Prabhupāda: This purāṇāni setihāsāni... These Purāṇas... You know, first of all, there is the Veda. Originally, the Veda, Atharva-veda. That is divided now into four: Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛg. Then all the Vedic instructions are what is called skimmed, concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, in one. The Upaniṣads, there are 108 Upaniṣads, and many others. So all the knowledge is concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, or Vedānta philosophy. Then again, it is explained for common men by purāṇāni, by Purāṇas. Just like this Purāṇa, this Bhāgavata-Purāṇa. Bhāgavata is also Purāṇa. Purāṇa means old, old history, Purāṇa. And itihāsa means history. But Vedic civilization was concerned with historical evidences which are very, very important. At the present moment, present age, they write history chronologically. One period may be important, one period may not be important, but they write all the history. The Vedic way of writing history was not like that. If you go on writing history... Suppose for millions years of history you write, then where you'll keep the records? It is not possible. Every day so many things are happening, or every year. So that was not the process. Just like autobiography of life. Nobody used to write autobiography. But the life of great kings, sages, saintly persons, they were recorded in the..., here.
So Sūta Gosvāmī, he is addressed, "Sir,"
- tvayā khalu purāṇāni
- setihāsāni cānagha
- ākhyātāny apy adhītāni
- dharma-śāstrāṇi yāny uta
Dharma-śāstra. In the Vedic civilization there are twenty big, big books, dharma-śāstra, for regulating life. Very difficult subject matter, dharma-śāstra. So Sūta Gosvāmī was offered the seat of vyāsāsana because he was aware of these things, itihāsa, history, Purāṇa, still older history, dharma-śāstra, the scriptures, everything. Therefore he's first of all addressing that "You have read... Not only you have read, but you have described." Description means... You read something. Unless you fully assimilate, understand, you cannot describe it. So two things... Simply reading will not help us. When we shall be able to preach the reading matter, doesn't matter whether in the same language or in my own language... It doesn't matter. That is wanted. Ākhyātāny adhītāni. Adhītāni means "You have read." And "You have explained." In this way the śaunakādi ṛṣis... There were thousands of ṛṣis in Naimiṣāraṇya... When you go to India, you must see this place, Naimiṣāraṇya. It is very, very old place. At least, from historical point of view, modern estimate is it is five thousand years old, because the first Bhāgavata discussion took place there after instruction of Vyāsadeva. So in India there are many places very suitable for spiritual advancement. Still they're existing from the very, very old time, historical time.
So the itihāsa... Itihāsa means history, and purāṇāni, purāṇāni means old itihāsa. All the statements or narrations described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they're all historical evidence, they're not imagination. Sometimes the so-called scholars and research students, they say it is fancy or something imagination. No. They're all history. It is said here, itihāsam. Itihāsa means history. Then?
Pradyumna: Ṛṣaya...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Oh, yes.
Pradyumna: (responsively) "...the sages; ūcuḥ—said; tvayā—by you; khalu—undoubtedly; purāṇāni—the supplements to the Vedas with illustrated narrations..."
Prabhupāda: Supplements. Because Vedic language is so difficult... It is sometimes very difficult to understand. So Purāṇa, another meaning of Purāṇa means supplement. So they are explanation of the Vedic knowledge in a supplementary way by taking references from the history, from the life of great saints and sages. So they are addition, addendum. Go on. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Purāṇas are not Veda. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhāgavata says the Purāṇa is part of the Vedas. As Upaniṣad is part of Vedas... It is written in simplified language so that those who are less educated, less having brain substance...
Now, this Mahābhārata is especially written... Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the history of greater India. Mahā. Mahā means greater. Bhārata. Bhārata means India, Bhārata-varṣa. Mahābhārata, greater India. Or at that time the whole world was Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore greater India, history in Mahābhārata is there. So Mahābhārata especially was written for three classes of men. What are those? Strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu. Strī means woman, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but they're degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture. Just like at the present moment. They are introducing themself as brāhmaṇa, but degraded. Actually, they are not brāhmaṇa-degraded. Dvija-bandhu, friends of brāhmaṇa. Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become a high-court judge I cannot say myself, "I am high-court judge." No. Simply by becoming the son of high-court judge, one does not become a high-court judge. He must have the qualification. So when one is simply proud of his high parentage, he is called dvija-bandhu.
There are many instances. Just like in this country also, British nation was very powerful nation, but at the present time it is different. So simply by taking birth in England, one cannot be proud. Your forefathers were very enthusiastic, colonized. So at the present moment that is not possible. So I request you, all English boys and girls present here, now you become greater than your forefathers by taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will make you more powerful, spiritually powerful. You can render service to the humanity, to you, I mean to say, family, your nation, it is so nice. Try to understand. Everyone, every human being should try to become very important. That importance can be achieved by culture, and not by simply "I belong to this nation. I belong to this family. I am the son of such big father." No. You must be also qualified.
So this Mahābhārata was written for three classes of men: strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu (SB 1.4.25). Women... It is not the question of... Women are generally less intelligent. Less intelligent. Similarly, śūdras, they are also less intelligent, worker class. Similarly, those who are degraded from their high parentage, heritage, they're also. For understanding of these three classes of men, Mahābhārata was written. Now even... In the Mahābhārata this Bhagavad-gītā is included. Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata, a chapter only, Mahābhārata. Now we see... Practically, this Mahābhārata was... Mahābhārata, or Bhagavad-gītā is included there. This high literature was meant for the less intelligent class of men, and at the present moment the highest intelligent class of men cannot understand it. So how much you have degraded, just try to understand. Which was written five thousand years ago for the less intelligent class of men, that literature is not understandable even by the highest and elevated, educated persons at the present moment. Try to understand this point. How much you have degraded! Formerly this Vedic literature was not in written pages. As soon as one will hear from... Just like Sūta Gosvāmī. There is no question of taking notes. As soon as they will hear, they'll immediately get it in the memory, and they will never forget. So memory was so sharp. At the present moment, our memory is so low-graded we cannot remember even what I have done two hours past.