S.B. 1.2.4
nārāyanam namaskrtyanaram caiva narottamamdevīm sarasvatīm vyāsam
tato jayam udīrayet
Before reciting this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyana, unto Nara-nārāyana Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author.
S.B. 1.2.18
nasta-prāyesv abhadresunityam bhāgavata-sevayābhagavaty uttama-ślokebhaktir bhavati naisthikī
By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.
S.B. 1.7.1-1.7.7: Outline
1.7.1-3: Vyasadeva’s meditation 1.7.4-5: Vyasadeva’s realization 1.7.6-7: Vyasadeva’s action
S.B. 1.7.1
śaunaka uvācanirgate nārade sūta
bhagavān bādarāyanahśrutavāms tad-abhipretamtatah kim akarod vibhuh
Rsi Śaunaka asked: O Sūta, the great and transcendentally powerful Vyāsadeva heard everything from Śrī Nārada Muni. So after Nārada's departure, what did Vyāsadeva do?
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.1 purport
Before commencing the great epic Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Vyāsadeva realized the whole truth by trance in devotion.
S.B. 1.7.2
sūta uvācabrahma-nadyām sarasvatyām
āśramah paścime tateśamyāprāsa iti prokta
rsīnām satra-vardhanah
Śrī Sūta said: On the western bank of the River Sarasvatī, which is intimately related with the Vedas, there is a cottage for meditation at Śamyāprāsa which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages.
S.B. 1.7.3
tasmin sva āśrame vyāsobadarī-sanda-manditeāsīno 'pa upasprśya
pranidadhyau manah svayam
In that place, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, in his own āśrama, which was surrounded by berry trees, sat down to meditate after touching water for purification.
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.2-3 purports
Householders and Āśrama A place where spiritual culture is always
foremost. Differences in asramas are only a matter of
formality on the strength of renunciation. Meditated under Narada’s instruction
“Think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of people in general from material bondage” (S.B. 1.5.13)
S.B. 1.7.4
bhakti-yogena manasisamyak pranihite 'male
apaśyat purusam pūrnammāyām ca tad-apāśrayam
Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] without any tinge of materialism, and thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with His external energy, which was under full control.
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.4 purport
Purusam pūrnam Srila Jiva Goswami says this includes
expansions, energies, avatars, whole spiritual world
Can only be known completely by bhakti-yoga Māyām tad-apāśrayam
Refutes Mayavada philosophy Internal energy vs. External energy
Moonlight vs. darkness Bhakti => function of internal energy
S.B. 1.7.5
yayā sammohito jīvaātmānam tri-gunātmakamparo 'pi manute 'narthamtat-krtam cābhipadyate
Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries.
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.5 purport
Root cause of suffering Perverted and unnatural thinking, feeling, willing
Solution to illusion Surrender
Two-phase implementation by Krsna Maya’s punishment Spiritual master’s help
Ultimate perfection Revive our natural love and affection for the
Lord.
S.B. 1.7.6
anarthopaśamam sāksādbhakti-yogam adhoksajelokasyājānato vidvāmś
cakre sātvata-samhitām
The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth.
Anarthas
Sufferings Body Mind Universe
Artha -> Anartha Possessions Work Ego
Anartha -> Artha Yukta-vairagya
Four types of Anarthas
Arising from past sins Arising from previous pious work Arising from offenses Arising from bhakti
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.6 purport
Hearing and Chanting Mitigates superfluous sufferings Revives love of God only when Lord is pleased Sadhana => Lord is satisfied => Mercy =>
Devotional Service Preaching
To educate and save the world
S.B. 1.7.7
yasyām vai śrūyamānāyāmkrsne parama-pūruse
bhaktir utpadyate pumsahśoka-moha-bhayāpahā
Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.7 purport
Love Only word to properly describe relationship of
Krsna and jiva Peace
Lack of peace is due to lamentation and illusion
Politicians' peace conferences cannot help Srimad Bhagavatam can - by producing love of
God
Conclusion
The conclusion is that simply by hearing the Vedic literature Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one can have direct connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Krsna, and thereby one can attain the highest perfection of life by transcending worldly miseries, illusion and fearfulness. These are practical tests for one who has actually given a submissive hearing to the readings of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Summary
Vyasadeva’s realized the complete Absolute Truth which is the Lord and His energies
Krsna provides the material illusion to rectify us
Krsna helps us as the spiritual master within and without
Our sufferings are superfluous Vyasadeva compiled the Srimad
Bhagavatam to mitigate our miseries by helping us develop love for Krsna
References
www.prabhupadavani.org Srila Prabhupada’s lecture transcriptions
www.rompadaswami.com Srila Romapada Maharaja’s lectures
www.iskcondesiretree.com Sri Bhurijana Prabhu’s lectures
Unveiling His Lotus Feet Sri Bhurijana Prabhu’s Detailed
Overview
1.7.5: Root cause of suffering
The present perverted way of thinking, feeling and willing, under material conditions
Not natural for the jiva.
1.7.5: Recovery method #1through external energy
The Lord does not desire that a living being be illusioned by external energy.
The external energy is aware of this fact, but still she accepts a thankless task of keeping the forgotten soul under illusion by her bewildering influence.
The Lord does not interfere with her tasks because they are necessary for reformation of the conditioned soul.
E.g Father treating a disobedient child.
1.7.5: Surrender: The solution to illusion
But the all-affectionate Almighty Father at the same time desires relief for the conditioned soul, relief from the clutches of the illusory energy.
E.g. King and prisoners. Relief is in the form of instructions of
Bhagavad-gītā, (7.14)
1.7.5: Recovery method #2through His role as spiritual master
Surrender -> Association -> Service -> Taste for Hearing -> Respect for the Lord -> Devotion -> Attachment.
This means that the conditioned souls are being reclaimed by the Lord both ways, namely by the process of punishment by the external energy of the Lord, and by Himself as the spiritual master within and without.
Within the heart of every living being the Lord Himself as the Supersoul (Paramātmā) becomes the spiritual master, and from without He becomes the spiritual master in the shape of scriptures, saints and the initiator spiritual master.
Other nectar from 1.7.5 purport
Refutation of Mayavada philosophy Lord cannot fall into illusion, because maya is under
full control of Krsna. Jiva is controlled, Krsna is the controller. If both are
same, jiva should have no distress The relationship between the Lord and the living
being is eternal and transcendental Otherwise the Lord would not have taken the trouble
to reclaim the conditioned souls from the clutches of māyā.
Our ultimate perfection Revive our natural love and affection for the Lord.
More nectar on S.B. 1.7.5
The five topics of Gita are in this verse
Sammohitam Misidentification is due to false ego False ego is the first element that comes
out of pradhan and the last element to disappear
False ego produces all other elements by mixing with the modes of nature
Nectar from S.B. 1.7.7 purport
Material disease: Everyone is full of lamentation at every moment, he is after the mirage of illusory things, and he is always afraid of his supposed enemy.
Srimad Bhagavatam removes this disease by producing love of God
Love is the only word that can be properly used to indicate the relation between Lord Krsna and the living entities.
The politicians' peace conferences cannot remove illusion and fearfulness and thus cannot bring about peace in society.