The Power of Krishna-Katha

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

The following is a beautiful verse on the glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam from SB 12.13.18:

śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ
yasmin pāramahaṁsyam ekam amalaṁ jñānaṁ paraṁ gīyate
tatra jñāna-virāga-bhakti-sahitaṁ naiṣkarmyam āviskṛtaṁ
tac chṛṇvan su-paṭhan vicāraṇa-paro bhaktyā vimucyen naraḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless Purāṇa. It is most dear to the Vaiṣṇavas because it describes the pure and supreme knowledge of the paramahaṁsas. This Bhāgavatam reveals the means for becoming free from all material work, together with the processes of transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion. Anyone who seriously tries to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, who properly hears and chants it with devotion, becomes completely liberated.

There is a story from Vayu purana. A devotee named Punyadhama resided near Ganges. Everyday he was spending hours together relishing Krishna-katha through reciting Bhagavatam. He never took a dip in Ganges though he was staying just nearby. Instead he felt that listening to Krishna-katha and serving the devotees who come to his place to take a dip in the sacred river was sufficient.

Once a group of pilgrims came and stayed in his place to take a scared dip in the Ganges. But on hearing that Punyadhama had not taken a single dip in the holy Ganges, they were shocked and left the place abusing him by telling that it was sinful on their part to stay with a person like Punyadhama who had never had a dip in the holy river Ganges.

When they went to Ganges for their holy dip, to their dismay they found mother Ganges dry. Then they prayed to her sincerely and finally she appeared before them and told them that she was offended by what they did to the devotee Punyadhama and she was longing to feel Punyadhama's feet to touch her. She also asked them to beg for forgiveness from him.

They realized their mistake immediately and did as they were told. Then they could take bath in the holy river Ganges.

This story very aptly reminds us the above verse in Srimad Bhagavatam. There is also another famous verse in SB 1.1.15:

yat-pāda-saṁśrayāḥ sūta munayaḥ praśamāyanāḥ
sadyaḥ punanty upaspṛṣṭāḥ svardhuny-āpo ’nusevayā

O Suta, those great sages who have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord can at once sanctify those who come in touch with them, whereas the waters of the Ganges can sanctify only after prolonged use.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Padmavathy Ilangovan
Abu Dhabi.

Moderator's Note: Srimati Padmavathy Mataji is a sincere devotee living in Abu Dhabi. She has been continuously attending the programs for several years and does serious service. She takes care of one of the children's class (Gokulnandan class) and also regularly attends the popular Matajis' class - Rukhmini sabha. She also has an inherent taste for reciting the slokas from the scriptures and does it very nicely.