Srimad

Bhagavatham
Canto 1
Chapter 5
Chapter 5- Nārada’s Instructions on
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva

• Contents
• Vyasadev’s despondency (SB 1.5.1-1.5.7)
• Narada Muni’s diagnosis (SB 1.5.22)
• Narada Muni’s previous life (SB 1.5.23-1.5.31)
• Narada Muni’s advice to Vysadeva (SB 1.5.32-1.5.40)
 Vyasadev’s
despondency (SB
1.5.1-1.5.7)

• Suta Goswami says - Narada Muni after taking

his seat asks Vyasadev about his despondency
• Qualifications of Vyasadev
• Son of Parasara Muni (power of resilience)
- 1.5.2
• Well versed in all the scriptures – 1.5.3
• Brahman realized, liberated being -1.5.4
Vyasadev’s despondency
(SB 1.5.1-1.5.7)

• Narada Muni’s qualification (1.5.2-1.5.7)

• Brahma’s son, powerful lineage
• Unlimited knowledge
• Has devotion towards SOP
• Saktyvesa avatar of the Lord,
empowered by the Lord
• As a sunlight is everywhere, Narada
Muni is everywhere same quality like
Sri Krishna, witness(Saksi) of all that
there is to know.
 • Although Vyasadev knew all the shastra, rules and
regulation, wrote the vedas and Puranans, he should be

Lessons satisfied, but he felt very unsatified. Since Narada Muni

witness of everyone’s intelligence he knows how to help
Vysadeva
• All the knowledge of this world is related to body and mind is
material can never give us the complete satisfaction and bliss.
• 3 steps to success
• Admit our dissatisfaction
• Admit our failure to solve the cause of
dissatisfaction by indulging in sense gratification
• Take shelter of one who is satisfied, shelter of
Krishna’s lotus feet or a bona fide representative of
the Lord.
Narada Muni’s inquiry
• Are you satisfied by identifying with the body or the mind as objects of self-
realization?
• there is no doubt that you have prepared a great and wonderful work, the
Mahābhārata, which is full of all kinds of Vedic sequences elaborately
explained.
• fully delineated the subject of impersonal Brahman as well as the
knowledge derived therefrom. Why should you be despondent in spite of all
this, thinking that you are undone, my dear prabhu?
 • Vyasadev glorifies Narada Muni and asks him to help
identify the root cause of his dissatisfaction

Narada
• Narada Muni’s diagnosis
• No glorification of the SOP
• Importance given to 4 Purusharthas.
Muni’s • 2 categories of literation
• Material literation – pure devotees consider this as
diagnosis piligrimage places of crows. Since the all-perfect
persons are inhabitants of the
transcendental abode, they do not derive
(SB 1.5.22) any pleasure there.

• Transcendental literature – Although imperfectly

composed, recited, sung and heard accepted by pure
devotees gives immense satisfaction and bliss.
 • Importance of Bhagavatham
• Glorification of the Lord, interaction of the Lord with

Narada his devotees and loving interactions of pure devotees

with the Lord.
• Everything is but the Lord energy, the living entity
Muni’s should understand that everything is emanating from
the Lord and should be used in the glorification of the
Lord unfortunately the living entity gets bewildered
diagnosis by the Lord’s external energy and tries to use it for
self gratification

(SB 1.5.22) • Reasons for Bhagavatham being Amala Purana (Spotless)

• Superiority of Krishna’s form over other forms
• Superiority of Krishna’s lila over other lilas
• Superiority of Krishna’s Bhakti over other methods
Narada Muni reveals to Vysadeva
importance of describing Krishna’s
pastime (1.5.8-1.5.22)
• Original Vedanta is dissatisfying
• Misunderstanding of priorities – Instead of glorification of the Lord –dharma, Artha, Kama and
Moksha is described.
• Not repeated emphasizing the Bhakti path as the goal of perfection of life over liberation
• Puranas are devoid of glorification of the Lord, although it depicts morale standards with
contrasting character descriptions.
• Devotional service is the only true asset which is worthy of describing.
• Anything material will only cause reaction and agitation of mind.
• Living entities are inclined to enjoy in the name of religion you have given permission to enjoy.
• Condemns karma and jnana without devotion
• Progress in Bhakti is credited forever, no prior qualification required, no rebirth in material
world and endeavor to revive eternal relationship with Lord.
• So describe the glories of the Lord which is the transcendental knowledge.
Narada Muni advices Vyasadev to describe the
glories of the Lord (1.5.32-1.5.40)
• best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one’s
activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead
• Thus when all a man’s activities are dedicated to the service of the Lord, those very activities
which caused his perpetual bondage become the destroyer of the tree of work.
• Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is
called bhakti-yoga
• While performing duties according to the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities.
• Constantly chant glories of the Lord
• Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are imperfect in
realizing the transcendental form of Lord Viṣṇu. He is therefore worshiped by sound
representation via the transcendental method of chanting.
• O brāhmaṇa, thus by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa I was endowed first with the transcendental
knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the confidential parts of the Vedas, then with the spiritual
opulences, and then with His intimate loving service.
• 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.