FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.40

त्वमप्यदभ्रश्रुत विश्रुतं विभो: समाप्यते येन विदां बुभुत्सितम् । प्राख्याहि दु:खैर्मुहुरर्दितात्मनां सङ्‍क्लेशनिर्वाणमुशन्ति नान्यथा ॥ ४० ॥
tvam apy adabhra-śruta viśrutaṁ vibhoḥ
[tvam apy adabhra-shruta vishrutam vibhoh]
samāpyate yena vidāṁ bubhutsitam
[samaapyate yena vidaam bubhutsitam]
prākhyāhi duḥkhair muhur arditātmanāṁ
[praakhyaahi duhkhair muhur arditaatmanaam]
saṅkleśa-nirvāṇam uśanti nānyathā
[sanklesha-nirvaanam ushanti naanyathaa]
tvam — your good soul api — also adabhra — vast śruta — Vedic literatures viśrutam — have heard also vibhoḥ — of the Almighty samāpyate — satisfied yena — by which vidām — of the learned bubhutsitam — who always desire to learn transcendental knowledge prākhyāhi — describe duḥkhaiḥ — by miseries muhuḥ — always ardita-ātmanām — suffering mass of people saṅkleśa — sufferings nirvāṇam — mitigation uśanti na — do not get out of anyathā — by other means.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tvam apy adabhra-śruta viśrutaṁ vibhoḥ
tvam
your good soul
api
also
adabhra
vast
śruta
Vedic literatures
viśrutam
have heard also
vibhoḥ
of the Almighty
samāpyate yena vidāṁ bubhutsitam
samāpyate
satisfied
yena
by which
vidām
of the learned
bubhutsitam
who always desire to learn transcendental knowledge
prākhyāhi duḥkhair muhur arditātmanāṁ
prākhyāhi
describe
duḥkhaiḥ
by miseries
muhuḥ
always
ardita-ātmanām
suffering mass of people
saṅkleśa-nirvāṇam uśanti nānyathā
saṅkleśa
sufferings
nirvāṇam
mitigation
uśanti na
do not get out of
anyathā
by other means.
Please, therefore, describe the almighty Lord’s activities which you have learned by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of such miseries.

Śrī Nārada Muni from practical experience definitely asserts that the prime solution of all problems of material work is to broadcast very widely the transcendental glories of the Supreme Lord. There are four classes of good men, and there are four classes of bad men also. The four classes of good men acknowledge the authority of the almighty God, and therefore such good men (1) when they are in difficulty, (2) when they are in need of money, (3) when they are advanced in knowledge and (4) when they are inquisitive to know more and more about God, intuitively take shelter of the Lord. As such, Nāradajī advises Vyāsadeva to broadcast the transcendental knowledge of God in terms of the vast Vedic knowledge which he had already attained.

As far as the bad men are concerned, they are also four in number: (1) those who are simply addicted to the mode of progressive fruitive work and thus are subjected to the accompanying miseries, (2) those who are simply addicted to vicious work for sense satisfaction and so suffer the consequence, (3) those who are materially very much advanced in knowledge, but who suffer because they do not have the sense to acknowledge the authority of the almighty Lord, and (4) the class of men who are known as atheists and who therefore purposely hate the very name of God, although they are always in difficulty.

Śrī Nāradajī advised Vyāsadeva to describe the glories of the Lord just to do good to all eight classes of men, both good and bad. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is therefore not meant for any particular class of men or sect. It is for the sincere soul who actually wants his own welfare and peace of mind.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O omniscient Vyāsa! Explain the glories of Kṛṣṇa, by which the curiosity of persons already having so much knowledge will be satisfied. The wise do not consider that there is any other way to destroy the afflictions of the jīvas tormented by suffering.
Commentary

O knower of many scriptures (adabhra-śruta)! O omniscient one! Please relate the glories (viśrutam) of the Lord. By understanding them, the desire of the knowers who want to know will be satisfied. This means that those who become devoted solely to these confidential scriptures which have the sweet taste of the lord’s glories will not have a desire for jñāna. Those with intelligence do not consider that the calamity of the jīvas afflicted by suffering can be removed by any other means.

Chapter Six Nārada Achieves Perfection

Please describe the Lord's activities; that alone satisfies the learned and relieves the suffering of common people. The same offering helps the top and the bottom of the audience — no other way works.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I designing different teachings for different audiences when the Lord's acts would speak to all?
  • How could my next sharing trust that 'speaking of Him' is enough to reach widely?
📝 My note

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