FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.5

मुनय: साधु पृष्टोऽहं भवद्भ‍िर्लोकमङ्गलम् । यत्कृत: कृष्णसम्प्रश्नो येनात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ ५ ॥
munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo ’haṁ
[munayah saadhu prishto ’ham]
bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam
[bhavadbhir loka-mangalam]
yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno
[yat kritah krishna-samprashno]
yenātmā suprasīdati
[yenaatmaa supraseedati]
munayaḥ — O sages sādhu — this is relevant pṛṣṭaḥ — questioned aham — myself bhavadbhiḥ — by all of you loka — the world maṅgalam — welfare yat — because kṛtaḥ — made kṛṣṇa — the Personality of Godhead sampraśnaḥ — relevant question yena — by which ātmā — self suprasīdati — completely pleased.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo ’haṁ
munayaḥ
O sages
sādhu
this is relevant
pṛṣṭaḥ
questioned
bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam
yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno
aham
myself
bhavadbhiḥ
by all of you
loka
the world
yenātmā suprasīdati
maṅgalam
welfare
yat
because
kṛtaḥ
made
kṛṣṇa
the Personality of Godhead
sampraśnaḥ
relevant question
yena
by which
ātmā
self
suprasīdati
completely pleased.
O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are worthy because they relate to Lord Kṛṣṇa and so are of relevance to the world’s welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely satisfying the self.

Since it has been stated hereinbefore that in the Bhāgavatam the Absolute Truth is to be known, the questions of the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya are proper and just, because they pertain to Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. In Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) the Personality of Godhead says that in all the Vedas there is nothing but the urge for searching after Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus the questions that pertain to Kṛṣṇa are the sum and substance of all the Vedic inquiries.

The whole world is full of questions and answers. The birds, beasts and men are all busy in the matter of perpetual questions and answers. In the morning the birds in the nest become busy with questions and answers, and in the evening also the same birds come back and again become busy with questions and answers. The human being, unless he is fast asleep at night, is busy with questions and answers. The businessmen in the market are busy with questions and answers, and so also the lawyers in the court and the students in the schools and colleges. The legislators in the parliament are also busy with questions and answers, and the politicians and the press representatives are all busy with questions and answers. Although they go on making such questions and answers for their whole lives, they are not at all satisfied. Satisfaction of the soul can only be obtained by questions and answers on the subject of Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is our most intimate master, friend, father or son and object of conjugal love. Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, we have created so many objects of questions and answers, but none of them are able to give us complete satisfaction. All things — but Kṛṣṇa — give temporary satisfaction only, so if we are to have complete satisfaction we must take to the questions and answers about Kṛṣṇa. We cannot live for a moment without being questioned or without giving answers. Because the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam deals with questions and answers that are related to Kṛṣṇa, we can derive the highest satisfaction only by reading and hearing this transcendental literature. One should learn the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and make an all-around solution to all problems pertaining to social, political or religious matters. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Kṛṣṇa are the sum total of all things.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O sages! You have asked good questions about what is beneficial for the world, because you have asked questions all about Kṛṣṇa, by which the intellect is immediately satisfied.
Commentary

It has been said previously (1.2.1) that Sūta respects the words of the sages. This verse describes that respect. O sages (munayaḥ)! The questions are very good because I have been asked about what is auspicious for the world. Why is that good? You have asked questions about Kṛṣṇa, all sorts of questions about Kṛṣṇa (sampraśnaḥ). And why is that good? By such questions about Kṛṣṇa the intellect becomes satisfied. It is my experience that by such question about Kṛṣṇa alone immediately the intellect becomes satisfied.

Sūta calls the sages' questions worthy because they are about Kṛṣṇa and serve everyone's welfare. Self-satisfying inquiry isn't selfish navel-gazing — it's asking what helps the world, in a way that fills the soul.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of my current questions are worthy by this standard — about truth, helpful to others?
  • Where am I spending question-energy on what only inflates me?
📝 My note

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