Ripened fruit

“The Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna appeared before us just a little prior to the beginning of Kali-yuga, and He returned to His eternal home practically at the commencement of Kali-yuga. While He was present, He exhibited everything by His different activities. He spoke the Bhagavad-gita specifically and eradicated all pretentious principles of religiosity. And prior to His departure from this material world, He empowered Sri Vyasadeva through Narada to compile the messages of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and thus both the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam are like torchbearers for the blind people of this age. In other words, if men in this age of Kali want to see the real light of life, they must take to these two books only, and their aim of life will be fulfilled. Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of the Bhagavatam. And Srimad-Bhagavatam is the summum bonum of life, Lord Sri Krishna personified. We must therefore accept Srimad-Bhagavatam as the direct representation of Lord Krishna. One who can see Srimad-Bhagavatam can see also Lord Sri Krishna in person. They are identical.” (SB 1.3.43).

Vyasadeva appeared in this world with the sole mission of educating the masses in transcendental knowledge. Seeing that the Vedic mantras had become unclear and confusing, he divided the one Veda into four separate works, and also compiled the fifth Veda (historical stories) to give further insight and information. These divisions were given to various sages who, under Vyasadeva’s guidance, elaborated upon them and produced voluminous texts, still very difficult for the layman to understand and apply. The various viewpoints expressed were also difficult to reconcile. Thus, Vyasadeva decided to harmonise the diversity by shrinking the thousands of millions of Vedic verses into a single book of concise codes known as the Vedanta-Sutra.

After completing this work, he still felt it too ambiguous and complex for most people to understand, and thus attempted to communicate the same teachings in story-format through the epic history of India known as the Mahabharata. Despite these mammoth endeavours Vyasadeva remained dissatisfied, concerned that the essence had not yet come to the forefront.

Enter Narada Muni, who expertly diagnosed the root cause of the author’s disenchantment. Srila Vyasadeva’s writings had stressed the preliminary (and often materialistic) goals of religion – dharma (piety), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification) and moksa (release from suffering). The travelling mendicant explained how Vyasadeva had inadvertently misled people, failing to glorify the Supreme Lord and highlight His name, fame, pastimes and glories. Having received this wise counsel, Vyasadeva went on to compose the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which magnified and zeroed in on the essence of the Vedas: pure, untainted, loving devotion to Lord Krishna. At last, Vyasadeva felt satisfied in his endeavour to provide the light of knowledge to the lost souls of Kali-yuga, the current cosmic age of degradation. Srimad- Bhagavatam, the spotless (amala) Purana, would indeed be the saving grace in the impending dark times, clearly establishing the goal of life and the true source of unlimited happiness in no uncertain terms.

Having compiled Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vyasadeva taught the contents to his son, Sukadeva Goswami. When he was born, Sukadeva Goswami immediately left home, fearful of potential material influences. Vyasadeva arranged to lure him back by having beautiful verses of the Srimad-Bhagavatam recited within his earshot. Sukadeva Goswami was indeed attracted to return, and subsequently heard the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam from his father. Later, Sukadeva Goswami met Maharaja Pariksit and narrated the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam to him in seven days. During that discourse, Vyasadeva and Suta Goswami were both present. Having grasped the entire narration, Suta Goswami later recited it to the sages of Naimisaranya, headed by Saunaka Rishi.