Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.12.69
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHonor Those Who Reveal Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is he who defeats all inauspicious things within this universe. Although in the beginning he was absorbed in the happiness of Brahman realization and was living in a secluded place, giving up all other types of consciousness, he became attracted by the pleasing, most melodious pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He therefore mercifully spoke this supreme Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the bright light of the Absolute Truth and which describes the activities of the Lord.”
What the purport teaches
- One cannot enter the deep transcendental meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam without offering respectful obeisances to Śukadeva Gosvāmī and the other great ācāryas in his line.
- Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī was absorbed in the happiness of Brahman realization, he became attracted by the pleasing, most melodious pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. His attraction turns our attention toward the Lord and devotional service to Him.
- Śukadeva Gosvāmī mercifully spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the bright light of the Absolute Truth, which describes the Lord’s activities. The verse honors him as the spiritual master who defeats all inauspicious things within this universe.
Try this today
Before reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam today, offer respectful obeisances to Śukadeva Gosvāmī and the great ācāryas in his line.
Ask yourself
How might respectful gratitude toward Śukadeva Gosvāmī and the ācāryas change the way you approach Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.