Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.22.21-24
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesFreedom from Desire Supports Sacred Study
“Citrāṅgada, of whom Vicitravīrya was the younger brother, was killed by a Gandharva who was also named Citrāṅgada. Satyavatī, before her marriage to Śāntanu, gave birth to the master authority of the Vedas, Vyāsadeva, known as Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, who was begotten by Parāśara Muni. From Vyāsadeva, I [Śukadeva Gosvāmī] was born, and from him I studied this great work of literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The incarnation of Godhead Vedavyāsa, rejecting his disciples, headed by Paila, instructed Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to me because I was free from all material desires. After Ambikā and Ambālikā, the two daughters of Kāśīrāja, were taken away by force, Vicitravīrya married them, but because he was too attached to these two wives, he had a heart attack and died of tuberculosis.”
What the purport teaches
- Citrāṅgada was killed by a Gandharva of the same name. His younger brother Vicitravīrya married Ambikā and Ambālikā, but excessive attachment to them led to a heart attack and death from tuberculosis.
- Before marrying Śāntanu, Satyavatī bore Vyāsadeva through Parāśara Muni. Known as Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, he was the master authority of the Vedas and an incarnation of Godhead.
- Śukadeva Gosvāmī was Vyāsadeva’s son and studied Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from him. Vyāsadeva chose to teach him rather than his disciples headed by Paila because he was free from all material desires.
Try this today
Set aside one distraction and spend five attentive minutes reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Ask yourself
Which material desire most distracts me when I try to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.