Srimad Bhagavatam

Śaunaka asked Sūta what Vyāsadeva did after Nārada left having heard everything from Nārada. Before commencing Bhāgavatam, Vyāsa realized the whole truth by trance in meditation. Sūta said that on the western bank of the river Sarasvatī, there was a cottage for meditation at Śamyāprāsa, which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages. For spiritual advancement of knowledge a suitable place and atmosphere are required. An āśrama is a place where spiritual culture is fostered. The whole varṇāśrama system is so designed that each and every status of life is called an āśrama. This means that spiritual culture is the common factor for all.

After touching water for purification, Vyāsa sat down to meditate as Nārada had directed. Nārada had instructed Vyāsa to think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of people. Fixing his mind in bhakti yoga (bhakti yogena manasi), Vyāsadeva saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead (pūrṇaṁ puruṣaṁ), Kṛṣṇa, with His external energy (māyā), which was under His full control (tad-apāśrayam). The form Nārada saw was that of Kṛṣṇa as it will later be said kṛṣṇe parama-puruṣe (SB 1.7.7). The word pūrṇam indicates the cit-śakti arising from His svarūpa and all His aṁśas and kalās. It is also confirmed in SB 2.7.47 that māyā flees from the Lord’s presence due to shame. Perfect vision of the Lord is possible only by bhakti yoga, as also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. When the curtain of the veil of impersonal Brahman, which is the golden effulgence covering His form, is removed by the mercy of the Lord, the real face of the Absolute Truth is seen. This is the form that Vyāsa saw. The māyā, which Vyāsa saw is the external energy of the Lord, as will be clear from the statement of her activities. The internal potency of the Lord is called māyā and is exhibited in the absolute realm. The ātmārāmas take shelter of this māyā. Devotional service is the function of the internal energy.

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.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary on the Brahma-sūtras compiled by the same author. After compiling the Vedas and summarizing their conclusions in the Vedānta-sūtra, Vyāsa experienced his revelation about the Absolute Truth and then wrote and revised the Bhāgavatam. Although the Bhāgavatam is meant for the paramahaṁsas, or those totally engaged in self realization, it works into the depths of the hearts of those who may be worldly men, who can find remedial measures for their material diseases. Vyāsa first gave a synopsis of Bhāgavatam and then gave a detailed description under instruction of Nārada. Nārada gave instructions after the disappearance of Kṛṣṇa and before Parīkṣit punished Kali because even at that time there was a tendency towards irreligion among everyone. Vyāsa was dissatisfied in his heart because of this. It is understood that before the beginning of Kali-yuga he would not have been dissatisfied in heart. Now at this time he revised the Bhāgavatam which was previously written.

When he compiled the Purāṇas, Vyāsa compiled the Bhāgavatam in an abbreviated form, and later having been instructed by Nārada and experiencing his own realizations, he revised the Bhāgavatam. The revised Bhāgavatam is the one that is referred when it says it arose after the departure of Kṛṣṇa. Again it is the present Bhāgavatam that is referred to when it is said that it is one among the 18 Purāṇas. Then Vyāsa taught it to his own son, Śuka, who was already engaged in self realization (nivṛtti mārga). The path of pravṛtti mārga was condemned by Nārada, and Bhāgavatam is the science for those following the path of nivṛtti mārga. Bhāgavatam was compiled not less than five thousand years ago.

Sūta answered by citing the famous ātmārāma verse, which Lord Caitanya elaborately explained before Sanātana Gosvāmī. First Lord Caitanya presented 18 meanings of this text to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. After hearing this, Sārvabhauma understood that Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Lord. Later the Lord spoke extensive additional meanings to Sanātana Gosvāmī. The verse is: ātmārāmāś ca munayo / nirgranthā apy urukrame / kurvanty ahaitukīm bhaktim / ittham-bhūta-guṇa hariḥ. All different varieties of ātmārāmas though freed from all kinds of material bondage desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, who possesses transcendental qualities and thus attracts everyone, including liberated souls.

The Bhāgavatam is attractive to even those who are free from rules and prohibitions. Such persons perform bhakti without seeking results. Bhakti produces jñāna but is superior to jñāna. Therefore it is called best or uru. Therefore urukrama means ‘the Lord who produces the best method, bhakti’. Can bhakti deliver the liberated? Can the Bhāgavatam deliver those who have surpassed scriptures? Can a work discussing a server and the served (the Lord) deliver those who have given up all identities of ego? Can the rules of bhakti described in Bhāgavatam deliver those who have given up all rules and prohibitions? To destroy all such protests, the verse says ittham-bhūta-guṇa: the Lord has such attractive qualities that even ātmārāmas become attracted.

Due to their practice with predominance of bhakti or even just by mercy alone, the Lord gave mercy to the Kumāras thinking ‘Let them realize my qualities’. Vyāsa gave mercy to Śuka thinking ‘Let him realize Kṛṣṇa’s qualities’. Having attained that qualification for realizing the Lord’s qualities, these ātmārāmas perform unmotivated bhakti. Other ātmārāmas perform bhakti with the goal of merging into Brahman. The word ahaitukī cannot be applied to their bhakti. As stated in BG 18.54, the ātmārāma with the destruction of jñāna for liberation, since jñāna is in sattva guṇa, attains pure bhakti (mad-bhaktim labhate param). It is said pure bhakti because there is no covering of jñāna. By association of devotees, they can attain prema bhakti. Others, as said in BG 18.55, knowing Kṛṣṇa as Brahman by bhakti, can merge into Him. Their bhakti is not ahaitukī.