SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 1

(1) Sûta said: "Comfortably seated next to him, the pleased rishi of God - who has a vînâ in his hands - addressed the learned wise. (2) He said: 'O greatly fortunate son of Parâs'ara, is the confrontation with the body and the mind in the self-realization of your soul to your satisfaction? (3) You have done your full enquiries and being well versed, you have prepared the great and wonderful Mahâbhârata adding your extensive explanations. (4) Despite of the full of your deliberations about the Absolute and Eternal are you, dear master, lamenting not having done enough'.

(5) Vyâsa said: 'What you said is certainly true and my soul has found no peace with it. What is the root I missed, I ask you who originated from the soul as a man of unlimited knowledge. (6) You have the all-inclusive knowledge as a confidential devotee of the Supreme Personality, who is the Original Controller of the material and spiritual and in whose mind only, from the transcendence above its modes, the universe is created and destroyed. (7) In your goodness you travel the three worlds penetrating the heart of everyone like the all-pervading air as the selfrealized witness. Please point out what my deficiency is in my being absorbed in the Absolute with discipline and vow concerning matters of cause and effect'.

(8) S'rî Nârada said: 'You hardly praised the glories of the Fortunate One who is spotless and who, I gather, is not really pleased by that lesser vision. (9) Although you, great sage, repeatedly were writing for the sake of the four principles of religion [dharma, artha, kâma, moksha or righteousness, economy, sense gratification and liberation], you have not been doing so for the sake of Vâsudeva.

(10) Only sparsely using the words describing the glories of the Lord who sanctifies the universe, is something the saintly think of as pilgrimaging to a place for crows; not as something where the perfect of the transcendental take pleasure in. (11) That creation of words revolutionizing the sins of the people in which, although imperfectly composed, each verse depicts the names and glories of the unlimited Lord, is heard, sung and accepted by the purified and honest. (12) In spite of self-realization free from material motives, the transcendental knowledge of the infallible does not look well letting go of designations. What good will it bring to work time and again inauspiciously for a result when one misses the Lord with it? That leads nowhere! (13) Therefore, for the sake of liberation from universal bondage, should you as a highly fortunate, spotless and famous perfect seer dedicated to the truth and fixed in the qualities, from your trance think of and describe Him whose actions are supernatural.

(14) Whatever you want to describe that is of a vision separate from Him, will only lead to names and forms that agitate the mind like a boat that is taken by the wind from its place. (15) For the matter of religion have you instructed the people according their natural inclinations [to kill animals for their food e.g.], which is in truth reprehensible and quite unreasonable. The people fixed on such instructions for good conduct will not think of the prohibitions. (16) For understanding the unlimited Lord do they qualify who are expert in withdrawing from material enjoyment, and therefore must those, who by the modes attached are missing the spiritual knowledge, by your goodness been shown the ways and activities of the Lord.

(17) Inexperienced in devotional service at the lotus feet one may fall down in that position forsaking one's true nature, but then what inauspiciousness would befall the nondevotee who, engaged in his occupational duties, doesn't get to anything of His interest? (18) The philosophically inclined should endeavor, for that reason, only for that which is not so much found wandering from high to low; in the course of time, so impetuous and subtle, one will find - just like the miseries - the enjoyment as a result of one's work automatically everywhere. (19) Failing for some or another reason the devotee has a different experience than others: once he in his material life has the taste will he, remembering the feet of the Lord of Liberation he embraced, never want to give it up. (20) By your good self, you know that all of this cosmos is the Lord Himself, even though He differs from it; He is the source and the end of its creation; I am only giving you a synopsis. (21) Please give a vivid description of the pastimes of the Supreme Lord, as from the perfect vision of your own soul you can reach an understanding of the transcendence of the Personality of the Supersoul, of which you are a full aspect having taken birth for the well-being of the whole world. (22) This attainment of all to the descriptions of the transcendental qualities by means of austerities, study, sacrifice, attending lectures, fostering intelligence and charity, is, according the acknowledged scholars, the infallible interest of the divine verses hailing the Supreme One.'

(23) 'In the previous millennium I took, o sage, birth from the maidservant of certain followers of this conclusion [the Vedânta] and was I, just a boy, engaged in their service while living together during the months of the rainy season. (24) These followers of wisdom were unto me, an obedient, well-mannered, self-controlled and silent boy without much interest in games and sport, of a special mercy, despite of their impartiality towards believers. (25) When the twice-born, during that period, once allowed me to enjoy the remnants of their food, was I, by that action, freed from all my sins and manifested itself, with me thus being engaged with purity, the attraction to that dharma. (26) Thereafter, hearing each day the descriptions of the life of Krishna, managed I through their respect for me, o dear Vyâsa, to pay good notice and thus develop my taste with every step I took. (27) O great sage, that time achieving the taste, I found continuity with the Lord and thus I saw that all the gross and subtle is accepted in one's own ignorance concerning the Supreme of transcendence. (28) Thus for two seasons, autumn and the rainy season, constantly hearing of nothing but the glories chanted by the sages, began of those great souls my devotional service to flow, with the modes of passion and ignorance receding. (29) That way attached, as a boy in obedience being freed from sins, did I of the faithful manage to subjugate the senses and strictly follow the principles. (30) By the purity of those devotees full of care for the meek, received I, as they left, the instruction on this most confidential knowledge which is directly propounded by the Lord Himself. (31) Through that could I easily grasp the influence of the deluding material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vâsudeva, the supreme creator, and how one thus can reach the refuge that He is.

(32) O learned one, it is said that to dedicate one's actions to the Supreme Lord is the remedy for the threefold misery of life. (33) O good soul, isn't it so that the cure for a disease is found in the same thing that caused it? (34) The same way will all the material dealings of man put an end to their own materialism once competence develops in dedication to the transcendent. (35) Whatever one does in this world to please the Lord and what thereto is done in the dependence on knowledge is bhakti yoga [yoga of devotion]. (36) When one performs one's duties remembering the will of the Fortunate One, takes the mind constantly to the names and qualities of S'rî Krishna. (37) Let us meditate upon the name and glory of Vâsudeva and His full expansions Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarshana. (38) The person who has the Lord without a form represented in the sound-form of a mantra, is, thus of worship for [Lord Vishnu] the Original Person of Sacrifice, of a perfect vision. (39) This way engaged, o learned one, knowing well the confidential part of the vedic knowledge, was bestowed upon me the knowledge of His transcendental opulences as well as the intimate personal affection for Lord Krishna [Kes'ava]. (40) You, dear, good soul, vast in your vedic knowledge, who has also heard of the Almighty of whom the wise always have found satisfaction to learn about the transcendental, please describe His activities for the mitigation of the suffering of the masses of common people for whom there is no other way of relief'."

Sûta said: 'Comfortably seated next to him, the pleased rishi of God - who has a vînâ in his hands - addressed the learned wise.

Sûta Gosvâmî said: Thus the sage amongst the gods [Nârada], comfortably seated and apparently smiling, addressed the rishi amongst the brâhmanas [Vedavyâsa]. (Vedabase)

Text 2

He said: o greatly fortunate son of Parâs'ara: Is the confrontation with the body and the mind in the self-realization of your soul to your satisfaction?

Addressing Vyâsadeva, the son of Parâs'ara, Nârada inquired: Are you satisfied by identifying with the body or the mind as objects of self-realization? (Vedabase)

Text 3

You have done your full enquiries and being well versed, you have prepared the great and wonderful Mahâbhârata adding your extensive explanations.

Your inquiries were full and your studies were also well fulfilled, and there is no doubt that you have prepared a great and wonderful work, the Mahâbhârata, which is full of all kinds of Vedic sequences elaborately explained. (Vedabase)

Text 4

Despite of the full of your deliberations about the Absolute and Eternal are you, dear master, lamenting not having done enough.

You have fully delineated the subject of impersonal Brahman as well as the knowledge derived therefrom. Why should you be despondent in spite of all this, thinking that you are undone, my dear prabhu? (Vedabase)

Text 5

Vyâsa said: 'What you said is certainly true and my soul has found no peace with it. What is the root I missed, I ask you who originated from the soul as a man of unlimited knowledge.

S'rî Vyâsadeva said: All you have said about me is perfectly correct. Despite all this, I am not pacified. I therefore question you about the root cause of my dissatisfaction, for you are a man of unlimited knowledge due to your being the offspring of one [Brahmâ] who is self-born [without mundane father and mother]. (Vedabase)

Text 6

You have the all-inclusive knowledge as a confidential devotee of the Supreme Personality, who is the Original Controller of the material and spiritual and in whose mind only, from the transcendence above its modes, the universe is created and destroyed.

My lord! Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to the three modes of material nature. (Vedabase)

Text 7

In your goodness you travel the three worlds penetrating the heart of everyone like the all-pervading air as the selfrealized witness. Please point out what my deficiency is in my being absorbed in the Absolute with discipline and vow concerning matters of cause and effect'.

Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows. (Vedabase)

Text 8

S'rî Nârada said: 'You hardly praised the glories of the Fortunate One who is spotless and who, I gather, is not really pleased by that lesser vision.

S'rî Nârada said: You have not actually broadcast the sublime and spotless glories of the Personality of Godhead. That philosophy which does not satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord is considered worthless. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Although you, great sage, repeatedly were writing for the sake of the four principles of religion [dharma, artha, kâma, moksha or righteousness, economy, sense gratification and liberation], you have not been doing so for the sake of Vâsudeva.

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, Vâsudeva. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Only sparsely using the words describing the glories of the Lord who sanctifies the universe, is something the saintly think of as pilgrimaging to a place for crows; not as something where the perfect of the transcendental take pleasure in.

Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there. (Vedabase)

Text 11

That creation of words revolutionizing the sins of the people in which, although imperfectly composed, each verse depicts the names and glories of the unlimited Lord, is heard, sung and accepted by the purified and honest.

On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest. (Vedabase)

Text 12

In spite of self-realization free from material motives, the transcendental knowledge of the infallible does not look well letting go of designations. What good will it bring to work time and again inauspiciously for a result when one misses the Lord with it? That leads nowhere!

Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord? (Vedabase)

Text 13

Therefore, for the sake of liberation from universal bondage, should you as a highly fortunate, spotless and famous perfect seer dedicated to the truth and fixed in the qualities, from your trance think of and describe Him whose actions are supernatural.

O Vyâsadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage. (Vedabase)

Text 14

Whatever you want to describe that is of a vision separate from Him, will only lead to names and forms that agitate the mind like a boat that is taken by the wind from its place.

Whatever you desire to describe that is separate in vision from the Lord simply reacts, with different forms, names and results, to agitate the mind as the wind agitates a boat which has no resting place. (Vedabase)

Text 15

For the matter of religion have you instructed the people according their natural inclinations [to kill animals for their food e.g.], which is in truth reprehensible and quite unreasonable. The people fixed on such instructions for good conduct will not think of the prohibitions.

The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions, they will accept such activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions. (Vedabase)

Text 16

For understanding the unlimited Lord do they qualify who are expert in withdrawing from material enjoyment, and therefore must those, who by the modes attached are missing the spiritual knowledge, by your goodness been shown the ways and activities of the Lord.

The Supreme Lord is unlimited. Only a very expert personality, retired from the activities of material happiness, deserves to understand this knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore those who are not so well situated, due to material attachment, should be shown the ways of transcendental realization, by Your Goodness, through descriptions of the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Inexperienced in devotional service at the lotus feet one may fall down in that position forsaking one's true nature, but then what inauspiciousness would befall the nondevotee who, engaged in his occupational duties, doesn't get to anything of His interest?

One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

The philosophically inclined should endeavor, for that reason, only for that which is not so much found wandering from high to low; in the course of time, so impetuous and subtle, one will find - just like the miseries - the enjoyment as a result of one's work automatically everywhere.

Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Pâtâla]. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Failing for some or another reason the devotee has a different experience than others: once he in his material life has the taste will he, remembering the feet of the Lord of Liberation he embraced, never want to give it up.

My dear Vyâsa, even though a devotee of Lord Krishna sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again. (Vedabase)

Text 20

By your good self, you know that all of this cosmos is the Lord Himself, even though He differs from it; He is the source and the end of its creation; I am only giving you a synopsis.

The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos, and still He is aloof from it. From Him only has this cosmic manifestation emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him it enters after annihilation. Your good self knows all about this. I have given only a synopsis. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Please give a vivid description of the pastimes of the Supreme Lord, as from the perfect vision of your own soul you can reach an understanding of the transcendence of the Personality of the Supersoul, of which you are a full aspect having taken birth for the well-being of the whole world.

Your Goodness has perfect vision. You yourself can know the Supersoul Personality of Godhead because you are present as the plenary portion of the Lord. Although you are birthless, you have appeared on this earth for the well-being of all people. Please, therefore, describe the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead S'rî Krishna more vividly. (Vedabase)

Text 22

This attainment of all to the descriptions of the transcendental qualities by means of austerities, study, sacrifice, attending lectures, fostering intelligence and charity, is, according the acknowledged scholars, the infallible interest of the divine verses hailing the Supreme One.

Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry. (Vedabase)

Text 23

In the previous millennium I took, o sage, birth from the maidservant of certain followers of this conclusion [the Vedânta] and was I, just a boy, engaged in their service while living together during the months of the rainy season.

O muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged in the service of brâhmanas who were following the principles of Vedânta. When they were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service. (Vedabase)

Text 24

These followers of wisdom were unto me, an obedient, well-mannered, self-controlled and silent boy without much interest in games and sport, of a special mercy, despite of their impartiality towards believers.

Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedânta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports, even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty, and I did not speak more than required. (Vedabase)

Text 25

When the twice-born, during that period, once allowed me to enjoy the remnants of their food, was I, by that action, freed from all my sins and manifested itself, with me thus being engaged with purity, the attraction to that dharma.

Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me. (Vedabase)

Text 26

Thereafter, hearing each day the descriptions of the life of Krishna, managed I through their respect for me, o dear Vyâsa, to pay good notice and thus develop my taste with every step I took.

O Vyâsadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedântists, I could hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord Krishna. And thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step. (Vedabase)

Text 27

O great sage, that time achieving the taste, I found continuity with the Lord and thus I saw that all the gross and subtle is accepted in one's own ignorance concerning the Supreme of transcendence.

O great sage, as soon as I got a taste for the Personality of Godhead, my attention to hear of the Lord was unflinching. And as my taste developed, I could realize that it was only in my ignorance that I had accepted gross and subtle coverings, for both the Lord and I are transcendental. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Thus for two seasons, autumn and the rainy season, constantly hearing of nothing but the glories chanted by the sages, began of those great souls my devotional service to flow, with the modes of passion and ignorance receding.

Thus during two seasons--the rainy season and autumn--I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As the flow of my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished. (Vedabase)

Text 29

I as a boy, obedient and free from sins, because of those believers thus being attached to what was His, managed in my stricly following to subjugate [my senses].

I was very much attached to those sages. I was gentle in behavior, and all my sins were eradicated in their service. In my heart I had strong faith in them. I had subjugated the senses, and I was strictly following them with body and mind. (Vedabase)

Text 30

By the purity of those devotees full of care for the meek, received I, as they left, the instruction on this most confidential knowledge which is directly propounded by the Lord Himself.

As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedântas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject which is instructed by the Personality of Godhead Himself. (Vedabase)

Text 31

Through that could I easily grasp the influence of the deluding material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vâsudeva, the supreme creator, and how one thus can reach the refuge that He is.

By that confidential knowledge, I could understand clearly the influence of the energy of Lord S'rî Krishna, the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything. By knowing that, one can return to Him and personally meet Him. (Vedabase)

Text 32

O learned one, it is said that to dedicate one's actions to the Supreme Lord is the remedy for the threefold misery of life.

O Brâhmana Vyâsadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one's activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead [S'rî Krishna]. (Vedabase)

Text 33

O good soul, isn't it so that the cure for a disease is found in the same thing that caused it?

O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which was caused by that very same thing? (Vedabase)

Text 34

The same way will all the material dealings of man put an end to their own materialism once competence develops in dedication to the transcendent.

Thus when all a man's activities are dedicated to the service of the Lord, those very activities which caused his perpetual bondage become the destroyer of the tree of work. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

Whatever one does in this world to please the Lord and what thereto is done in the dependence on knowledge is bhakti yoga [yoga of devotion].

Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service to the Lord, and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

When one performs one's duties remembering the will of the Fortunate One, takes the mind constantly to the names and qualities of S'rî Krishna.

While performing duties according to the order of S'rî Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

Let us meditate upon the name and glory of Vâsudeva and His full expansions Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarshana.

Let us all chant the glories of Vâsudeva along with His plenary expansions Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarshana. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

The person who has the Lord without a form represented in the sound-form of a mantra, is, thus of worship for [Lord Vishnu] the Original Person of Sacrifice, of a perfect vision.

Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, who has no material form. (Vedabase)

Text 39:

This way engaged, o learned one, knowing well the confidential part of the vedic knowledge, was bestowed upon me the knowledge of His transcendental opulences as well as the intimate personal affection for Lord Krishna [Kes'ava].

O brâhmana, thus by the Supreme Lord Krishna I was endowed first with the transcendental knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the confidential parts of the Vedas, then with the spiritual opulences, and then with His intimate loving service. (Vedabase)

Text 40:

You, dear, good soul, vast in your vedic knowledge, who has also heard of the Almighty of whom the wise always have found satisfaction to learn about the transcendental, please describe His activities for the mitigation of the suffering of the masses of common people for whom there is no other way of relief.

Please, therefore, describe the Almighty Lord's activities which you have learned by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of such miseries. (Vedabase)