“When Lord Brahma was perplexed about how to construct the material manifestations in the universe and went down within the water to find out the means and the source of his lotus seat, he heard the word tapa vibrated twice. Taking the path of tapa is the second birth of the desiring disciple. The word upashrinot is very significant. It is similar to upanayana, or bringing the disciple nearer to the spiritual master for the path of tapa. So Brahmaji was thus initiated by Lord Krishna, and this fact is corroborated by Brahmaji himself in his book the Brahma-samhita.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.6 Purport)

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“You know, some of us are already interested in the subject matter. We do not require extra convincing. As soon as I heard there was a book describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His wanderings in the manifest realm, His interactions with others, His heroism, His kindness, and His instructions, I was sold. I jumped at the opportunity to hear, which was through reading. In fact, I could not believe that others were not interested. Why did no one previously inform me that such books were available? Why was not everyone dedicating at least a few hours a day to accessing the information? I would think that a lot of their troubles would vanish, as a result.

“The one issue I have is that it feels like navigating a minefield, at times. It is the purports, if I were being honest. I already can understand the translations to the Sanskrit verses. I am ready to hear from Shri Krishna, as He speaks to Arjuna, for instance. I am ready to learn about the appearance of Krishna, His movements in this world, and His childhood play in Gokula-Vrindavana. Why do I have to suffer through the purports? I can’t voice these complaints to anyone, either. They will charge at me with pitchforks, resembling what Prahlada Maharaja had to face as a child in the kingdom of the Daityas.

विष्णुः शस्त्रेषु युष्मासु मयि चासौ यथा स्थितः
दैतेयास् तेन सत्येन मा क्रामन्त्व् आयुधानि वः

viṣṇuḥ śastreṣu yuṣmāsu mayi cāsau yathā sthitaḥ
daiteyās tena satyena mā krāmantv āyudhāni vaḥ

“O Daityas, just as Vishnu is in those weapons and also situated in me, so by that truth your weapons will not be able to overcome me.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Vishnu Purana, 1.17.33)

“The purports are repetitive. There is a lack of candor, as well. A kind of deception, if you will, but I understand that it is supposedly for furthering a noble purpose. Everything is about Krishna. Every recommendation, whether explicit or subtle, is about joining the cult of the commentator. What if I don’t want to join that cult? Some of its members have done unspeakable things. I simply want to hear about Krishna. I do not want biased information. Why can’t the acharya be objective? Why do they have to pretend that Krishna is speaking to someone when it is actually Vishnu?

“For instance, that whole story about Brahma and his meditation. He is obviously interacting with God as Vishnu. Why do the purports say that Brahma was initiated by Krishna? When the descriptions are within Shrimad Bhagavatam, why do the purports reference another book, like Brahma-samhita? This is a kind of cheating, if you ask me. Just speak the truth or speak nothing at all. Have some respect for the reader.”

The spirit of the purports matches the spirit of the source composition. Vyasadeva did not sit down to gather the collection of Sanskrit shlokas that would form Bhagavata Purana in order to prove his objectivity to a board of inimical scholars. He was not trying to improve his reputation in this world. Vyasadeva was not submitting an entry into a literary contest judged by religious scholars.

Rather, Bhagavata Purana pushes a specific agenda. That agenda is pure, unmotivated and uninterrupted devotion to God. More specifically, that devotion is to God as understood as a person. To convince others, there is information about history, about powerful personalities, and about the standing of God as above everyone. Then there is further evidence of His personal side through the descriptions of the avataras.

Hearing Bhagavata Purana should be equivalent to worship, which is upasana. The reader comes closer to God. They move towards Him through hearing. This can only happen if they hear properly. If they enter the arena with preconceived notions, with misinterpretations, with incorrect understandings, their experience will not be upasana. If not for worship, there is little to be gained from Bhagavata Purana.

The translator and commentator, following in the spirit of Vyasadeva, moves with a purpose. They are not objective in the sense of respecting other conclusions on the meaning of life. They have already deliberated on their own. They have already decided that undivided worship to Krishna is the highest goal in life.

अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यश:
तस्याहं सुलभ: पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिन:

ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
tasyāhaṁ su-labhaḥ pārtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

“For one who remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pritha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.14)

As far as subtly urging others to join a cult, the same is true of practically every published book. The guru of the finance world wants you to read their book and join the cult of investors. Those investors have a certain way they live life. They are always looking at prices, whether moving up or down. They look to gain when there is upward movement and sell when there is potential for loss. They live by certain principles in order to succeed in the venture.

The fitness guru wants you to join their cult of exercise. The same with books about romance, meditation, politics, history, video games, and sports. There is this subtle call to follow a certain way of life, to think a certain way. There is competition over the use of the mind, in where it wanders over the course of a given day.

What is the harm in the acharya of the Vedic tradition urging others to always think of the Supreme Lord? That was the very recommendation offered to Arjuna. That was the very reward offered to the parents, Vasudeva and Devaki. That was the very way of life of the gopis of Vrindavana.

महात्मानस् तु मां पार्थ
दैवीं प्रकृतिम् आश्रिताः
भजन्त्य् अनन्य-मनसो
ज्ञात्वा भूतादिम् अव्ययम्

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

“O son of Pritha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.13)

In Closing:

Purports as biased coming across,
Perceived deception reputation loss.

Like eager their cult to feed,
Into their way of life to proceed.

Truth that of all published works the same,
Vyasadeva not with objectivity came.

Convinced that all other philosophies to fail,
With enthusiasm devotion to Krishna to hail.

Categories: questions

Tags: bhagavatam, dailyprompt, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, prabhupada