Srimad Bhagavatam1.7.1 - 1.7.7

Srila Vyasadeva’s Meditation and Samadhi

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

Appendix

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.