SB 01.07.08 sa samhitam bhagavatim... cited

Expressions researched:
"krtvanukramya catma-jam" |"nivrtti-niratam munih" |"sa samhitam bhagavatim" |"sukam adhyapayam asa"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.7.8, Translation and Purport:

The great sage Vyāsadeva, after compiling the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and revising it, taught it to his own son, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was already engaged in self-realization.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentation on the Brahma-sūtras compiled by the same author. This Brahma-sūtra, or Vedānta-sūtra, is meant for those who are already engaged in self-realization. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so made that one becomes at once engaged in the path of self-realization simply by hearing the topics. Although it is especially meant for the paramahaṁsas, or those who are totally engaged in self-realization, it works into the depths of the hearts of those who may be worldly men. Worldly men are all engaged in sense gratification. But even such men will find in this Vedic literature a remedial measure for their material diseases. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul from the very beginning of his birth, and his father taught him Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Amongst mundane scholars, there is some diversity of opinion as to the date of compilation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is, however, certain from the text of the Bhāgavatam that it was compiled before the disappearance of King Parīkṣit and after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was ruling the world as the King of Bhārata-varṣa, he chastised the personality of Kali. According to revealed scriptures and astrological calculation, the age of Kali is in its five thousandth year. Therefore, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was compiled not less than five thousand years ago. Mahābhārata was compiled before Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the Purāṇas were compiled before Mahābhārata. That is an estimation of the date of compilation of the different Vedic literatures. The synopsis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was given before the detailed description under instruction of Nārada. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the science for following the path of nivṛtti-mārga. The path of pravṛtti-mārga was condemned by Nārada. That path is the natural inclination for all conditioned souls. The theme of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the cure of the materialistic disease of the human being, or stopping completely the pangs of material existence.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda: He's not here? Paṇḍita? Where he is?

Hari-śauri: Oh, he's here.

Prabhupāda: Read it. (hums)

Pradyumna: (chants oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya) Yasyām?

Prabhupāda: No, that is finished. Number three. Number eight.

Pradyumna:

sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ

kṛtvānukramya cātma-jam

śukam adhyāpayām āsa

nivṛtti-nirataṁ muniḥ

(SB 1.7.8)

"The great sage Vyāsadeva, after compiling the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and revising it, taught it to his own son, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was already engaged in self-realization."

Prabhupāda:

sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ

kṛtvānukramya cātma-jam

śukam adhyāpayām āsa

nivṛtti-nirataṁ muniḥ

(SB 1.7.8)

So this saṁhitā... Saṁhitā means Vedic literature. There are many rascals, they say that "Bhāgavata was not written by Vyāsadeva, it was written by some Bopadeva." They say like that. Māyāvādīs, the Nirīśvaravādī. Because although Nirīśvaravādī, or Māyāvādī leader Śaṅkarācārya, he wrote comments on Bhagavad-gītā, but he could not touch Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the things are so nicely set up, kṛtvānukramya, that it is not possible by the Māyāvādīs to prove that God is impersonal. They cannot do it. Nowadays they are doing, reading Bhāgavatam in their own way, but that does not appeal to any sane man. Sometimes I have seen a big Māyāvādī is explaining one verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "Because you are God, therefore if you are pleased, then God is pleased." This is their philosophy. "You do not require to please God separately. So if you are pleased by drinking wine, then God is pleased." This is their explanation. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has condemned this Māyāvādī commentary. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. He has plainly said. No compromise. The Māyāvādīs, they're great offender to Kṛṣṇa. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa also says. They're very, very envious to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, śyāmasundara, and the Māyāvādī explains that "Kṛṣṇa has no hand, no leg. This is all imagination." How much offensive it is they do not know. But to warn people like us, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has plainly warned that "Don't go to Māyāvādīs." Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. This is the statement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Therefore it is said, sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ kṛtvānukramya cātma-jam. It is very confidential subject matter. He taught it, instructed to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Ātma-jam. Like father, like son. There is no difference between son and disciple. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has equalized,

lālane bahavo doṣās

tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ

tasmāt putraṁ ca śiṣyaṁ ca

tāḍayen na tu lālayet

That is the, I mean to say, Vedic system—to teach the son and teach the disciple. If one cannot teach the son—the son is disobedient—he should give up his family life. Otherwise a father is in obligation to teach the son properly. But if it is not possible... Sometimes it so happens as family members, they do not take care. Otherwise Vyāsadeva's son is expected to become Śukadeva Gosvāmī. If not, such family connection should be given up. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Family life, if it is favorable for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it should be accepted; otherwise it should be rejected. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam.

So what was the qualification of Śukadeva Gosvāmī which induced Vyāsadeva to teach him this saṁhitām? Śukam adhyāpayām āsa nivṛtti-niratam: he has no more attraction for material world. That is the qualification. Nirvṛtti. There are two kinds of life: nirvṛtti and pravṛtti. Pravṛtti means materialistic, karmīs. Generally karmīs, they have got tendency to enjoy this material world. That is called pravṛtti. Pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛttes tu... Pravṛtti is natural inclination. Anyone who has come to this material world... Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānām. Everyone is in the pravṛtti-mārga. What is that pravṛtti-mārga? The pravṛtti-mārga is these things: sex, meat-eating, intoxication, like that. This is pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttes tu mahā-phalām. So the whole Vedic literature is there how to make him stop this pravṛtti-mārga. That is the whole plan. Otherwise there are many instances, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityas tu jantuḥ. Nitya. A jantuḥ, he's called jantuḥ. Jantuḥ means animal or no intelligence. Those who are jantuḥ, they have got this tendency. Pravṛttir eṣā. What is that? Vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā: sex and meat-eating. Āmiṣa, meat, egg, fish; and madya, intoxication. This is pravṛtti. Loke vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex. Āmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā tu jantuḥ. Jantuḥ means living being, conditioned in the material world, they have got this general tendency. Pravṛtti. You will find in animals, in birds, in beasts, and beastly human being, two-legged beast... There are four-legged beasts and two-legged beasts. Four-legged beasts are the animals—cats, dogs, tigers, etc. Cows, asses. They are four-legged beasts. And there are two-legged beasts, dvi-pāda-paśu. It is not manufactured; it is there in the śāstra. Dvi-pāda-paśu. Dvi means two, and pāda means legged. So any human being who is attached to this pravṛtti-mārga-sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling—he is dvi-pāda-paśu, two-legged animals. This is pravṛtti-mārga.

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

So Kali-yuga is a very precarious condition: no knowledge, ignorance, and no nirvṛtti. Everyone is in pravṛtti. So whatever their condition may be, but if you want actually freedom from this material conditional life, then you should follow ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣaḥ. Ācāryopāsanam. Kṛṣṇa is personally acting as ācārya. He's coming again as ācārya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has got so many representatives ācārya: Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, so many ācāryas. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). So take lesson from the ācāryas. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is ācārya. Vyāsadeva is ācārya. He's making the next ācārya by teaching him—adhyāpayām āsa, śukam adhyāpayām āsa—so that he is becoming ācārya. So we have to go the ācārya and take lesson. Then, in the previous verse we are advised,

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ

kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe

bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ

śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

(SB 1.7.7)

This is wanted. We are always perplexed with śoka, moha and bhaya. If you want to get out of it, then read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now if you are... If you say that "I'm uneducated, illiterate. I cannot read," there is no need of reading. Hear. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām. Simply hear. But hear from the right person, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Not rascals, professionals. Then it will be useless. Here... Why? Anyone knows some grammar or little literary education. Why...? Śukadeva Gosvāmī had no opportunity to go to a school. Śukadeva Gosvāmī... Śukadeva Gosvāmī, as soon as he took birth, after sixteen years keeping himself within the womb of the mother, immediately left home. So where is the possibility of taking education? And he was given instruction while he was in the womb of his mother.