Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
This is in conclusion of the previous offerings titled 'Glories of Srimad Bhagavatam'. In the previous offering we were meditating on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.3.44 wherein Suta Goswami says to the sages of Naimisaranya about his own experience of how he had heard Srimad Bhagavatam.
tatra kīrtayato viprā viprarṣer bhūri-tejasaḥ
ahaṁ cādhyagamaṁ tatra niviṣṭas tad-anugrahāt
so ’haṁ vaḥ śrāvayiṣyāmi yathādhītaṁ yathā-mati
O learned brahmanas, when Sukadeva Goswami recited Bhagavatam there [in the presence of Emperor Parikshit], I heard him with rapt attention, and thus, by his mercy, I learned the Bhagavatam from that great and powerful sage. Now I shall try to make you hear the very same thing as I learned it from him and as I have realized it.
Suta Goswami said how attentive hearing and mercy of Vaishnavas help one to understand Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada has wonderfully translated shraavayishaami in the above verse as 'shall let you hear'. He has passed on the message "As It Is", without any misinterpretation. Srila Prabhupada's translation of scriptures is exactly as per this verse. That is why his writings have touched millions of souls across the globe. His writings were expressions of his transcendental ecstasy. He never thought that he is writing these books. Many a times when His Divine Grace was asked as to how he is able to read his own books many times, Srila Prabhupada said that it was Krishna who has written these books through him and that is why he is able to enjoy the same with great relish.
Our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswmai Maharaj says that he would spend hours preparing for every class. But as soon as he sits on the Vyasasan, the points which comes in the class are all from Krishna and many times it might not even include any of the points which Maharaj had prepared in his notes. In essence Maharaj taught by his own practice that we need to sincerely prepare for hours for every single class. Then Krishna speaks through us during the class.
The words yathaa adhitam yathaa-mati means 'as far as I have realised'. Realised souls are those who don't merely study scriptures. They don't simply talk. But they walk the talk as well. Scriptural study combined with practical application of the teachings in daily life leads to realisation. Every time we apply what we study in scriptures in daily life, we get newer realisations. Srila Prabhupada very nicely says what would be the effect of hearing from such realised souls. "One can certainly see directly the presence of Lord Sri Krishna in the pages of Bhagavatam if one has heard it from a self-realized great soul like Sukadeva Goswami."
The glories of Srimad Bhagavatam are unlimited like the Supreme Lord as it is non-different from Supreme Lord. In conclusion let us remember the verse Srila Narada Muni says in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.38:
iti mūrty-abhidhānena mantra-mūrtim amūrtikam
yajate yajña-puruṣaṁ sa samyag-darśanaḥ pumān
Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, who has no material form.
Let us offer our respectful obeisances and heart-felt gratitude to Supreme Lord Krishna who has mercifully appeared through the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Vyasadev for compiling it, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Gurudeva and all the Vaishnavas for teaching us the way to enjoy this glorious scripture in our life-time.
Granthraj Srimad Bhagavatam ki Jai! Srila Prabhupada ki Jai ! Srila Gurudev ki Jai!
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.
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