Srimad Bhagvatam
TRANSLATION
MAHARAJA YUDHISHTHIRA SAID: MY DEAR LORD, I WISH TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION BY WHICH ONE CAN ATTAIN THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE—DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. I WISH TO HEAR ABOUT THE GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL DUTIES OF HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT KNOWN AS VARNASRAMA-DHARMA.
PURPORT
SANATANA-DHARMA MEANS DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. THE WORD SANATANA REFERS TO THAT WHICH IS ETERNAL, WHICH DOES NOT CHANGE BUT CONTINUES IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. We have several times explained what the eternal occupational duty of the living being is. Indeed, it has been explained by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera 'svarüpa' haya—krshnera 'nitya-dasa': THE REAL OCCUPATIONAL DUTY OF THE LIVING ENTITY IS TO SERVE THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.
EVEN IF ONE PREFERS TO DEVIATE FROM THIS PRINCIPLE HE REMAINS A SERVANT BECAUSE THAT IS HIS ETERNAL POSITION; BUT ONE SERVES MAYA, THE ILLUSORY, MATERIAL ENERGY. THE KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT, THEREFORE, IS AN ATTEMPT TO GUIDE HUMAN SOCIETY TO SERVING THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD INSTEAD OF SERVING THE MATERIAL WORLD WITH NO REAL PROFIT. OUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IS THAT EVERY MAN, ANIMAL, BIRD AND BEAST—INDEED, EVERY LIVING ENTITY—IS ENGAGED IN RENDERING SERVICE. EVEN THOUGH ONE'S BODY OR ONE'S SUPERFICIAL RELIGION MAY CHANGE, EVERY LIVING ENTITY IS ALWAYS ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF SOMEONE. THEREFORE, THE MENTALITY OF SERVICE IS CALLED THE ETERNAL OCCUPATIONAL DUTY.
THIS ETERNAL OCCUPATIONAL DUTY CAN BE ORGANIZED THROUGH THE INSTITUTION OF VARNASRAMA, IN WHICH THERE ARE FOUR VARNAS (BRAHMANA, KSHATRIYA, VAISYA AND SÜDRA) AND FOUR ASRAMAS (BRAHMACHARYA, GRHASTHA, VANAPRASTHA AND SANNYASA). Thus, Yudhishthira Maharaja inquired from Narada Muni about the principles of sanatana-dharma for the benefit of human society.
TRANSLATION
O best of the brahmanas, you are directly the son of Prajapati [Lord Brahma]. Because of your austerities, mystic yoga and trance, you are considered the best of all of Lord Brahma's sons.
O best of the brahmanas, you are directly the son of Prajapati [Lord Brahma]. Because of your austerities, mystic yoga and trance, you are considered the best of all of Lord Brahma's sons.
TRANSLATION
No one is superior to you in peaceful life and mercy, and no one knows better than you how to execute devotional service or how to become the best of the brahmanas. Therefore, you know all the principles of confidential religious life, and no one knows them better than you.
PURPORT
YUDHISHTHIRA MAHARAJA KNEW THAT NARADA MUNI IS THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL MASTER OF HUMAN SOCIETY WHO CAN TEACH THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL LIBERATION LEADING TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.
Actually, it is for this purpose that Narada Muni compiled his Bhakti-sütra and gave directions in the Narada-pancharatra. To learn about religious principles and the perfection of life, one must take instruction from the disciplic succession of Narada Muni. Our Krshna consciousness movement is directly in the line of the Brahma-sampradaya. Narada Muni received instructions from Lord Brahma and in turn transmitted the instructions to Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva instructed his son Sukadeva Gosvami, who spoke Srimad-Bhagavatam.
The Krshna consciousness movement is based on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Because Srimad-Bhagavatam was spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami and Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krshna, there is no difference between them. If we strictly follow the principle of disciplic succession, we are certainly on the right path of spiritual liberation, or eternal engagement in devotional service.
No one is superior to you in peaceful life and mercy, and no one knows better than you how to execute devotional service or how to become the best of the brahmanas. Therefore, you know all the principles of confidential religious life, and no one knows them better than you.
PURPORT
YUDHISHTHIRA MAHARAJA KNEW THAT NARADA MUNI IS THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL MASTER OF HUMAN SOCIETY WHO CAN TEACH THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL LIBERATION LEADING TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.
Actually, it is for this purpose that Narada Muni compiled his Bhakti-sütra and gave directions in the Narada-pancharatra. To learn about religious principles and the perfection of life, one must take instruction from the disciplic succession of Narada Muni. Our Krshna consciousness movement is directly in the line of the Brahma-sampradaya. Narada Muni received instructions from Lord Brahma and in turn transmitted the instructions to Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva instructed his son Sukadeva Gosvami, who spoke Srimad-Bhagavatam.
The Krshna consciousness movement is based on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Because Srimad-Bhagavatam was spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami and Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krshna, there is no difference between them. If we strictly follow the principle of disciplic succession, we are certainly on the right path of spiritual liberation, or eternal engagement in devotional service.
