Prabhupāda: That's all. Anyone can recite?
(devotees recite the verse, Prabhupāda corrects pronunciation)
Now, 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, creamed, concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, in one. The Upaniṣads, there are 108 Upaniṣads, and many others.
All the knowledge is concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, or Vedānta philosophy. Then again, it is explained for common man by purāṇāni, by Purāṇas. Just like this Purāṇa, this is Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Bhāgavata is also Purāṇa. Purāṇa means "old," old history, purāṇa; and itihāsa means history. But Vedic civilizations were concerned the historical evidences which were very, very important.
At the present moment, present days, 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 will keep the record? Hmm? It is not possible.
Every day so many things are happening, or every year. So that was not the process. Just like autobiography or life. Nobody used to write autobiography. But the life of great kings, sages, saintly person, they are recorded in the Itihāsa. So Sūta Gosvāmī, he is addressed, "Sir."
- tvayā khalu purāṇāni
- setihāsāni cānagha
- ākhyātāny apy adhītāni
- dharma-śāstrāṇi yāny uta
- (SB 1.1.6)
Dharma-śāstra. In the Vedic civilization, there are twenty big, big books, dharma-śāstra, for regulating life. Many difficult subject matter, dharma-śāstra. So Sūta Gosvāmī was offered the seat of vyāsāsana because he was aware of these things, Itihāsa, history; Purāṇas, still older history; dharma-śāstra, the scriptures; everything. Therefore he is first of all addressing that "You have read. Not only have read, but you have described."
Description means you read something, unless you fully assimilate, understand, you cannot describe it. The 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 Śaunaka Ṛṣi . . . there are 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 history, 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 are existing from the very, very old times, historical time. So the Itihāsa, Itihāsa means history, and purāṇāni, purāṇāni means old Itihāsa. All the statements or narration described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are all historical evidences. They are not imagination. Sometimes the so-called scholars and ṛṣaya students they say it is fancy or something imagination. No. They are all history. It is said here, Itihāsa. Itihāsa means history.
Then?
Pradyumna: (leads chanting of synonyms)
Ṛṣayaḥ . . .
Prabhupāda: Huh no. Ah yes.
Pradyumna: . . . the sages; ūcuḥ—said; tvayā—by you; khalu—undoubtedly; purāṇāni—the supplements to the Vedas with illustrative narrations . . .
Prabhupāda: It is supplement, 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're adding, addition, addendum.
Go on. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Purāṇas are not Vedas. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhāgavata it 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, I mean to say, having brain substance . . .
Now this Mahābhārata 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 women, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste—brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya—but they are degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture.
Just like at the present moment, they are introducing themselves as brāhmin, but degraded. Actually they are not brāhmins. Degraded. Dvija-bandhu, "friends of brāhmin." Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become 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 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 enthusiasting, colonize. So at the present moment that is not followed.
So I request you, all English boys and girls present here: now you become greater than your forefather by taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will make you more powerful, spiritually powerful. You can render service to the humanity, to your, 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, not by simply, "I belong to this nation," "I belong to this family," "I am son of such big father." No. You must be also qualified.