Padma Purana (BG and SB)

Expressions researched:
"Padma Purāṇa"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
BG 2.8, Purport: "A scholarly brāhmaṇa, expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge,
is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, or expert in the
science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But a person born in a family of a lower caste can
become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiṣṇava, or Kṛṣṇa conscious." (Padma Purāṇa)
The problems of material existence—birth, old age, disease and death—cannot be
counteracted by accumulation of wealth and economic development. In many parts of
the world there are states which are replete with all facilities of life, which are
full of wealth and economically developed, yet the problems of material existence
are still present. They are seeking peace in different ways, but they can achieve
real happiness only if they consult Kṛṣṇa, or the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam—which constitute the science of Kṛṣṇa—through the bona fide
representative of Kṛṣṇa, the man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
BG 5.22, Purport : Material sense pleasures are due to the contact of the material
senses, which are all temporary because the body itself is temporary. A liberated
soul is not interested in anything which is temporary. Knowing well the joys of
transcendental pleasures, how can a liberated soul agree to enjoy false pleasure?
In the Padma Purāṇa it is said:
ramante yogino 'nante
satyānande cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau
paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate
( CC Madhya 9.29 )
"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and
therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as
Rāma."
BG Chapters 7 - 12
BG 9.2, Purport: This knowledge is the purest form of all activities, as explained
in Vedic literature. In the Padma Purāṇa, man's sinful activities have been
analyzed and are shown to be the results of sin after sin. Those who are engaged in
fruitive activities are entangled in different stages and forms of sinful
reactions. For instance, when the seed of a particular tree is sown, the tree does
not appear immediately to grow; it takes some time. It is first a small, sprouting
plant, then it assumes the form of a tree, then it flowers and bears fruit, and,
when it is complete, the flowers and fruits are enjoyed by persons who have sown
the seed of the tree. Similarly, a man performs a sinful act, and like a seed it
takes time to fructify. There are different stages. The sinful action may have
already stopped within the individual, but the results or the fruit of that sinful
action are still to be enjoyed. There are sins which are still in the form of a
seed, and there are others which are already fructified and are giving us fruit,
which we are enjoying as distress and pain.
BG 9.2, Purport: As explained in the twenty-eighth verse of the Seventh Chapter, a
person who has completely ended the reactions of all sinful activities and who is
fully engaged in pious activities, being freed from the duality of this material
world, becomes engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Kṛṣṇa. In other words, those who are actually engaged in the devotional service of
the Supreme Lord are already freed from all reactions. This statement is confirmed
in the
Padma Purāṇa:
aprārabdha-phalaṁ pāpaṁ
kūṭaṁ bījaṁ phalonmukham
krameṇaiva pralīyeta
viṣṇu-bhakti-ratātmanām
For those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, all sinful reactions, whether fructified, in the stock, or in the form of
a seed, gradually vanish. Therefore the purifying potency of devotional service is
very strong, and it is called pavitram uttamam, the purest. Uttama means
transcendental.
BG 10.42, Purport: He is the origin of everyone born, and no one is greater than
Him. He is asamaurdhva, which means that no one is superior to Him and that no one
is equal to Him. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said that one who considers the Supreme
Lord Kṛṣṇa in the same category with demigods—be they even Brahmā or Śiva—becomes
at once an atheist. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions
of the opulences and expansions of Kṛṣṇa's energy, then one can understand without
any doubt the position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and can fix his mind in the worship of
Kṛṣṇa without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial
representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees,
therefore, concentrate their minds in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotional
service; therefore they are always situated in the transcendental position.
Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter
in verses eight through eleven. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one
can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Preface and Introduction
SB Introduction: The Lord further added that the Māyāvāda philosophy taught by
Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya is an imaginary explanation of the Vedas, but it had to be
taught by him (Śaṅkarācārya) because he was ordered to teach it by the Personality
of Godhead. In the
Padma Purāṇa it is stated that the Personality of Godhead ordered His Lordship Śiva
to deviate the human race from Him (the Personality of Godhead). The Personality of
Godhead was to be so covered so that people would be encouraged to generate more
and more population. His Lordship Śiva said to Devī: "In the Kali-yuga, I shall
preach the Māyāvāda philosophy, which is nothing but clouded Buddhism, in the garb
of a brāhmaṇa."
SB Canto 1
SB 1.1.1, Purport: In the Sāma-veda Upaniṣad, it is also stated that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
is the divine son of Devakī. Therefore, in this prayer, the first proposition holds
that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord, and if any transcendental nomenclature is
to be understood as belonging to the Absolute Personality of Godhead, it must be
the name indicated by the word Kṛṣṇa, which means the all-attractive. In Bhagavad-
gītā, in many places, the Lord asserts Himself to be the original Personality of
Godhead, and this is confirmed by Arjuna, and also by great sages like Nārada,
Vyāsa, and many others. In the Padma Purāṇa, it is also stated that out of the
innumerable names of the Lord, the name of Kṛṣṇa is the principal one. Vāsudeva
indicates the plenary portion of the Personality of Godhead, and all the different
forms of the Lord, being identical with Vāsudeva, are indicated in this text. The
name Vāsudeva particularly indicates the divine son of Vasudeva and Devakī. Śrī
Kṛṣṇa is always meditated upon by the paramahaṁsas, who are the perfected ones
among those in the renounced order of life.
SB 1.1.1, Purport: And there is the history of Vṛtrāsura. Anyone who makes a gift
of this great work on a full moon day attains to the highest perfection of life by
returning to Godhead. There is reference to the Bhāgavatam in other Purāṇas also,
where it is clearly stated that this work was finished in twelve cantos, which
include eighteen thousand ślokas. In the
Padma Purāṇa also there is reference to the Bhāgavatam in a conversation between
Gautama and Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. The king was advised therein to read regularly
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam if he desired liberation from material bondage. Under the
circumstances, there is no doubt about the authority of the Bhāgavatam. Within the
past five hundred years, many erudite scholars and ācāryas like Jīva Gosvāmī,
Sanātana Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Vallabhācārya, and many other
distinguished scholars even after the time of Lord Caitanya made elaborate
commentaries on the Bhāgavatam.
SB 1.15.35, Purport : The reason is that I reserve the power of not being exposed
to the nondevotees by My mystic curtain. The less intelligent fools are therefore
unaware of My eternal form, which is never to be vanquished and is unborn." In the
Padma Purāṇa it is said that those who are envious and always angry at the Lord are
unfit to know the actual and eternal form of the Lord. In the Bhāgavatam also it is
said that the Lord appeared like a thunderbolt to those who were wrestlers.
Śiśupāla, at the time of being killed by the Lord, could not see Him as Kṛṣṇa,
being dazzled by the glare of the brahmajyoti. Therefore, the temporary
manifestation of the Lord as a thunderbolt to the wrestlers appointed by Kaṁsa, or
the glaring appearance of the Lord before Śiśupāla, was relinquished by the Lord,
but the Lord as a magician is eternally existent and is never vanquished in any
circumstance. Such forms are temporarily shown to the asuras only, and when such
exhibitions are withdrawn, the asuras think that the Lord is no more existent, just
as the foolish audience thinks the magician to be burnt to ashes or cut to pieces.
SB 1.17.18, Purport : Although the bull, or the personality of religion, and the
cow, the personality of the earth, knew perfectly well that the personality of Kali
was the direct cause of their sufferings, still, as devotees of the Lord, they knew
well also that without the sanction of the Lord no one could inflict trouble upon
them. According to the Padma Purāṇa, our present trouble is due to the fructifying
of seedling sins, but even those seedling sins also gradually fade away by
execution of pure devotional service. Thus even if the devotees see the mischief-
mongers, they do not accuse them for the sufferings inflicted. They take it for
granted that the mischief-monger is made to act by some indirect cause, and
therefore they tolerate the sufferings, thinking them to be God-given in small
doses, for otherwise the sufferings should have been greater.
SB 1.18.14, Purport : The Lord is unlimited, and His name, attributes, pastimes,
entourage, variegatedness, etc. are unlimited, and those who relish them can do so
unlimitedly and still not feel satiated. This fact is confirmed in the
Padma Purāṇa:
ramante yogino 'nante
satyānanda-cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau
paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate
( CC Madhya 9.29 )
"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and
therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as
Rāma."
There is no end to such transcendental discourses. In mundane affairs there is the
law of satiation, but in transcendence there is no such satiation. Sūta Gosvāmī
desired to continue the topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa before the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, and
the sages also expressed their readiness to hear from him continuously.
SB Canto 2
SB 2.1.10, Purport: So the complete text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning with the
janmādy asya ( SB 1.1.1 ) verse up to the last one in the Twelfth Canto ( SB
12.13.23 ), was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī for the attainment of salvation by
Mahārāja Parīkṣit. In the Padma Purāṇa, it is mentioned that Gautama Muni advised
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to hear regularly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as it was recited by Śukadeva
Gosvāmī, and herein it is confirmed that Mahārāja Ambarīṣa heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
from the very beginning to the end, as it was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. One who
is actually interested in the Bhāgavatam, therefore, must not play with it by
reading or hearing a portion from here and a portion from there; one must follow in
the footsteps of great kings like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa or Mahārāja Parīkṣit and hear
it from a bona fide representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
SB 2.1.11, Purport: Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of
the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well,
as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa. One can deliver himself from the effects of all
sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can deliver himself from all
offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name. But one cannot
protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord.
Such offenses are mentioned in the
Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number. The first offense is to vilify the great
devotees who have preached about the glories of the Lord. The second offense is to
see the holy names of the Lord in terms of worldly distinction. The Lord is the
proprietor of all the universes, and therefore He may be known in different places
by different names, but that does not in any way qualify the fullness of the Lord.
Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others
because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the
Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and
glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood.
SB 2.4.18, Purport: "One should not consider the Deity of the Lord as worshiped in
the temple to be an idol, nor should one consider the authorized spiritual master
an ordinary man. Nor should one consider a pure Vaiṣṇava to belong to a particular
caste, etc." (Padma Purāṇa)
The conclusion is that the Lord, being all-powerful, can, under any and every
circumstance, accept anyone from any part of the world, either personally or
through His bona fide manifestation as the spiritual master. Lord Caitanya accepted
many devotees from communities other than the varṇāśramites, and He Himself
declared, to teach us, that He does not belong to any caste or social order of
life, but that He is the eternal servant of the servant of the Lord who maintains
the damsels of Vṛndāvana (Lord Kṛṣṇa) ( CC Madhya 13.80 ). That is the way of self-
realization.
SB 2.6.18, Purport: The glories of the Lord, in the transcendental seventy-five
percent of the Lord's internal potency, are stated in the
Padma Purāṇa (Uttara-khaṇḍa). It is said there that those planets in the spiritual
sky, which comprises the seventy-five percent expansion of the internal potency of
the Lord, are far, far greater than those planets in the total universes composed
of the external potency of the Lord. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the total
universes in the external potency of the Lord are compared to a bucketful of
mustard seeds. One mustard seed is calculated to be a universe itself. In one of
the universes, in which we are now living, the number of planets cannot be counted
by human energy, and so how can we think of the sum total in all the universes,
which are compared to a bucketful of mustard seeds? And the planets in the
spiritual sky are at least three times the number of those in the material sky.
SB 2.6.18, Purport: Tripād-vibhūti, or the seventy-five percent known as the
internal potency of the Lord, is to be understood as the kingdom of God far beyond
the material sky; and when we speak of pāda-vibhūti, or the twenty-five percent
comprising His external energy, we should understand that this refers to the sphere
of the material world. It is also said in the Padma Purāṇa that the kingdom of
tripād-vibhūti is transcendental, whereas the pāda-vibhūti is mundane; tripād-
vibhūti is eternal, whereas the pāda-vibhūti is transient. The Lord and His eternal
servitors in the transcendental kingdom all have eternal forms which are
auspicious, infallible, spiritual and eternally youthful. In other words, there is
no birth, death, old age and disease. That eternal land is full of transcendental
enjoyment and full of beauty and bliss. This very fact is also corroborated in this
verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the transcendental nature is described as amṛta.
SB 2.9.10, Purport: These transcendental qualities, as revealed through the
devotional service of the Lord, are distinct from the mundane qualities of
ignorance, passion and goodness. Such qualities are not attainable by the
nondevotee class of men. In the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, it is stated that
beyond the one-fourth part of God's creation is the three-fourths manifestation.
The marginal line between the material manifestation and the spiritual
manifestation is the Virajā River, and beyond the Virajā, which is a transcendental
current flowing from the perspiration of the body of the Lord, there is the three-
fourths manifestation of God's creation. This part is eternal, everlasting, without
deterioration, and unlimited, and it contains the highest perfectional stage of
living conditions. In the Sāṅkhya-kaumudī it is stated that unalloyed goodness or
transcendence is just opposite to the material modes.
SB 2.9.16, Purport: In the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, there is a full description
of the yoga-pīṭha, or the particular place where the Lord is in audience to His
eternal devotees. In that yoga-pīṭha, the personifications of religion, knowledge,
opulence and renunciation are all seated at the lotus feet of the Lord. The four
Vedas, namely Ṛk, Sāma, Yajur and Atharva, are present there personally to advise
the Lord. The sixteen energies headed by Caṇḍa are all present there. Caṇḍa and
Kumuda are the first two doorkeepers, at the middle door are the doorkeepers named
Bhadra and Subhadra, and at the last door are Jaya and Vijaya. There are other
doorkeepers also, named Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Śaṅkukarṇa,
Sarvanetra, Sumukha, etc. The Lord's palace is well decorated and protected by the
above-mentioned doorkeepers.
SB 2.9.34, Purport: No one should hear Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a
person who does not believe in the existence of the Lord. Such a person is already
doomed, and any association with such a doomed person makes the associater also
doomed.
According to the Padma Purāṇa, within the material compass there are innumerable
material universes, and all of them are full of darkness. Any living being,
beginning from the Brahmās (there are innumerable Brahmās in innumerable universes)
to the insignificant ant, are all born in darkness, and they require factual light
from the Lord to see Him directly, just as the sun can be seen only by the direct
light of the sun. No lamp or man-made torchlight, however powerful it may be, can
help one see the sun. The sun reveals itself. Therefore the action of different
energies of the Lord, or the Personality of Godhead Himself, can be realized by the
light manifested by the causeless mercy of the Lord.
SB 2.9.36, Purport: Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also quotes another common passage, which is
found in three Purāṇas, namely the Padma Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa and Liṅga Purāṇa. It
runs as follows:
āloḍya sarva-śāstrāni
vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ
idam ekaṁ suniṣpannaṁ
dhyeyo nārāyaṇaḥ sadā
"By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and
again, it is now concluded that Lord Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and
thus He alone should be worshiped."
SB 2.9.36, Purport: Even though one is well versed in all the Vedas and scriptures,
if one is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, he is
considered to be the lowest of mankind.
2. In the Garuḍa Purāṇa, Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa and Padma Purāṇa, the same is
repeated: What is the use of Vedic knowledge and penances for one who is devoid of
devotional service to the Lord?
3. What is the comparison of thousands of prajāpatis to one devotee of the Lord?
4. Śukadeva Gosvāmī said ( SB 2.4.17 ) that neither the ascetic, nor one who is
greatly munificent, nor one who is famous, nor the great philosopher, nor the great
occultist, nor anyone else can achieve the desired result without being engaged in
the service of the Lord.
SB Canto 3
SB 3.4.29, Purport: This inconceivable performance of the internal potency of the
Lord is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.25): nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-
samāvṛtaḥ. The Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. In the
Padma Purāṇa it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ ( CC
Madhya 17.136 ). The name and form of the Lord cannot be perceived by the material
senses, but when He appears within the vision of the mundane people He assumes the
form of the virāṭ-rūpa. This is an additional material exhibition of form and is
supported by the logic of a subject and its adjectives. In grammar, when an
adjective is taken away from the subject, the subject it modifies does not change.
Similarly, when the Lord quits His virāṭ-rūpa, His eternal form does not change,
although there is no material difference between Himself and any one of His
innumerable forms. In the Fifth Canto it will be seen how the Lord is worshiped in
different planets in His different forms, even now, and how He is worshiped in
different temples of this earth also.
SB 3.6.30, Purport: The perfect knowledge of the Vedas is to know the Lord, the
Personality of Godhead, and that is the end of Vedic knowledge, or Vedānta. One who
is situated in the impersonal Brahman and has no information of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead may become a brāhmaṇa, but he cannot become a spiritual
master. It is said in the Padma Purāṇa:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
An impersonalist can become a qualified brāhmaṇa, but he cannot become a spiritual
master unless and until he is promoted to the stage of a Vaiṣṇava, or a devotee of
the Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya, the great authority of Vedic wisdom in
the modern age, stated:
SB 3.11.35, Purport : According to Padma Purāṇa (Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa), in thirty days
of Brahmā many kalpas take place, such as the Varāha-kalpa and Pitṛ-kalpa. Thirty
days make one month of Brahmā, beginning from the full moon to the disappearance of
the moon. Twelve such months complete one year, and fifty years complete one
parārdha, or one half the duration of the life of Brahmā. The Śveta-varāha
appearance of the Lord is the first birthday of Brahmā. The birth date of Brahmā is
in the month of March, according to Hindu astronomical calculation. This statement
is reproduced from the explanation of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura.
SB Canto 4
SB 4.2.28, Purport: Here the curse is that if someone follows such principles he
must become an infidel and turn against the principles of Vedic regulation. It is
said that such devotees of Lord Śiva will be sacchāstra-paripanthinaḥ, which means
"opposed to the conclusion of śāstra, or scripture." This is confirmed in the
Padma Purāṇa also. Lord Śiva was ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to
preach the impersonal, or Māyāvāda, philosophy for a particular purpose, just as
Lord Buddha preached the philosophy of voidness for particular purposes mentioned
in the śāstras.
Sometimes it is necessary to preach a philosophical doctrine which is against the
Vedic conclusion. In the Śiva Purāṇa it is stated that Lord Śiva said to Pārvatī
that in the Kali-yuga, in the body of a brāhmaṇa, he would preach the Māyāvāda
philosophy.
SB 4.3.3, Purport: Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the other demigods are all obedient
servants of Lord Viṣṇu; therefore Lord Viṣṇu is never satisfied without them. But
Dakṣa, being puffed up with his power, wanted to deprive Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva
of participation in the sacrifice, understanding that if one satisfies Viṣṇu, it is
not necessary to satisfy His followers. But that is not the process. Viṣṇu wants
His followers to be satisfied first. Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā:
( SB 11.19.21 ) "The worship of My devotees is better than worship of Me."
Similarly, in the Padma Purāṇa, it is stated that the best mode of worship is to
offer oblations to Viṣṇu, but better than that is to worship the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.
Thus Dakṣa's determination to neglect Lord Śiva in the sacrifices was not fitting.
SB 4.9.29, Purport: In the Bhagavad-gītā this is confirmed: anyone who engages in
rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord is considered to be mukta, or
brahma-bhūta ( SB 4.30.20 ). It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that a devotee is
considered to be on the brahma-bhūta platform when he has no material
contamination. In the Padma Purāṇa this is also confirmed: mukti means engagement
in the service of the Lord.
The great sage Maitreya explained that Dhruva Mahārāja did not desire in the
beginning to engage in the service of the Lord, but he wanted an exalted position
better than his great-grandfather's. This is more or less not service to the Lord
but service to the senses. Even if one gets the position of Brahmā, the most
exalted position in this material world, he is a conditioned soul. Śrīla
Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that if one is elevated to real, pure devotional
service, he considers even great demigods like Brahmā and Indra to be on an equal
level with an insignificant insect. The reason is that an insignificant insect has
a desire for sense gratification and even a great personality like Lord Brahmā also
wants to dominate this material nature.
SB 4.21.12, Purport : "One who thinks the Deity in the temple to be made of wood or
stone, who thinks of the spiritual master in the disciplic succession as an
ordinary man, who thinks the Vaiṣṇava in the Acyuta-gotra to belong to a certain
caste or creed or who thinks of caraṇāmṛta or Ganges water as ordinary water is
taken to be a resident of hell." (Padma Purāṇa)
From the facts presented in this verse, it appears that people in general should be
controlled by a king until they come to the platform of Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmaṇas,
who are not under the control of anyone. Brāhmaṇa refers to one who knows Brahman,
or the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, and a Vaiṣṇava is one who serves
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 4.21.37, Purport : The most grievous type of vaiṣṇava-aparādha is called gurv-
aparādha, which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In
the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this gurv-
aparādha is considered the most grievous offense. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-
nindanam (Padma Purāṇa). Among the ten offenses committed against the chanting of
the holy name, the first offenses are disobedience of the spiritual master and
blasphemy of the Vedic literature.
The simple definition of Vaiṣṇava is given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: a person who
immediately reminds one of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is a
Vaiṣṇava. In this verse, both Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmaṇas are mentioned. A Vaiṣṇava is
a learned brāhmaṇa and is therefore designated as brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-
paṇḍita or as a Vaiṣṇava and brāhmaṇa.
SB 4.24.17, Purport : Since Lord Śiva does not incarnate himself unless there is
some special reason, it is very difficult for an ordinary person to contact him.
However, Lord Śiva does descend on a special occasion when he is ordered by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this regard, it is stated in the Padma Purāṇa
that Lord Śiva appeared as a brāhmaṇa in the age of Kali to preach the Māyāvāda
philosophy, which is nothing but a type of Buddhist philosophy. It is stated in
Padma Purāṇa:
māyāvādam asac-chāstraṁ
pracchannaṁ bauddham ucyate
mayaiva vihitaṁ devi
kalau brāhmaṇa-mūrtinā
Lord Śiva, speaking to Pārvatī-devī, foretold that he would spread the Māyāvāda
philosophy in the guise of a sannyāsī brāhmaṇa just to eradicate Buddhist
philosophy. This sannyāsī was Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya. In order to overcome the
effects of Buddhist philosophy and spread Vedānta philosophy, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya
had to make some compromise with the Buddhist philosophy, and as such he preached
the philosophy of monism, for it was required at that time. Otherwise there was no
need for his preaching Māyāvāda philosophy.
SB 4.29.3, Purport: He is described by the śāstras as nirākāra, that is, one whose
form cannot be ascertained by a materialistic person. This does not mean that the
Supreme Personality of Godhead has no form; it means that it is not understood by
the karmīs, or fruitive actors. His form is described in Brahma-saṁhitā as sac-cid-
ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). As confirmed by the Padma Purāṇa:
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
( CC Madhya 17.136 )
"No one can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is by utilizing the blunt material senses.
However, the Lord reveals Himself to His devotees, being pleased with them because
of their transcendental loving service rendered unto Him."
SB 4.29.51, Purport : He knows that to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is easier than to worship various demigods under the influence of lust and the
desire for material enjoyment. The devotee is therefore always engaged in the
loving devotional service of the Lord. Such a person is a true guru. In Padma
Purāṇa it is said:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
"Even if a brāhmaṇa is very learned in Vedic scriptures and knows the six
occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, he cannot become a guru, or spiritual master,
unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, if one is
born in a family of dog-eaters but is a pure devotee of the Lord, he can become a
spiritual master." The conclusion is that one cannot become a spiritual master
unless he is a pure devotee of the Lord. One who is a spiritual master in
accordance with the above descriptions of devotional service is to be understood as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally present.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.4.7, Purport: They were so powerful that they could bring forth the Supreme
Personality of Godhead by their prayers. Thus Mahārāja Nābhi was able to see the
Lord face to face. Unless one is a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot call forth the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The Lord does not accept an invitation unless one is a
Vaiṣṇava. Therefore it is said in Padma Purāṇa:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
"A scholarly brāhmaṇa expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become
a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, but a person born in a family of a
lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiṣṇava." These brāhmaṇas
were certainly very expert in chanting the Vedic mantras.
SB 5.5.26, Purport: They are always distinct. Every individual person is different
from the Supreme Lord. It is a mistake to equate the individual living entity with
the Supreme Lord on the plea of vivikta-dṛk, sama-dṛk. The Lord is always in an
exalted position, even though He agrees to live everywhere. Śrīla Madhvācārya,
quoting Padma Purāṇa, states: vivikta-dṛṣṭi jīvānāṁ dhiṣṇyatayā parameśvarasya
bheda-dṛṣṭiḥ. "One who has clear vision and who is devoid of envy can see that the
Supreme Lord is separate from all living entities, although He is situated in every
living entity." Madhvācārya further quotes from Padma Purāṇa:
SB 5.5.26, Purport: "One who sees the living entity and the Supreme Lord as always
distinct is very dear to the Lord." Padma Purāṇa also states, yo hareś caiva
jīvānāṁ bheda-vaktā hareḥ priyaḥ: "One who preaches that the living entities are
separate from the Supreme Lord is very dear to Lord Viṣṇu."
SB 5.17.11, Purport : Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: ( SB
11.3.21 ) one who is very interested in understanding the activities in the
spiritual world must search out a guru—a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. From
all angles of vision, therefore, the word guru is especially meant for the bona
fide representative of Kṛṣṇa and no one else.
Padma Purāṇa states, avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt: one who is not a Vaiṣṇava, or who is
not a representative of Kṛṣṇa, cannot be a guru. Even the most qualified brāhmaṇa
cannot become a guru if he is not a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Brāhmaṇas are supposed
to acquire six kinds of auspicious qualifications: they become very learned
scholars (paṭhana) and very qualified teachers (pāṭhana); they become expert in
worshiping the Lord or the demigods (yajana), and they teach others how to execute
this worship (yājana); they qualify themselves as bona fide persons to receive alms
from others (pratigraha), and they distribute the wealth in charity (dāna).
SB 5.17.14, Purport : "In the Padma Purāṇa it is said that in the spiritual world
the Lord personally expands in all directions and is worshiped as Vāsudeva,
Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The same God is represented by the Deity in
this material world, which is only one quarter of His creation. Vāsudeva,
Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are also present in the four directions of this
material world. There is a Vaikuṇṭhaloka covered with water in this material world,
and on that planet is a place called Vedavatī, where Vāsudeva is located. Another
planet known as Viṣṇuloka is situated above Satyaloka, and there Saṅkarṣaṇa is
present. Similarly, in Dvārakā-purī, Pradyumna is the predominator. On the island
known as Śvetadvīpa, there is an ocean of milk, and in the midst of that ocean is a
place called Airāvatī-pura, where Aniruddha lies on Ananta.
SB 5.19.2, Purport: The Viṣṇu-dharmottara describes that Lord Rāmacandra and His
brothers—Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna—are incarnations of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa,
Pradyumna and Aniruddha respectively. The
Padma Purāṇa, however, says that Lord Rāmacandra is an incarnation of Nārāyaṇa and
that the other three brothers are incarnations of Śeṣa, Cakra and Śaṅkha. Therefore
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has concluded, tad idaṁ kalpa-bhedenaiva sambhāvyam. In
other words, these opinions are not contradictory. In some millenniums Lord
Rāmacandra and His brothers appear as incarnations of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa,
Pradyumna and Aniruddha, and in other millenniums They appear as incarnations of
Nārāyaṇa, Śeṣa, Cakra and Śaṅkha. The residence of Lord Rāmacandra on this planet
is Ayodhyā. Ayodhyā City is still existing in the district of Faizabad, which is
situated on the northern side of Uttar Pradesh.
SB Canto 6
SB 6.1.15, Purport: "My dear Lord, if even a person born in a family of dog-eaters
hears and repeats the chanting of Your glories, offers respects to You and
remembers You, he is immediately greater than a brāhmaṇa and is therefore eligible
to perform sacrifices. Therefore, what is to be said of one who has seen You
directly?"
In the Padma Purāṇa there is a statement that persons whose hearts are always
attached to the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu are immediately released from all
the reactions of sinful life. These reactions generally exist in four phases. Some
of them are ready to produce results immediately, some are in the form of seeds,
some are unmanifested, and some are current. All such reactions are immediately
nullified by devotional service. When devotional service is present in one's heart,
desires to perform sinful activities have no place there. Sinful life is due to
ignorance, which means forgetfulness of one's constitutional position as an eternal
servant of God, but when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious he realizes that he is God's
eternal servant.
SB 6.3.20-21, Purport: There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord
Brahmā, one from Lord Śiva, one from Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and one from
the Kumāras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahmā is called the Brahma-
sampradāya, the succession from Lord Śiva (Śambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradāya,
the one from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is called the Śrī-sampradāya, and
the one from the Kumāras is called the Kumāra-sampradāya. One must take shelter of
one of these four sampradāyas in order to understand the most confidential
religious system. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te
niṣphalā matāḥ: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions,
his mantra or initiation is useless. In the present day there are many
apasampradāyas, or sampradāyas which are not bona fide, which have no link to
authorities like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, the Kumāras or Lakṣmī. People are
misguided by such sampradāyas. The śāstras say that being initiated in such a
sampradāya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand
the real religious principles.
SB 6.3.24, Purport: Commenting on this verse, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
describes the word bhakti by saying premaivoktaḥ. Kaḥ anyaḥ arthaḥ asya: in the
presence of bhakti, what is the necessity of liberation?
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura also quotes this verse from the Padma Purāṇa:
nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ
nāmāny eva haranty agham
aviśrānti-prayuktāni
tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca
Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra with offenses, one will
become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. Pāpa-kṣayaś ca bhavati
smaratāṁ tam ahar-niśam: one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants
day and night, following the recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
SB 6.3.32, Purport: One may very easily practice chanting and hearing the holy name
of the Lord and thus become ecstatic in spiritual life. Padma Purāṇa states:
nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ
nāmāny eva haranty agham
aviśrānti-prayuktāni
tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca
Even if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offensively, one can avoid offenses
by continuously chanting without deviation. One who becomes accustomed to this
practice will always remain in a pure transcendental position, untouchable by
sinful reactions. Śukadeva Gosvāmī especially requested King Parīkṣit to note this
fact very carefully. There is no profit, however, in executing the Vedic
ritualistic ceremonies. By performing such activities one may go to the higher
planetary systems, but as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21), kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ
viśanti: when the period of one's enjoyment in the heavenly planets is terminated
because of the limited extent of the results of one's pious activities, one must
return to earth.
SB 6.8.32-33, Purport: Since both cause and effect are the Supreme Lord, there is
no difference between cause and effect. Consequently the ornaments and weapons of
the Lord, being expansions of His spiritual energy, are not different from Him.
There is no difference between the Lord and His variously presented energies. This
is also confirmed in the
Padma Purāṇa:
nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
( CC Madhya 17.133 )
The holy name of the Lord is fully identical with the Lord, not partially. The word
pūrṇa means "complete." The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient, and similarly, His
name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and everything pertaining to Him are complete,
pure, eternal and free from material contamination. The prayer to the ornaments and
carriers of the Lord is not false, for they are as good as the Lord. Since the Lord
is all-pervasive, He exists in everything, and everything exists in Him.
SB 6.8.42, Purport: "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul
can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." All mantras should be
received through the authorized guru, and the disciple must satisfy the guru in all
respects, after surrendering at his lotus feet. In the Padma Purāṇa it is also
said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. There are four sampradāyas,
or disciplic successions, namely the Brahma-sampradāya, the Rudra-sampradāya, the
Śrī sampradāya and the Kumāra-sampradāya. If one wants to advance in spiritual
power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide sampradāyas;
otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life.
SB 6.12.20, Purport : Lord Viṣṇu is the mahā-puruṣa. Therefore one who becomes a
Vaiṣṇava attains the position of a mahā-pauruṣya. This position was attained by
Mahārāja Parīkṣit. It is said in the Padma Purāṇa that the distinction between a
demigod and a demon is that a demigod is a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu whereas a demon is
just the opposite: viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Vṛtrāsura was
considered a demon, but actually he was more than qualified as a devotee, or mahā-
pauruṣya. If one somehow becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord, whatever his
position, he can be brought to the position of a perfect person. This is possible
if an unalloyed devotee tries to serve the Lord by delivering him in this way.
Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
SB 6.13.3, Purport: Herein it is clearly indicated that a person who is not at all
demoniac, such as Prahlāda Mahārāja and Bali Mahārāja, may outwardly be a demon or
be born in a family of demons. Therefore in terms of real culture one should not be
considered a demigod or demon simply according to birth. In his dealings while
fighting with Indra, Vṛtrāsura proved himself a great devotee of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Furthermore, as soon as he finished fighting with Indra and
was apparently killed, Vṛtrāsura was transferred to Vaikuṇṭhaloka to become an
associate of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Indra knew this, and therefore he was morose at having
killed such a demon, who was actually a Vaiṣṇava or brāhmaṇa.
A Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa, although a brāhmaṇa may not be a Vaiṣṇava. The
Padma Purāṇa says:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
One may be a brāhmaṇa in terms of his culture and family and may be expert in Vedic
knowledge (mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ), but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot be a
guru. This means that an expert brāhmaṇa may not be a Vaiṣṇava, but a Vaiṣṇava is
already a brāhmaṇa.
SB 6.16.33, Purport : One cannot offer prayers to the Lord with mundane words. One
must become spiritually advanced by controlling the mind and senses. Then he can
find suitable words to offer in prayers to the Lord. Quoting the following verse
from the Padma Purāṇa, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī forbids us to sing any song not sung
by authorized devotees.
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
The words or songs of a person not fixed in Vaiṣṇava behavior, not strictly
following the rules and regulations and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra should not
be accepted by pure devotees. The words sātvata-śāstra-vigraham indicate that the
sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1) body of the Lord can never be accepted to be made of māyā.
Devotees do not offer prayers to the Lord in an imaginary form. The existence of
the Lord's form is supported by all Vedic literature.
SB 6.16.53-54, Purport : According to this Vedic injunction, simply by
understanding Kṛṣṇa one understands Brahman, Paramātmā, prakṛti, the illusory
energy, the spiritual energy and everything else. Everything will be revealed.
prakṛti, the material nature, is. working under the direction of the Supreme Lord,
and we living entities are being carried away by various phases of prakṛti. For
self-realization, one should always remember Kṛṣṇa. As stated in
Padma Purāṇa, smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇuḥ: we should always remember Lord Viṣṇu.
Vismartavyo na jātucit: we should never forget the Lord. This is the perfection of
life.
SB 6.17.40, Purport : This is advised herein. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's secretary
also advised that one learn the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee: yāha,
bhāgavata pada vaiṣṇavera sthāne. One should not hear the statements of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam from professional reciters, or else they will not be effective. Quoting
from Padma Purāṇa, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī has strictly forbidden us to hear about the
activities of the Lord and His devotees from the mouths of nondevotees:
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
"One should not hear anything about Kṛṣṇa from a non-Vaiṣṇava. Milk touched by the
lips of a serpent has poisonous effects; similarly, talks about Kṛṣṇa given by a
non-Vaiṣṇava are also poisonous." One must be a bona fide devotee, and then he can
preach and impress devotional service upon his listeners.
SB Canto 7
SB 7.1.9, Purport: Thus by proper judgment one can see who is a devatā, or demigod,
and who is an asura, Yakṣa or Rākṣasa according to the quantities of sattva-guṇa,
rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. One cannot judge whether a person is a devatā, an asura or
a Rākṣasa by seeing him, but a sane man can understand this by the activities such
a person performs. A general description is given in the Padma Purāṇa: viṣṇu-
bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. A devotee of Lord Viṣṇu is a demigod,
whereas an asura or Yakṣa is just the opposite. An asura is not a devotee of Lord
Viṣṇu; instead, for his sense gratification he is a devotee of the demigods,
bhūtas, pretas and so on. Thus one can judge who is a devatā, who is a Rākṣasa and
who is an asura by how they conduct their activities.
SB 7.5.23-24, Purport: In the Ādi-varāha Purāṇa it is said that a worshiper who has
committed offenses may fast for one day at the holy place known as Śaukarava and
then bathe in the Ganges.
In the process of worshiping the Deity it is sometimes enjoined that one worship
the Deity within the mind. In the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, it is said, "All
persons can generally worship within the mind." The Gautamīya Tantra states, "For a
sannyāsī who has no home, worship of the Deity within the mind is recommended." In
the Nārada-pañcarātra it is stated by Lord Nārāyaṇa that worship of the Deity
within the mind is called mānasa-pūjā, One can become free from the four miseries
by this method. Sometimes worship from the mind can be independently executed.
According to the instruction of Avirhotra Muni, one of the nava-yogendras, as
mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one may worship the Deity by chanting all the
mantras.
SB 7.10.6, Purport: In the Padma Purāṇa Lord Śiva explains to his wife, Parvatī,
the goddess Durgā, that the highest goal of life is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, who can
be satisfied only when His servant is satisfied. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore
teaches, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ ( CC Madhya 13.80 ). One must
become a servant of the servant. Prahlāda Mahārāja also prayed to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
that he might be engaged as the servant of the Lord's servant. This is the
prescribed method of devotional service. As soon as a devotee wants the Supreme
Personality of Godhead to be his order supplier, the Lord immediately refuses to
become the master of such a motivated devotee. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) the Lord
says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. "As one surrenders unto
Me, I reward him accordingly." Materialistic persons are generally inclined to
material profits.
SB 7.14.39, Purport : In Satya-yuga, every person was spiritually advanced, and
there was no envy between great personalities. Gradually, however, because of
material contamination with the advance of the ages, disrespectful dealings
appeared even among brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. Actually, an advanced Vaiṣṇava is to
be respected more than Viṣṇu. As stated in the
Padma Purāṇa, ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param: of all kinds of worship,
worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the best. Tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam: and
recommended more than worship of Viṣṇu is worship of the Vaiṣṇava.
Formerly, all activities were performed in connection with Viṣṇu, but after Satya-
yuga there were symptoms of disrespectful dealings among Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said that a Vaiṣṇava is he who has helped others become
Vaiṣṇavas. An example of one who has converted many others into Vaiṣṇavas is Nārada
Muni.
SB Canto 8
SB 8.5.24, Purport: Another word, sura-priya, is also significant. Although Kṛṣṇa,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is equal toward everyone, He is especially
inclined toward His devotees (ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham).
The devotees are all demigods. There are two kinds of men within this world. One is
called the deva, and the other is called the asura. The Padma Purāṇa states:
dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin
daiva āsura eva ca
viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva
āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ
Anyone who is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is called a deva, and others, even though
they may be devotees of demigods, are called asuras. Rāvaṇa, for example, was a
great devotee of Lord Śiva, but he is described as an asura. Similarly,
Hiraṇyakaśipu is described as a great devotee of Lord Brahmā, yet he was also an
asura.
SB 8.5.49, Purport: As stated in the Padma Purāṇa:
ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ
viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param
tasmāt parataraṁ devi
tadīyānāṁ samarcanam
"Of all types of worship, worship of Lord Viṣṇu is best, and better than the
worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the worship of His devotee, the Vaiṣṇava." There are many
demigods worshiped by people who are attached to material desires (kāmais tais tair
hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante'nya-devatāḥ ( BG 7.20 )). Because people are embarrassed by
so many material desires, they worship Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, the goddess Kālī,
Durgā, Gaṇeśa and Sūrya to achieve different results. However, one can achieve all
these results simultaneously just by worshiping Lord Viṣṇu. As stated elsewhere in
the Bhāgavatam (4.31.14):
SB 8.20.1, Purport: "A scholarly brāhmaṇa expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge
is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, but if a person
born in a family of a lower caste is a Vaiṣṇava, he can become a spiritual master."
(Padma Purāṇa)
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
SB 10.1.4, Purport: There are big scholars, politicians, philosophers and
scientists who speak on Bhagavad-gītā in their own polluted way, and people in
general hear from them, being uninterested in hearing the glories of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead from a devotee. A devotee is one who has no other motive for
reciting Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam than to serve the Lord. Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu has therefore advised us to hear the glories of the Lord from a realized
person (bhāgavata paro diya bhāgavata sthane). Unless one is personally a realized
soul in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a neophyte should not approach him to
hear about the Lord, for this is strictly forbidden by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who
quotes from the Padma Purāṇa:
SB 10.2.25, Purport : Dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca ( BG 16.6 )
(Padma Purāṇa). There are two classes of men—the daivas and the asuras—and there is
a great difference between them. Kaṁsa, being an asura, was always planning how to
kill the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His mother, Devakī. Thus he was also
Kṛṣṇa conscious. But devotees are Kṛṣṇa conscious favorably (viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto
daivaḥ). Brahmā is so powerful that he is in charge of creating an entire universe,
yet he personally came to receive the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhava, Lord
Śiva, is always jubilant in chanting the holy name of the Lord. And what to speak
of Nārada? Nārada-muni, bājāya vīṇā, rādhikā-ramaṇa-nāme. Nārada Muni is always
chanting the glories of the Lord, and his engagement is to travel all over the
universe and find a devotee or make someone a devotee. Even a hunter was made a
devotee by the grace of Nārada. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, in his Toṣaṇī, says that
the word nārada-ādibhiḥ means that Nārada and the demigods were accompanied by
other saintly persons, like Sanaka and Sanātana, all of whom came to congratulate
or welcome the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 10.2.31, Purport : The ācārya gives the suitable method for crossing the ocean
of nescience by accepting the boat of the Lord's lotus feet, and if this method is
strictly followed, the followers will ultimately reach the destination, by the
grace of the Lord. This method is called ācārya-sampradāya. It is therefore said,
sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). The ācārya-
sampradāya is strictly bona fide. Therefore one must accept the ācārya-sampradāya;
otherwise one's endeavor will be futile. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore
sings:
SB 10.2.36, Purport : As stated in the Padma Purāṇa:
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
( CC Madhya 17.136 )
"One cannot understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and
pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through one's materially contaminated senses. Only when one
becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the
transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Since
Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental name, form and activities are all of a transcendental
nature, ordinary persons or those who are only slightly advanced cannot understand
them. Even big scholars who are nondevotees think that Kṛṣṇa is fictitious. Yet
although so-called scholars and commentators do not believe that Kṛṣṇa was
factually a historical person whose presence on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra is
recorded in the history of Mahābhārata, they feel compelled to write commentaries
on Bhagavad-gītā and other historical records. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva
sphuraty adaḥ: (Brs. 1.2.234) Kṛṣṇa's transcendental name, form, attributes and
activities can be revealed only when one engages in His service in full
consciousness.
SB 10.2.37, Purport : The most important process is hearing (śravaṇam) from the
guru, sādhu and śāstra-the spiritual master, the saintly ācāryas and the Vedic
literature. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. We should not hear the
commentaries and explanations of nondevotees, for this is strictly forbidden by
Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who quotes from the
Padma Purāṇa:
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
We should strictly follow this injunction and never try to hear from Māyāvādīs,
impersonalists, voidists, politicians or so-called scholars. Strictly avoiding such
inauspicious association, we should simply hear from pure devotees. Śrīla Rūpa
Gosvāmī therefore recommends, śrī-guru-padāśrayaḥ: one must seek shelter at the
lotus feet of a pure devotee who can be one's guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises
that a guru is one who strictly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā: yare
dekha, tare kaha, 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa ( CC Madhya 7.128 ).
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
SB 12.13.4-9, Translation : The Brahmā Purāṇa consists of ten thousand verses, the
Padma Purāṇa of fifty-five thousand, Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa of twenty-three thousand, the
Śiva Purāṇa of twenty-four thousand and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam of eighteen thousand. The
Nārada Purāṇa has twenty-five thousand verses, the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa nine thousand,
the Agni Purāṇa fifteen thousand four hundred, the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa fourteen
thousand five hundred, the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa eighteen thousand and the Liṅga
Purāṇa eleven thousand. The Varāha Purāṇa contains twenty-four thousand verses, the
Skanda Purāṇa eighty-one thousand one hundred, the Vāmana Purāṇa ten thousand, the
Kūrma Purāṇa seventeen thousand, the Matsya Purāṇa fourteen thousand, the Garuḍa
Purāṇa nineteen thousand and the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa twelve thousand. Thus the total
number of verses in all the Purāṇas is four hundred thousand. Eighteen thousand of
these, once again, belong to the beautiful Bhāgavatam.