Prabhupada is our Ultimate Shelter - Part 2

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Prabhupada is our Ultimate Shelter", which is transcription of the nectarean class by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 2.8.4, in Hawaii in 1997. In the previous offering we heard from Maharaj

1. Read and Contemplate what you read.

Now we shall hear further from Maharaj.

2. Purpose of Bhagavatam:
This verse (SB 12.13.18) very nicely describes that, what is Srimad Bhagavatam and how we should approach this great scripture. It says, śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ - Very nice line, first line. śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ. This is purāṇam. 'purān bhavati iti purāna.' Purān means 'before'. These things have happened already. That is why it is known as 'history'. You know in ordinary history, where there is history of kings or some battles are fought and some countries are conquered and then he produced so many children and died; and this is history, chronological history, this is ordinary history. But this is a not our ordinary history. This puran is amalaṁ - spotless; there is no material tinge into this puran. This history is spotless description of the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krishna. And that is why it is not in a chronological order; wherever and whichever situation Krishna is glorified, is included in this scripture. That is why, it is known as purāṇam amalaṁ. Amala means no mala; Mala means contamination; where there is no contamination at all.

You find so many verses we are discussing daily, you don’t find any material tinge into it. It is all transcendental; and because it is transcendental, it gives us nice satisfaction. But as soon as we come to the material platform we are in a miserable condition. As soon as we rise above the material platform, it gives us a satisfaction. Because our soul doesn’t belong to this material platform, it belongs to the transcendental realm and in order to satisfy our soul, we must come to this. Otherwise, it is very difficult to get this satisfaction. And that is how, this purana is very important purana.

As soon as we come to this, then we, through our heart, we try to love this scripture. And as soon as you know the importance of this scripture, then very submissively we come with all the inquiries into our mind. Our mind is full of so many questions about everything we are following. Outside you go, all our faith is completely smashed; this Kali yuga is very rampant. And there is one symptom of Kali yuga that the whole atmosphere is surcharged with the faithlessness. It is very difficult to create an unflinching faith in these matters; and because we don’t have unflinching faith, we fail to understand the scripture.

This great scripture, this is purāṇam amalaṁ. And because it is such a nice spotless scripture, that is why yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ - it is very dear to Vaishnavas. It is very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Because there is no material tinge at all.

Krishna willing we shall try to hear further nectar from Maharaj in the subsequent offerings.

Hare Krishna.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sriveda and Vaishnavi
Bangalore.