Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.8.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHear Patiently From a Saintly Speaker
“Śrī Śaunaka said: O Sūta, may you live a long life! O saintly one, best of speakers, please continue speaking to us. Indeed, only you can show men the path out of the ignorance in which they are wandering.”
What the purport teaches
- Śrī Śaunaka respectfully asks Sūta Gosvāmī to continue speaking. He honors him as a saintly person and the best of speakers.
- Śaunaka recognizes that Sūta can show people the path out of the ignorance in which they wander.
- According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the sages saw that Sūta was about to end his narration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They therefore urged him to first tell the story of Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi.
Try this today
Spend five uninterrupted minutes reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with a willingness to learn.
Ask yourself
How can I bring more respect and eagerness to hearing 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.