäçaù sambhütaù: "From this Supreme Soul the ether
evolved," and so 'kämayata bahu syäà prajäyeya: "He desired, 'Let Me
become many by expanding into progeny.' "
 CC Adi 6.14,15

 Just as the external energy consists of two parts—the efficient cause [nimitta] and
the material cause [upädäna], mäyä being the efficient cause and pradhäna the
material cause—so Lord Viñëu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes two
forms to create the material world with the efficient and material causes.
 Purport

 Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa has therefore enunciated the nature of pradhäna as

follows:
 ”Material nature is inert, and as such it cannot be the cause of matter, neither as the
material nor as the efficient cause. Seeing the wonderful arrangement and
management of the cosmic manifestation generally suggests that a living brain is
behind this arrangement, for without a living brain such an arrangement could not
exist. One should not imagine that such an arrangement can exist without conscious
direction. In our practical experience we never see that inert bricks can themselves
construct a big building.
 VCT 1.1.1

 One may object that the mahat-tattva and other elements had not arisen so
that he could have a body which could perform actions. Therefore the verse says
that the Lord is independent (svaräö). He controls everything by himself (svayam
räjate) through his spiritual svarüpa (non-different from himself). Thus the çruti says
na tasya käryam käraëaà ca vidyate… sväbhäviké-jïäna-bala-kriya ca: In the Lord
there is no material cause and effect; he has his own inherent knowledge, strength
and action. (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.8)
 One may object that in the creation of the universe, one should understand that Lord
Brahmä has independent powers, for in the çruti it is said hiraëyagarbhaù
samavartatägre bhütasya jätaù patir eka asét: Brahmä was born before other
creatures; he alone existed. (Mahä-näräyaëa Upaniñad 6) Therefore Brahmä should
be the object of worship. The verse answers this objection in the second line. It is the
Lord, satyam param, who revealed (tene) the Vedas (brahma) — knowledge of
himself — to Brahmä (ädi-kavaye). Thus Brahmä is dependent on the Lord. One
may object that it is well known that Brahmä did not study the Vedas from anyone.
That is true. He received it in his mind (hådaye).
 VCT 1.1.1

 Someone may argue: “Perhaps Brahmä realized the

truth of the Vedas on his own (from within the mind)
just as a person sometimes gets a realization during
sleep.” To answer this argument, then it is said that
Brahmä, independently, does not have the power to
realize this knowledge, for even the greatly learned
are bewildered about this (yad sürayaù muhyanti).
 VCT 1.1.1

 There is another objection. When we talk about meditation it indicates that we

meditate on an object that has a form. Forms are made of the three guëas of matter,
and must be therefore temporary. This objection is answered in the third line. It is like
reversal; or one thing appearing as another (vinimayaù), just as light may appear to
be water, or water may appear to be earth or earth in forms like glass may appear to
be like water to an ignorant person. In this way one falsely (måñä) thinks that the
perfect, spiritual form of the Lord to be made of the three guëas (tri-sargaù). Gopäla-
täpané Upaniñad (1.33) says:


 tam ekaà govindaà sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaà våndävana-sura-bhüruha-

taläsénam


 I saw that one form of Govinda, a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, seated at the
base of desire tree in Våndävana.
 VCT 1.1.1

 What doubt can there be that their bodies are non-material? Some persons argue
with all these conclusions. In answer to this, the following is said. Through the power
of realization of the Lord fixed in the devotee’s heart by the svarüpa-çakti, or through
the Lord’s form shining with power and sweetness increasing at every moment
(dhämnä), which belongs only to the Lord and which is thus extraordinary (svena),
throughout all three phases of time (sadä), all false arguments (kuhakam) about the
Lord are negated (nirasta). This is indicated in tarko ’pratiñöhänät: argumentation is
not accepted concerning the Lord, because it is insubstantial. (Vedänta-sutra 2.1.11)
yam evaiña våëute tena labhyas tasyaiña ätmä vivåëute tanuà sväm: the Lord
reveals his form to that person whom he chooses. (Muëòaka Upaniñad 3.2.3) The
use of the word sväm to modify tanum indicates that the body of the Lord arises from
his svarüpa-çakti. That his mind and eyes are not material is also understood from
the statements bahu syäm (let me become many) and sa aikñata (he glanced), since
these senses are employed before the agitation of prakåti, which produces material
mind and senses. As well paräsya çaktir vividhaiva çrüyate sväbhäviké jïäna-bala-
kriyä ca (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.8) indicates that his knowledge, strength and
actions arise from his own nature (sväbhäviké), not prakåti.
Abhijïaù & Svaräö

So I am conscious to a
certain extent only, not
fully. I am not abhijïaù. I
am not very expert. These
are simple truths. But these
rascals are claiming that “I
am God.” God is not only
conscious, He’s abhijïaù,
very expert, knows
everything, and svaräö.
Abhijïaù & Svaräö

Now, to get abhijïaù or

experience, we have to
consult somebody. But
God is svaräö. Svaräö
means He’s personally so
independent that He
doesn’t require to take
knowledge from anyone
else. That is God…..

Bhagavad-gétä 2.17
London, August 23, 1973
Abhijïaù & Svaräö
Just like sometimes the atheist class of men enquire
that "If God is the original father, the supreme father of
everyone, then who is God's father?" The answer is
that God has no father; He is self-sufficient. Therefore
this word is used, svaräö. Svaräö means self-sufficient.
So far we are concerned, I have got my father, my
father has got father, his father has got father, father,
father, go on. When you come to a person who has no
more father, that is God. (laughter) That is the test. If
we find somebody that he has no father, then He is
God. And if some rascal comes and says, "I am God,"
then you ask him, "Whether you have got father?" As
soon as he says that "Yes, I have got father," then he is
dog. So in your country so many imitation gods come. I
know this. But you ask them, to test him, "Whether you
have got father?" If he says, "Yes, I have got father,"
then you say, "You are dog." Therefore God's another
name is unborn. anädir ädiù. Anädi means He has no
source of emanation. But He is ädi. He is the original
source of everything. Therefore it is said, anädir ädiù.
Why does
there appear
to be reality in
the material
world?
 tejo-väri-mådäà yathä vinimayo
fire water earth so action and reaction

as bewildered by illusory representations of

water seen in fire & land seen on water….

yatra tri-sargo 'måñä

whereupon Material universes appear factual

Only because of Him do the material

universes, temporarily manifested by the
reactions of the three modes of nature, appear
factual, although they are unreal.
Absolute and
Relative truths….

Çré Vyäsadeva says

herein that the
manifested internal
potency is real, whereas
the external manifested
energy in the form of
material existence is only
temporary and illusory..
Absolute and
Relative truths….

like the mirage in the

desert. In the desert
mirage there is no actual
water. There is only the
appearance of water.
Real water is somewhere
else…
Absolute and
Relative truths….

The manifested cosmic

creation appears as
reality. But reality, of
which this is but a
shadow, is in the spiritual
world. Absolute Truth is in
the spiritual sky, not the
material sky. In the
material sky everything is
relative truth. That is to
say, one truth depends
on something else…
Absolute and
Relative truths….

….In actuality, there is no

reality in the manifested
world. There appears to
be reality, however,
because of the true reality
which exists in the
spiritual world.
1.1.1. Purport…
Absolute and Relative Truths

The material sex life is but

a perverted reflection of
the original fact. The
original fact is in the
Absolute Truth, and thus
the Absolute Truth cannot
be impersonal. It is not
possible to be impersonal
and contain pure sex life.
Absolute and Relative Truths

Consequently, the
impersonalist philosophers
have given indirect impetus to
the abominable mundane sex
life because they have
overstressed the
impersonality of the ultimate
truth. Consequently, man
without information of the
actual spiritual form of sex
has accepted perverted
material sex life as the all in
all..
1.1.1. Purport
 Gäyatré

satyaà paraà dhémahi

Truth Supreme meditate

I meditate upon Him,

for He is the Absolute Truth.
 Gäyatré

One must therefore acquire

brahminical qualities or be
perfectly situated in the quality
of goodness in order to chant
the Gäyatré mantra
successfully and then attain to
the stage of transcendentally
realizing the Lord, His name,
His fame, His qualities and so
on…
1.1.1 Purport
 kasmai yena vibhäsito 'yam atulo jïäna-pradépaù purä
tad-rüpeëa ca näradäya munaye kåñëäya tad-rüpiëä
yogéndräya tad-ätmanätha bhagavad-rätäya käruëyatas
tac chuddhaà vimalaà viçokam amåtaà satyaà paraà dhémahi

TRANSLATION
I meditate upon that pure and spotless Supreme Absolute Truth, who is
free from suffering and death and who in the beginning personally
revealed this incomparable torchlight of knowledge to Brahmä.
Brahmä then spoke it to the sage Närada, who narrated it to Kåñëa-
dvaipäyana Vyäsa. Çréla Vyäsa revealed this Bhägavatam to the
greatest of sages, Çukadeva Gosvämé, and Çukadeva mercifully
spoke it to Mahäräja Parékñit.

SB 12.13.19
 gäyatréra arthe ei grantha-ärambhana
“satyaà paraà“-sambandha, “dhémahi“-sädhana-prayojana
SYNONYMS
gäyatréra arthe—with the meaning of Brahma-gäyatré; ei—this;
grantha—of the great literature; ärambhana—the beginning; satyam
param—the supreme Absolute Truth; sambandha—shows a
relationship; dhémahi—we meditate (the end of the Gäyatré mantra);
sädhana-prayojana—the execution of service and the achievement
of the ultimate goal.
TRANSLATION
“In the beginning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam there is an explanation of the
Brahma-gäyatré mantra. ‘The Absolute Truth [satyaà param]’
indicates the relationship, and ‘we meditate [dhémahi] on Him’
indicates the execution of devotional service and the ultimate goal of
life.
Madhya 25.147
 satya-vrataà satya-paraà tri-satyaà
satyasya yonià nihitaà ca satye
satyasya satyam åta-satya-netraà
satyätmakaà tväà çaraëaà prapannäù
TRANSLATION
The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow,
which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly
correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the
three phases of cosmic manifestation-creation, maintenance and
annihilation—You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is
completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore
cannot be achieved by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the
real truth, in all the ingredients of creation, and therefore you are
known as antaryämé, the inner force. You are equal to everyone, and
Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the
beginning of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisances, we
surrender unto You. Kindly give us protection.
SB 10.2.26
 VCT 1.1.1
Though all twelve cantos of the Bhägavatam are like the tasty fruit, the
sun and the lamp, the topics of creation and destruction (sarga and
nirodha) and various verses describing this are considered to be the
lamp, since those topics reveal only the general aspect of the Lord
(adhyätmä). Secondary creation (visarga), maintenance (sthäna),
protection (poñaëa) and other topics (üti, manvantara, éçänukathä,
and mukti) are considered to be the sun since they reveal, in addition,
the results of forbidden practices for enjoyment and renunciation
available in dharma, artha, käma, mokña and their unlimited sub-
varieties. Topics dealing with the appearance and pastimes of the
Lord (äçraya) and his devotees, and with bhakti and prema, are
considered to be the tasty fruit of rasa. All the topics however give joy
to the devotees of the Lord by taking on a meaning favorable for
bhakti. The same topics however are like Mohiné and take on a
different meaning for bewildering the demonic group who give
meanings unfavorable for bhakti. One should not say that it is
unbefitting to eulogize the unfavorable meanings of the Bhägavatam
which is directly filled with bhakti-rasa. The Supreme Lord is full of all
çaktis and so is the Bhägavatam. Thus it takes meanings
corresponding to the minds of various types of persons (adhikäris of
this çästra), for such revelation is befitting the person (the Lord) who
possesses all powers.
 VCT 1.1.1
 Bhägavatam is compared to a lamp in the following two verses:
 yaù svänubhävam akhila-çruti-säram ekam
 adhyätma-dépam atititérñatäà tamo ’ndham
 saàsäriëäà karuëayäha puräëa-guhyaà
 taà vyäsa-sünum upayämi guruà munénäm
 I surrender to the son of Vyäsa, the incomparable guru of all the sages,
who mercifully spoke the Puräëa full of hidden meanings, the essence of
all the scriptures, the essence of hearing, for all the people of this world,
even in the future; who spoke the Bhägavatam, which revealed the
excellence of rasa to Çukadeva, and which is the revealer of ätmä for those
desiring to cross dense ignorance with ease. SB 1.2.3
 I meditate upon that pure, spotless Näräyaëa, who is free from suffering
and death and who previously revealed this incomparable lamp of
knowledge to Brahmä. Brahmä then spoke it to the sage Närada, who
narrated it to Kåñëa-dvaipäyana Vyäsa. Çréla Vyäsa revealed this
Bhägavatam to the greatest of sages, Çukadeva Gosvämé, and Çukadeva
mercifully spoke it to Mahäräja Parékñit. SB 12.13.19
 Bhägavatam is compared to the sun:


 kåñëe sva-dhämopagate dharma-jïänädibhiù saha

 kalau nañöa-dåçäm eña puräëärko ’dhunoditaù


 Though Kåñëa, departing Dvärakä, arrived at Prabhäsa, and then

disappeared along with his six opulences, this Puräëa, another form of
the sun, has now risen in Kali-yuga for those who have lost their
knowledge. SB 1.3.43



 Bhägavatam is described as giving a tasty fruit in the third verse of this
chapter with nigama-kalpa-taror galitaà phBhägavatam is described as
giving a tasty fruit in the third verse of this chapter with nigama-kalpa-
taror galitaà phalaà rasam: it is the matured fruit (of rasa) of the desire
tree of the Vedas. (SB 1.1.3)
 Bhägavatam is compared to Mohiné avatära because it gives different
results to different people:
 ädi-madhyävasäneñu vairägyäkhyäna-saàyutam
 hari-lélä-kathä-vrätä-måtänandita-sat-suram
 sarva-vedänta-säraà yad brahmätmaikatva-lakñaëam
 vastv advitéyaà tan-niñöhaà kaivalyaika-prayojanam
 From beginning to end, the Çrémad-Bhägavatam is full of the Lord's
pastimes which give bliss to the devotees, endowed with a sense of
renunciation. This Bhägavatam is the essence of all Vedänta philosophy
because its subject matter is one Brahman, a substance with no duality.
The main goal of the work is merging. SB 12.13.11-12