Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva

Verse 9 (SB 1.5.9)

SB 1.5.8

SB 1.5.10

SB 1.5.9 • मूल श्लोक

यथा धर्मादयश्चार्था मुनिवर्यानुकीर्तिता: । न तथा वासुदेवस्य महिमा ह्यनुवर्णित: ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

yathā dharmādayaś cārthā muni-varyānukīrtitāḥ na tathā vāsudevasya mahimā hy anuvarṇitaḥ

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

yathā — as much as; dharma-ādayaḥ — all four principles of religious behavior; ca — and; arthāḥ — purposes; muni-varya — by yourself, the great sage; anukīrtitāḥ — repeatedly described; na — not; tathā — in that way; vāsudevasya — of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; mahimā — glories; hi — certainly; anuvarṇitaḥ — so constantly described.

Translation

“Although, great sage, you have very broadly described the four principles beginning with religious performances, you have not described the glories of the Supreme Personality, Vāsudeva.”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda

The prompt diagnosis of Śrī Nārada is at once declared. The root cause of the despondency of Vyāsadeva was his deliberate avoidance of glorifying the Lord in his various editions of the Purāṇas. He has certainly, as a matter of course, given descriptions of the glories of the Lord (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), but not as many as given to religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and salvation. These four items are by far inferior to engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. Śrī Vyāsadeva, as the authorized scholar, knew very well this difference. And still, instead of giving more importance to the better type of engagement, namely devotional service to the Lord, he had more or less improperly used his valuable time, and thus he was despondent. From this it is clearly indicated that no one can be pleased substantially without being engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā this fact is clearly mentioned. After liberation, which is the last item in the line of performing religiosity, etc., one is engaged in pure devotional service. This is called the stage of self-realization, or the brahma-bhūta stage. After attainment of this brahma-bhūta stage, one is satisfied. But satisfaction is the beginning of transcendental bliss. One should progress by attaining neutrality and equality in the relative world. And passing this stage of equanimity, one is fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is the instruction of the Personality of Godhead in the Bhagavad-gītā. The conclusion is that in order to maintain the status quo of the brahma-bhūta stage, as also to increase the degree of transcendental realization, Nārada recommended to Vyāsadeva that he (Vyāsadeva) should now eagerly and repeatedly describe the path of devotional service. This would cure him from gross despondency.