(2) Unique Gift to the World

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Nrisingha Palli, 2 November 2020, part 2
Translated from Bengali

Vyasadev composed Srimad Bhagavatam from four main verses. Prior to that, he had already written many Puranas, including Padma Purana, Garuda Purana and Agni Purana, Srimad Bhagavad-gita and Mahabharata, but even having composed all those scriptures, he did not feel happy at heart. So, he walked all the way to Badarikashram to see his guru, Narad Goswami. Narad Goswami told him, 'What you have done is wrong. How can you feel happy? You have cooked many things – rice, dal, subji, chutney, paramanna – and when you go to distribute it, you mix everything together. How can one understand what taste each preparation has? You write about bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and many other kinds of yoga, but can that give one happiness? You have mixed everything together!' Vyasadev understood his mistake. Then, Narad Goswami told him four main slokas, and Vyasadev composed Bhagavatam.

After that, he thought, 'Who will be able to present it in this world?' He remembered Sukadev Goswami. At that time, Sukadev Goswami was still in his mother's womb – he had been there for twelve years! All the sages, including Vyasadev, Atri Rishi and Vasistha Rishi, came and asked Sukadev, 'Please come out.'

'I will not!' Sukadev Goswami answered, from his mother's womb.

'But why?'

'Because there is Maya out there. She attracts this whole world and keep everyone forgetful of the Lord. This is why I do not want to come out.'

Then, all the sages turned to Vyasadev, 'Vyasadev, you have the power to stop Maya.'

'Yes, I can.' Vyasadev replied and then asked Sukadev, 'If I stop the activities of the illusory environment for five minutes, will you come out?'

Sukadev agreed. Vyasadev stopped Maya's activity for five minutes, and Sukadev came out. As soon as he appeared, Sukadev, who was already twelve years old at that time, dashed to the forest. Vyasadev ran after him, calling out to him, 'Sukadev, wait! Listen to me! Listen!' Sukadev did not show any reaction – he had no attraction to his father, mother or anything else in the illusory world. Maya was not able to attract him.

Naked, Sukadev continued running, and eventually he reached the Himalayas. Some young girls were bathing in the Ganges without clothes, and even though Sukadev was a young boy, they did not put on any clothes when they saw him coming. Sukadev did not have eyes – he did not see anything in this material world; he simply went wherever Krishna was taking him. But when those ladies saw Vyasadev coming after Sukadev, they quickly put some clothes on to cover themselves.

In the meantime, Pariksit Maharaj, who had been cursed by a brahman to die within seven days, gathered a great assembly. Many great sages came to that assembly (Atri, Vasistha and even Vyasadev's father, Parasara Muni, who possessed very much knowledge) – some sages had four-foot beards; some, ten-foot beards; some, twenty-foot beards. Every sampradaya's head came there. They started giving much advice to Pariksit Maharaj, but Pariksit Maharaj did not feel pleased. Then, the Lord gave an order to Sukadev Goswami, following which he came to that great assembly of Pariksit Maharaj. He came there as he was, naked, and did not even pay obeisance or show respect to anybody because he did not see anybody. His father, grandfather and many great sages were there, but he did not see anybody except for Pariksit Maharaj.

Pariksit Maharaj gave Sukadev a seat, and Sukadev sat down. All the sages told, 'Pariksit Maharaj, you are very fortunate because Sukadev Goswami has come to your assembly. Whatever siddhanta he will say, we will all accept it.' Then, Pariksit Maharaj asked Sukadev, 'What is good for me? What is the goal of life?' Hearing the king's question, Sukadev replied, 'You are a very good searcher. In this world, people ask many kinds of questions. Those who are entangled in this world have many questions, but no matter how many questions one can ask, there is only one question, and there is only one answer. It is not necessary to ask thousands of questions.' Then, Sukadev Goswami started speaking to Pariksit Maharaj, advising him what to do.

A gifted listener Suta Goswami, who could remember everything just by hearing it once, was present at that assembly, and he heard what Sukadev Goswami had spoken. When Suta Goswami later repeated that conversation to 60,000 sages at Naimisaranya, Vyasadev wrote it down. This is how Srimad Bhagavatam appeared in its book form.

Srimad Bhagavatam is a scripture that exclusively deals with perfection that is attained through devotion (bhakti-siddha, bhakti-yoga).

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Search Out the Source
2) Unique Gift to the World
3) March On
4) Intense Service Life
5) Patience, Faith and Affection