Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 1: “Creation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Four

SB1.4.16

TEXT 16

paravara-jnah sa rsih

kalenavyakta-ramhasa

yuga-dharma-vyatikaram

praptam bhuvi yuge yuge

SYNONYMS

para-avara—past and future; jnah—one who knows; sah—he; rsih—Vyasadeva; kalena—in the course of time; avyakta—unmanifested; ramhasa—by great force; yuga-dharma—acts in terms of the millennium; vyatikaram—anomalies; praptam—having accrued; bhuvi—on the earth; yuge yuge—different ages.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Vyasadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to unseen forces in the course of time.

PURPORT

The great sages like Vyasadeva are liberated souls, and therefore they can see clearly past and future. Thus he could see the future anomalies in the Kali age, and accordingly he made arrangement for the people in general so that they can execute a progressive life in this age, which is full of darkness. The people in general in this age of Kali are too much interested in matter, which is temporary. Because of ignorance they are unable to evaluate the assets of life and be enlightened in spiritual knowledge.

SB1.4.17-18

TEXTS 17–18

bhautikanam ca bhavanam

sakti-hrasam ca tat-krtam

asraddadhanan nihsattvan

durmedhan hrasitayusah

durbhagams ca janan viksya

munir divyena caksusa

sarva-varnasramanam yad

dadhyau hitam amogha-drk

SYNONYMS

bhautikanam ca—also of everything that is made of matter; bhavanam—actions; sakti-hrasam ca—and deterioration of natural power; tat-krtam—rendered by that; asraddadhanan—of the faithless; nihsattvan—impatient due to want of the mode of goodness; durmedhan—dull-witted; hrasita—reduced; ayusah—of duration of life; durbhagan ca—also the unlucky; janan—people in general; viksya—by seeing; munih—the muni; divyena—by transcendental; caksusa—vision; sarva—all; varna-asramanam—of all the statuses and orders of life; yat—what; dadhyau—contemplated; hitam—welfare; amogha-drk—one who is fully equipped in knowledge.

TRANSLATION

The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see, through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life.

PURPORT

The unmanifested forces of time are so powerful that they reduce all matter to oblivion in due course. In Kali-yuga, the last millennium of a round of four millenniums, the power of all material objects deteriorates by the influence of time. In this age the duration of the material body of the people in general is much reduced, and so is the memory. The action of matter has also not so much incentive. The land does not produce food grains in the same proportions as it did in other ages. The cow does not give as much milk as it used to give formerly. The production of vegetables and fruits is less than before. As such, all living beings, both men and animals, do not have sumptuous, nourishing food. Due to want of so many necessities of life, naturally the duration of life is reduced, the memory is short, intelligence is meager, mutual dealings are full of hypocrisy and so on.

The great sage Vyasadeva could see this by his transcendental vision. As an astrologer can see the future fate of a man, or an astronomer can foretell the solar and lunar eclipses, those liberated souls who can see through the scriptures can foretell the future of all mankind. They can see this due to their sharp vision of spiritual attainment.

And all such transcendentalists, who are naturally devotees of the Lord, are always eager to render welfare service to the people in general. They are the real friends of the people in general, not the so-called public leaders who are unable to see what is going to happen five minutes ahead. In this age the people in general as well as their so-called leaders are all unlucky fellows, faithless in spiritual knowledge and influenced by the age of Kali. They are always disturbed by various diseases. For example, in the present age there are so many TB patients and TB hospitals, but formerly this was not so because the time was not so unfavorable. The unfortunate men of this age are always reluctant to give a reception to the transcendentalists who are representatives of Srila Vyasadeva and selfless workers always busy in planning something which may help everyone in all statuses and orders of life. The greatest philanthropists are those transcendentalists who represent the mission of Vyasa, Narada, Madhva, Caitanya, Rupa, Sarasvati, etc. They are all one and the same. The personalities may be different, but the aim of the mission is one and the same, namely, to deliver the fallen souls back home, back to Godhead.

SB1.4.19

TEXT 19

catur-hotram karma suddham

prajanam viksya vaidikam

vyadadhad yajna-santatyai

vedam ekam catur-vidham

SYNONYMS

catuh—four; hotram—sacrificial fires; karma suddham—purification of work; prajanam—of the people in general; viksya—after seeing; vaidikam—according to Vedic rites; vyadadhat—made into; yajna—sacrifice; santatyai—to expand; vedam ekam—only one Veda; catuh-vidham—in four divisions.

TRANSLATION

He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by which the people’s occupations could be purified. And to simplify the process he divided the one Veda into four, in order to expand them among men.

PURPORT

Formerly there was only the Veda of the name Yajur, and the four divisions of sacrifices were there specifically mentioned. But to make them more easily performable, the Veda was divided into four divisions of sacrifice, just to purify the occupational service of the four orders. Above the four Vedas, namely Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva, there are the Puranas, the Mahabharata, Samhitas, etc., which are known as the fifth Veda. Sri Vyasadeva and his many disciples were all historical personalities, and they were very kind and sympathetic toward the fallen souls of this age of Kali. As such, the Puranas and Mahabharata were made from related historical facts which explained the teaching of the four Vedas. There is no point in doubting the authority of the Puranas and Mahabharata as parts and parcels of the Vedas. In the Chandogya Upanisad (7.1.4), the Puranas and Mahabharata, generally known as histories, are mentioned as the fifth Veda. According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, that is the way of ascertaining the respective values of the revealed scriptures.

SB1.4.20

TEXT 20

rg-yajuh-samatharvakhya

vedas catvara uddhrtah

itihasa-puranam ca

pancamo veda ucyate

SYNONYMS

rg-yajuh-sama-atharva-akhyah—the names of the four Vedas; vedah—the Vedas; catvarah—four; uddhrtah—made into separate parts; itihasa—historical records (Mahabharata); puranam ca—and the Puranas; pancamah—the fifth; vedah—the original source of knowledge; ucyate—is said to be.

TRANSLATION

The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge [the Vedas] were made separately. But the historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda.

SB1.4.21

TEXT 21

tatrarg-veda-dharah pailah

samago jaiminih kavih

vaisampayana evaiko

nisnato yajusam uta

SYNONYMS

tatra—thereupon; rg-veda-dharah—the professor of the Rg Veda; pailah—the rsi named Paila; sama-gah—that of the Sama Veda; jaiminih—the rsi named Jaimini; kavih—highly qualified; vaisampayanah—the rsi named Vaisampayana; eva—only; ekah—alone; nisnatah—well versed; yajusam—of the Yajur Veda; uta—glorified.

TRANSLATION

After the Vedas were divided into four divisions, Paila Rsi became the professor of the Rg Veda, Jaimini the professor of the Sama Veda, and Vaisampayana alone became glorified by the Yajur Veda.

PURPORT

The different Vedas were entrusted to different learned scholars for development in various ways.

SB1.4.22

TEXT 22

atharvangirasam asit

sumantur daruno munih

itihasa-purananam

pita me romaharsanah

SYNONYMS

atharva—the Atharva Veda; angirasam—unto the rsi Angira; asit—was entrusted; sumantuh—also known as Sumantu Muni; darunah—seriously devoted to the Atharva Veda; munih—the sage; itihasa-purananam—of the historical records and the Puranas; pita—father; me—mine; romaharsanah—the rsi Romaharsana.

TRANSLATION

The Sumantu Muni Angira, who was very devotedly engaged, was entrusted with the Atharva Veda. And my father, Romaharsana, was entrusted with the Puranas and historical record

PURPORT

In the sruti-mantras also it is stated that Angira Muni, who strictly followed the rigid principles of the Atharva Vedas, was the leader of the followers of the Atharva Vedas.

SB1.4.23

TEXT 23

ta eta rsayo vedam

svam svam vyasyann anekadha

sisyaih prasisyais tac-chisyair

vedas te sakhino ’bhavan

SYNONYMS

te—they; ete—all these; rsayah—learned scholars; vedam—the respective Vedas; svam svam—in their own entrusted matters; vyasyan—rendered; anekadha—many; sisyaih—disciples; prasisyaih—grand-disciples; tat-sisyaih—great grand-disciples; vedah te—followers of the respective Vedas; sakhinah—different branches; abhavan—thus became.

TRANSLATION

All these learned scholars, in their turn, rendered their entrusted Vedas unto their many disciples, grand-disciples and great grand-disciples, and thus the respective branches of the followers of the Vedas came into being.

PURPORT

The original source of knowledge is the Vedas. There are no branches of knowledge, either mundane or transcendental, which do not belong to the original text of the Vedas. They have simply been developed into different branches, They were originally rendered by great, respectable and learned professors. In other words, the Vedic knowledge, broken into different branches by different disciplic successions, has been distributed all over the world. No one, therefore, can claim independent knowledge beyond the Vedas.

SB1.4.24

TEXT 24

ta eva veda durmedhair

dharyante purusair yatha

evam cakara bhagavan

vyasah krpana-vatsalah

SYNONYMS

te—that; eva—certainly; vedah—the book of knowledge; durmedhaih—by the less intellectual; dharyante—can assimilate; purusaih—by the man; yatha—as much as; evam—thus; cakara—edited; bhagavan—the powerful; vyasah—the great sage of Vyasa; krpana-vatsalah—very kind to the ignorant mass.

TRANSLATION

Thus the great sage Vyasadeva, who is very kind to the ignorant masses, edited the Vedas so they might be assimilated by less intellectual men.

PURPORT

The Veda is one, and the reasons for its divisions in many parts are explained herewith. The seed of all knowledge, or the Veda, is not a subject matter which can easily be understood by any ordinary man. There is a stricture that no one should try to learn the Vedas who is not a qualified brahmana. This stricture has been wrongly interpreted in so many ways. A class of men, who claim brahminical qualification simply by their birthright in the family of a brahmana, claim that the study of the Vedas is a monopoly of the brahmana caste only. Another section of the people take this as an injustice to members of other castes, who do not happen to take birth in a brahmana family. But both of them are misguided. The Vedas are subjects which had to be explained even to Brahmaji by the Supreme Lord. Therefore the subject matter is understood by persons with exceptional qualities of goodness. Persons who are in the modes of passion and ignorance are unable to understand the subject matter of the Vedas. The ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. This Personality is very rarely understood by those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance. In the Satya-yuga everyone was situated in the mode of goodness. Gradually the mode of goodness declined during the Treta and Dvapara-yugas, and the general mass of people became corrupt. In the present age the mode of goodness is almost nil, and so for the general mass of people, the kindhearted, powerful sage Srila Vyasadeva divided the Vedas in various ways so that they may be practically followed by less intelligent persons in the modes of passion and ignorance. It is explained in the next sloka as follows.

SB1.4.25

TEXT 25

stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam

trayi na sruti-gocara

karma-sreyasi mudhanam

sreya evam bhaved iha

iti bharatam akhyanam

krpaya munina krtam

SYNONYMS

stri—the woman class; sudra—the laboring class; dvija-bandhunam—of the friends of the twice-born; trayi—three; na—not; sruti-gocara—for understanding; karma—in activities; sreyasi—in welfare; mudhanam—of the fools; sreyah—supreme benefit; evam—thus; bhavet—achieved; iha—by this; iti—thus thinking; bharatam—the great Mahabharata; akhyanam—historical facts; krpaya—out of great mercy; munina—by the muni; krtam—is completed.

TRANSLATION

Out of compassion, the great sage thought it wise that this would enable men to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the great historical narration called the Mahabharata for women, laborers and friends of the twice-born.

PURPORT

The friends of the twice-born families are those who are born in the families of brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas, or the spiritually cultured families, but who themselves are not equal to their forefathers. Such descendants are not recognized as such, for want of purificatory achievements. The purificatory activities begin even before the birth of a child, and the seed-giving reformatory process is called Garbhadhana-samskara. One who has not undergone such Garbhadhana-samskara, or spiritual family planning, is not accepted as being of an actual twice-born family. The Garbhadhana-samskara is followed by other purificatory processes, out of which the sacred thread ceremony is one. This is performed at the time of spiritual initiation. After this particular samskara, one is rightly called twice-born. One birth is calculated during the seed-giving samskara, and the second birth is calculated at the time of spiritual initiation. One who has been able to undergo such important samskaras can be called a bona fide twice-born.

If the father and the mother do not undertake the process of spiritual family planning and simply beget children out of passion only, their children are called dvija-bandhus. These dvija-bandhus are certainly not as intelligent as the children of the regular twice-born families. The dvija-bandhus are classified with the sudras and the woman class, who are by nature less intelligent. The sudras and the woman class do not have to undergo any samskara save and except the ceremony of marriage.

The less intelligent classes of men, namely women, sudras and unqualified sons of the higher castes, are devoid of necessary qualifications to understand the purpose of the transcendental Vedas. For them the Mahabharata was prepared. The purpose of the Mahabharata is to administer the purpose of the Vedas, and therefore within this Mahabharata the summary Veda of Bhagavad-gita is placed. The less intelligent are more interested in stories than in philosophy, and therefore the philosophy of the Vedas in the form of the Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Lord Sri Krsna. Vyasadeva and Lord Krsna are both on the transcendental plane, and therefore they collaborated in doing good to the fallen souls of this age. The Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. It is the first book of spiritual values, as the Upanisads are. The Vedanta philosophy is the subject matter for study by the spiritual graduates. Only the post-graduate spiritual student can enter into the spiritual or devotional service of the Lord. It is a great science, and the great professor is the Lord Himself in the form of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And persons who are empowered by Him can initiate others in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

SB1.4.26

TEXT 26

evam pravrttasya sada

bhutanam sreyasi dvijah

sarvatmakenapi yada

natusyad dhrdayam tatah

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; pravrttasya—one who is engaged in; sada—always; bhutanam—of the living beings; sreyasi—in the ultimate good; dvijah—O twice-born; sarvatmakena api—by all means; yada—when; na—not; atusyat—become satisfied; hrdayam—mind; tatah—at that.

TRANSLATION

O twice-born brahmanas, still his mind was not satisfied, although he engaged himself in working for the total welfare of all people.

PURPORT

Sri Vyasadeva was not satisfied with himself, although he had prepared literatures of Vedic value for the all-around welfare of the general mass of people. It was expected that he would be satisfied by all such activities, but ultimately he was not satisfied.

SB1.4.27

TEXT 27

natiprasidad dhrdayah

sarasvatyas tate sucau

vitarkayan vivikta-stha

idam covaca dharma-vit

SYNONYMS

na—not; atiprasidat—very much satisfied; hrdayah—at heart; sarasvatyah—of the River Sarasvati; tate—on the bank of; sucau—being purified; vitarkayan—having considered; vivikta-sthah—situated in a lonely place; idam ca—also this; uvaca—said; dharma-vit—one who knows what religion is.

TRANSLATION

Thus the sage, being dissatisfied at heart, at once began to reflect, because he knew the essence of religion, and he said within himself:

PURPORT

The sage began to search out the cause of not being satisfied at heart. Perfection is never attained until one is satisfied at heart. This satisfaction of heart has to be searched out beyond matter.

SB1.4.28-29

TEXTS 28–29

dhrta-vratena hi maya

chandamsi guravo ’gnayah

manita nirvyalikena

grhitam canusasanam

bharata-vyapadesena

hy amnayarthas ca pradarsitah

drsyate yatra dharmadi

stri-sudradibhir apy uta

SYNONYMS

dhrta-vratena—under a strict disciplinary vow; hi—certainly; maya—by me; chandamsi—the Vedic hymns; guravah—the spiritual masters; agnayah—the sacrificial fire; manitah—properly worshiped; nirvyalikena—without pretense; grhitam ca—also accepted; anusasanam—traditional discipline; bharata—the Mahabharata; vyapadesena—by compilation of; hi—certainly; amnaya-arthah—import of disciplic succession; ca—and; pradarsitah—properly explained; drsyate—by what is necessary; yatra—where; dharma-adih—the path of religion; stri-sudra-adibhih api—even by women, sudras, etc.; uta—spoken.

TRANSLATION

I have, under strict disciplinary vows, unpretentiously worshiped the Vedas, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice. I have also abided by the rulings and have shown the import of disciplic succession through the explanation of the Mahabharata, by which even women, sudras and others [friends of the twice-born] can see the path of religion.

PURPORT

No one can understand the import of the Vedas without having undergone a strict disciplinary vow and disciplic succession. The Vedas, spiritual masters and sacrificial fire must be worshiped by the desiring candidate. All these intricacies of Vedic knowledge are systematically presented in the Mahabharata for the understanding of the woman class, the laborer class and the unqualified members of brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya families. In this age, the Mahabharata is more essential than the original Vedas.

SB1.4.30

TEXT 30

tathapi bata me daihyo

hy atma caivatmana vibhuh

asampanna ivabhati

brahma-varcasya sattamah

SYNONYMS

tathapi—although; bata—defect; me—mine; daihyah—situated in the body; hi—certainly; atma—living being; ca—and; eva—even; atmana—myself; vibhuh—sufficient; asampannah—wanting in; iva abhati—it appears to be; brahma-varcasya—of the Vedantists; sattamah—the supreme.

TRANSLATION

I am feeling incomplete, though I myself am fully equipped with everything required by the Vedas.

PURPORT

Undoubtedly Srila Vyasadeva was complete in all the details of Vedic achievements. Purification of the living being submerged in matter is made possible by the prescribed activities in the Vedas, but the ultimate achievement is different. Unless it is attained, the living being, even though fully equipped, cannot be situated in the transcendentally normal stage. Srila Vyasadeva appeared to have lost the clue and therefore felt dissatisfaction.

SB1.4.31

TEXT 31

kim va bhagavata dharma

na prayena nirupitah

priyah paramahamsanam

ta eva hy acyuta-priyah

SYNONYMS

kim va—or; bhagavatah dharmah—devotional activities of the living beings; na—not; prayena—almost; nirupitah—directed; priyah—dear; paramahamsanam—of the perfect beings; te eva—that also; hi—certainly; acyuta—the infallible; priyah—attractive.

TRANSLATION

This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the infallible Lord.

PURPORT

The dissatisfaction which was being felt by Srila Vyasadeva is expressed herein in his own words. This was felt for the normal condition of the living being in the devotional service of the Lord. Unless one is fixed in the normal condition of service, neither the Lord nor the living being can become fully satisfied. This defect was felt by him when Narada Muni, his spiritual master, reached him. It is described as follows.

SB1.4.32

TEXT 32

tasyaivam khilam atmanam

manyamanasya khidyatah

krsnasya narado ’bhyagad

asramam prag udahrtam

SYNONYMS

tasya—his; evam—thus; khilam—inferior; atmanam—soul; manyamanasya—thinking within the mind; khidyatah—regretting; krsnasya—of Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa; naradah abhyagat—Narada came there; asramam—the cottage; prak—before; udahrtam—said.

TRANSLATION

As mentioned before, Narada reached the cottage of Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa on the banks of the Sarasvati just as Vyasadeva was regretting his defects.

PURPORT

The vacuum felt by Vyasadeva was not due to his lack of knowledge. Bhagavata-dharma is purely devotional service of the Lord to which the monist has no access. The monist is not counted amongst the paramahamsas (the most perfect of the renounced order of life). Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of narrations of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Although Vyasadeva was an empowered divinity, he still felt dissatisfaction because in none of his works were the transcendental activities of the Lord properly explained. The inspiration was infused by Sri Krsna directly in the heart of Vyasadeva, and thus he felt the vacuum as explained above. It is definitely expressed herewith that without the transcendental loving service of the Lord, everything is void; but in the transcendental service of the Lord, everything is tangible without any separate attempt at fruitive work or empiric philosophical speculation.

SB1.4.33

TEXT 33

tam abhijnaya sahasa

pratyutthayagatam munih

pujayam asa vidhivan

naradam sura-pujitam

SYNONYMS

tam abhijnaya—seeing the good fortune of his (Narada’s) arrival; sahasa—all of a sudden; pratyutthaya—getting up; agatam—arrived at; munih—Vyasadeva; pujayam asa—worship; vidhi-vat—with the same respect as offered to Vidhi (Brahma); naradam—to Narada; sura-pujitam—worshiped by the demigods.

TRANSLATION

At the auspicious arrival of Sri Narada, Sri Vyasadeva got up respectfully and worshiped him, giving him veneration equal to that given to Brahmaji, the creator.

PURPORT

Vidhi means Brahma, the first created living being. He is the original student as well as professor of the Vedas. He learned it from Sri Krsna and taught Narada first. So Narada is the second acarya in the line of spiritual disciplic succession. He is the representative of Brahma, and therefore he is respected exactly like Brahma, the father of all vidhis (regulations); similarly all other successive disciples in the chain are also equally respected as representatives of the original spiritual master.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Fourth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Appearance of Sri Narada.”

Next chapter (SB 1.5)