Chapter 1 – Dialogue between Sūta and Śaunaka in the Naimiśa forest
1. Let us meditate on that transcendent Reality (God) from whom this universe springs up, in whom it abides, and into whom it returns – because He is invariably present in all existing things and is distinct from all non-entities – who is Self-consciousness and Self-effulgent, who revealed to Brahmā (the very first seer) by His mere will the Vedas that cause bewilderment even to the greatest sages, in whom this threefold creation (consisting of Sattva,Rajas and Tamas), though unreal, appears as real (because of the reality of its substratum) – even as the sun’s rays (which are made up of the element of fire) are mistaken for water (in a mirage), water for earth and earth for water – and who ever excludes Māyā by His own Self-effulgent glory.
2. In this glorious Bhāgavata, produced by the great sage Vedavyāsa, has been taught that supreme Dharma (the Dharma of God-worship, the Bhāgavata Dharma as it is called) which is entirely free from all self-deception in the shape of desire (including the desire for Mokṣa or Liberation). Herein has been expounded that absolute Reality which can be known only by saints who are free from malice, which is the bestower of supreme bliss and uproots the threefold agony (1 .the agony caused by bodily distemper, 2. that which is attributable to natural agencies, and 3. that inflicted by a fellow-being). Can the Supreme Lord be realized in the heart immediately by any other teachings (treatises)? No. (But in this (Bhāgavata) he can be so comprehended at once by the meritorious who have a desire to hear (and study) this (Bhāgavata Purāṇa).
3. This (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) is the (ripe) fruit of the wish-yielding tree of the Vedas, that has been dropped down from the mouth of (the sage) Śuka (as from the mouth of a parrot= Śuka); that is full of (lit. endowed with) ambrosial juice (viz. the highest bliss). Oh appreciators of beauty, the connoisseurs of its (the Bhāgavata Purāṇa’s) peculiar excellences, you do drink constantly this Bhāgavata – a fruit which is entirely a sweet juice – here and in the state of the Final Beatitude.
4. Once upon a time, in the forest known as Naimiṣāraṇya, a place sacred to Śrī Viṣṇu, sages whose leader was Śaunaka held a sacrificial session lasting for one thousand years, with a view to realizing the Lord who is sung in heaven and is the abode of His devotees.
5. One morning, having poured oblations into the sacred fire, the sages paid their respects to Sūta; and when he had taken his seat, they asked him the following question with due reverence.
The Sages Said :
6. O sinless Sūta, you have indeed studied and also expounded all the Purāṇas (such as Viṣṇu, Shiva, Devi, etc.., a total of 18 in number) and Itihāsa (e.g. the Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇā) as well as the codes of laws (like Smṛtis composed by sages, e.g. Manu, Yājñavalkya and others).
7-9. Whatever is known by the divine sage Bādarāyaṇa (Vedavyāsa, so-called because he is reputed to have his abode in a grove of jujube-trees), the foremost among the knowers of Veda, and even by other sages who have realized both the qualified (saguṇa – God with a form) and absolute aspects of the Godhead (nirguṇa – God without a form), you know all that in reality by their grace, which you were able to earn by your guileless and pure heart; for the teachers confide even their profoundest secrets to their beloved pupil. Be pleased to tell us, O long lived Sūta, that which you have determined through a study of all those sacred books as the unfailing and easy means to the supreme good of men.
10. Oh honourable one! In this Kali age, humans are generally short-lived, lazy (little inclined to tread the path of God-Realization), of dull intelligence, unlucky, and are tormented with diseases and other evils.
11. The scriptures too are numerous and inculcate not one discipline, but a number of practices and rituals; and, besides, (being too voluminous) they have to be listened to part by part. Therefore, benevolent as you are, draw out by your critical insight their quintessence and declare the same to us, who are full of faith, so that our mind may become placid and tranquil.
12. Sūta, God bless you, you know the purpose for which the divine Lord, the protector of His devotees, was born of Devakī and Vasudeva.
13. Dear Sūta, please explain it to us who are keen to hear of the same; for the Lord’s descent on this earth is intended for the protection and prosperity of all living beings.
14. Anyone who has fallen into the terrible whirlpool of birth and death can be speedily delivered from the same if he utters His Name even helplessly; for Fear itself is afraid of the Lord.
15. Oh Sūta, sages who have taken shelter in His feet and therefore ever abide in perfect calm forthwith purify those who come in contact with them; whereas the waters of the celestial stream (Gaṅgā) cleanse the heart only by long and continued use (because they are no longer in direct touch with those feet, although they still retain their purifying virtue because of the touch they once had with them).
16. Or what person desirous of purity of heart, will not listen to the glory of the venerable Lord whose deeds are praised by persons of auspicious fame – the glory that cleanses the sins of the Kali age.
17. Narrate to us, who are full of reverence (eager to hear), the noble doings of the Lord who sportively assumes various forms (manifesting as different avatārs in this creation) – the doings that have been sung by seers (like Nārada, Vyāsa, Brahmā and others).
18. Oh intelligent (Sūta)! Describe to us fully the auspicious narratives of the incarnations of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Ruler, who by his mystic power called Illusion (Māyā) indulges at will in his pastimes.
19. We, for our part, are never satisfied by hearing the glories of Śrī Hari (a devotee never gets tired of hearing about God), which are more and more delightful to hear at every step to those listeners who have a taste for sweet things (devotees who rejoice in his sweet stories).
20. Śrī Kṛṣṇa (though the Supreme Being) who is concealed in human disguise, has certainly performed superhuman acts of heroism, along with his brother Balarāma.
21. Having come to know that the age of Kali has arrived, we are assembled in this holy retreat sacred to Śrī Viṣṇu for a long sacrificial session and have thus got ample time to hear the stories of Śrī Hari.
22. By the creator (Śrī Viṣṇu) you have been clearly pointed out as the helmsman (of a ship) to us (who are) desirous of crossing the ocean (in the form of) the Kali Age which is difficult to be crossed over and which deprives (humans) of goodness (or ‘Strength’ as applied to ocean).
23. Tell us to whom righteousness has now resorted for refuge (when) Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the master of Yogic-mystic powers, well-versed in the Vedas, the protector of Dharma, has returned to his abode.
Thus ends the first discourse, forming part of the story relating to the Naimiśa forest, in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahaṁsa-Saṁhitā (the book of the God-realized souls).
Summarization Of The Entire Chapter :
The inaugural chapter of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa opens with a deeply contemplative invocation of the transcendent Reality, the ultimate origin from which the entire cosmos emanates, within which it exists, and into which it will eventually dissolve. This Supreme Being is depicted as inherently Self-existing and luminous, the very source of the Vedas, revealed through His divine will to the first seer, Brahmā, mystifying even the most profound sages. The text elucidates how the threefold material creation, composed of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, though fundamentally unreal, appears tangible due to the underlying reality of its divine substratum, drawing analogies to illusions like mistaking sunbeams for water. Furthermore, it emphasizes God’s eternal transcendence over Māyā, the illusory energy, by virtue of His own resplendent glory.
Following this profound meditation, the chapter introduces the Bhāgavata as a glorious scripture embodying the supreme Dharma, a path of God-worship entirely free from the deceptions of worldly desires, including even the longing for liberation itself. Within its verses, the absolute Reality is expounded, a truth accessible only to saints untainted by malice, capable of bestowing unparalleled bliss and uprooting the threefold agonies of material existence. The text boldly asserts the immediate realization of the Supreme Lord within the heart through the Bhāgavata, particularly for those virtuous souls who possess a sincere desire to hear and study it, contrasting it with the potentially slower comprehension offered by other teachings.
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is then poetically glorified as the perfectly ripened fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of the Vedas, having fallen from the very mouth of the sage Śuka, imbued with the nectar of supreme bliss. Connoisseurs of its unique excellence are invited to perpetually partake of this entirely sweet essence, experiencing its profound joy both in this earthly realm and in the ultimate state of liberation.
The narrative then transitions to a specific time and place, the sacred forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, a sanctuary dedicated to Śrī Viṣṇu, where a congregation of venerable sages, headed by Śaunaka, had commenced a prolonged sacrificial session spanning a thousand years, their sole aim being the realization of the Lord whose glories are sung in the heavens and who serves as the ultimate refuge for His devotees. One auspicious morning, after completing their oblations into the sacred fire, the assembled sages paid their respects to the esteemed Sūta. Upon his taking a seat, they reverently posed a series of significant inquiries. They acknowledged Sūta’s comprehensive knowledge, attained through diligent study and exposition of all the Purāṇas, Itihāsa, and codes of law, recognizing his understanding as stemming from the grace of the divine sage Bādarāyaṇa (Vedavyāsa) and other realized souls, a testament to his guileless and pure heart, to whom teachers entrust their deepest wisdom. The sages earnestly beseeched the long-lived Sūta to share the definitive and easily applicable means to achieve the highest good for humankind, a conclusion reached through his extensive study of all sacred texts.
They then lamented the generally diminished qualities of individuals in the Kali Age, noting their typically short lifespans, inclination towards laziness and apathy in spiritual pursuits, dullness of intellect, misfortune, and susceptibility to diseases and various other afflictions. Furthermore, they highlighted the sheer volume and diverse practices advocated within the numerous scriptures, requiring piecemeal listening and making it challenging to grasp their essential meaning. Therefore, they implored the benevolent Sūta to employ his discerning insight to extract the very quintessence of these sacred works and declare it to them, who were filled with unwavering faith, so that their minds might attain a state of profound peace and tranquility.
The sages then specifically inquired about the divine purpose behind the birth of the Lord, the protector of His devotees, from Devakī and Vasudeva, recognizing Sūta’s knowledge of this sacred event. They expressed their deep yearning to hear the details of this divine descent, underscoring its significance for the protection and welfare of all living beings. They further emphasized the power of the Lord’s Name, stating that even a helpless utterance could swiftly deliver one from the terrifying cycle of birth and death, for even fear itself is said to be afraid of the Lord. They contrasted the purifying power of sages who have taken refuge at His feet, whose mere association immediately cleanses others, with the waters of the celestial Ganges, which require prolonged and continuous use for purification, having lost direct contact with those sacred feet.
The sages then rhetorically questioned, which person in this world, who is desiring for the purity of heart, would not listen to the glories of the venerable Lord, whose auspicious deeds are praised by the virtuous and possess the power to cleanse the sins of the Kali Age. Filled with reverence, they entreated Sūta to narrate the noble activities of the Lord, who playfully manifests in various forms as different avatars, deeds that have been sung by revered seers like Nārada, Vyāsa, and Brahmā. Addressing him as intelligent, they urged him to fully describe the auspicious narratives of the incarnations of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Ruler, who through His mystic power of Illusion (Māyā) engages in His divine pastimes at will.
Expressing an insatiable devotion, they declared that they never tire of hearing the glories of Śrī Hari, which become increasingly delightful at every step for those devotees who relish His sweet stories. They acknowledged Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s superhuman acts of heroism performed alongside His brother Balarāma, even while He was seemingly concealed in a humanlike form.
Having recognized the advent of the Kali Age, they explained their assembly in the holy retreat of Naimiṣāraṇya for an extended sacrificial session, providing them ample opportunity to hear the sacred stories of Śrī Hari. Finally, they directly addressed Sūta, recognizing him as the helmsman appointed by the creator (Śrī Viṣṇu) to guide them, who were desirous of crossing the formidable ocean of the Kali Age, a period that diminishes goodness and strength. Their concluding question sought to understand where righteousness had now taken refuge since Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the master of Yogic powers, the knower of the Vedas, and the protector of Dharma, had returned to His eternal abode.
Short Question & Answers :
1: What is the primary subject of meditation in the opening verse of this chapter?
Answer: The primary subject of meditation is the transcendent Reality (God), described as the origin, sustainer, and ultimate destination of the universe, who is Self-conscious, Self-effulgent, and distinct from all non-entities.
2: According to the chapter, what is the supreme Dharma taught in the Bhāgavata?
Answer: The supreme Dharma taught in the Bhāgavata is the Dharma of God-worship (Bhāgavata Dharma), which is entirely free from self-deception in the form of desire, including the desire for Mokṣa or Liberation.
3: What are the key characteristics and benefits of the absolute Reality expounded in the Bhāgavata?
Answer: The absolute Reality expounded in the Bhāgavata can only be known by malice-free saints, bestows supreme bliss, and uproots the threefold agony of material existence.
4: How does the chapter describe the Bhāgavata Purāṇa in relation to the Vedas and its effect on listeners?
Answer: The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is described as the ripe fruit of the wish-yielding tree of the Vedas, fallen from the mouth of Śuka, and filled with ambrosial juice, offering constant sweetness and bliss to its appreciative listeners both in this life and in final beatitude.
5: Where and for what purpose did the assembly of sages led by Śaunaka convene?
Answer: The assembly of sages convened in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, a sacred place of Śrī Viṣṇu, to hold a thousand-year sacrificial session with the aim of realizing the Lord.
6: What was the initial question posed by the sages to Sūta after the morning rituals?
Answer: The initial question was a respectful inquiry acknowledging Sūta’s extensive knowledge of the Purāṇas, Itihāsa, and codes of law.
7: What did the sages recognize about Sūta’s knowledge and its source?
Answer: The sages recognized that Sūta’s profound knowledge of the qualified and absolute aspects of the Godhead was gained through the grace of Vedavyāsa and other realized sages due to his pure and guileless heart.
8: What did the sages request Sūta to reveal to them?
Answer: The sages requested Sūta to reveal the unfailing and easy means to the supreme good of men, as determined through his study of all sacred books.
9: How did the sages describe the general condition of humans in the Kali Age?
Answer: The sages described humans in the Kali Age as generally short-lived, lazy, of dull intelligence, unlucky, and tormented with diseases and other evils.
10: What was the sages’ concern regarding the numerous scriptures and their teachings?
Answer: The sages were concerned that the numerous scriptures inculcated many practices and rituals and were too voluminous to be easily grasped in their entirety.
11: What specific request did the sages make to Sūta regarding the essence of the scriptures?
Answer: The sages requested Sūta to draw out the quintessence of the scriptures through his critical insight and declare it to them, who were full of faith, so that their minds might become placid and tranquil.
12: What particular event in the Lord’s life were the sages keen to hear about from Sūta?
Answer: The sages were keen to hear about the purpose for which the divine Lord was born of Devakī and Vasudeva.
13: What benefit did the sages highlight regarding the utterance of the Lord’s Name?
Answer: The sages stated that anyone who has fallen into the terrible whirlpool of birth and death can be speedily delivered by uttering His Name even helplessly, because Fear itself is afraid of the Lord.
14: How did the sages compare the purifying power of those who have taken shelter in the Lord’s feet with that of the Ganges waters?
Answer: The sages stated that those who have taken shelter in the Lord’s feet immediately purify those who come in contact with them, whereas the Ganges waters cleanse the heart only by long and continued use.
15: What kind of narratives of the Lord did the sages request Sūta to narrate?
Answer: The sages requested Sūta to narrate the noble doings of the Lord who sportively assumes various forms (avatāras), deeds that have been sung by seers.
16: What specific aspect of Śrī Hari’s activities did the sages ask Sūta to fully describe?
Answer: The sages asked Sūta to fully describe the auspicious narratives of the incarnations of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Ruler, who by his mystic power of Illusion (Māyā) indulges at will in his pastimes.
17: How did the sages express their satisfaction with hearing the glories of Śrī Hari?
Answer: The sages expressed that they are never satisfied by hearing the glories of Śrī Hari, which become more and more delightful at every step for those who have a taste for them.
18: What heroic acts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa did the sages mention?
Answer: The sages mentioned the superhuman acts of heroism performed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa along with his brother Balarāma, even while He was concealed in human disguise.
19: Why were the sages assembled in the holy retreat of Naimiṣāraṇya for a long sacrificial session?
Answer: The sages were assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya for a long sacrificial session because they had come to know that the age of Kali had arrived, providing them ample time to hear the stories of Śrī Hari.
20: Whom did the sages identify as the helmsman to help them cross the ocean of the Kali Age?
Answer: The sages identified Sūta as the helmsman appointed by the creator (Śrī Viṣṇu) to guide them across the difficult-to-cross ocean of the Kali Age, which deprives humans of goodness.
21: What was the final question posed by the sages to Sūta?
Answer: The final question was to whom righteousness has now resorted for refuge since Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the master of Yogic powers, the knower of the Vedas, and the protector of Dharma, has returned to his abode.
