SB 1.7 - Removing the illusory identification with matter

The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the process of bhakti yoga. Since the mass of people are unaware of this, Vyāsa compiled Bhāgavatam, which is sātvata-saṁhitā (the Vedic literature in relation to the Supreme Truth). The prescription for cure of the disease is seen by Vyāsa as bhakti yoga. Vyāsa in meditation first saw the Lord who is pūrṇa, with His aṁśas, the purusa and guṇāvatāras. Then Vyāsa saw His cit-śakti with many varieties such as Vimalā and Utkarṣiṇī, which are manifestations of His beauty. He then saw the external energy, māyā-śakti, behind the Lord. He saw in the Lord, bhakti – the chief element of the cit-śakti – which is more powerful than all others and which can destroy the illusion caused by māyā and which arises from the actions of His anugrahā-śakti. Having seen all this, he then wrote the Bhāgavatam, which reveals all of this for the ignorant people.

Revival of the dormant affection of love of God does not depend on the mechanical process of hearing and chanting, but depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord. When the Lord is fully satisfied with the sincere efforts of the devotee, He may endow him with transcendental loving service. But even with hearing and chanting, there is at once mitigation of the unwanted miseries of material existence. Such mitigation of miseries does not wait for development of transcendental knowledge. Rather, knowledge is dependent on devotional service for realization of the Supreme Truth.