Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty-four

SB8.24.48

TEXT 48

yat-sevayagner iva rudra-rodanam

puman vijahyan malam atmanas tamah

bhajeta varnam nijam esa so ’vyayo

bhuyat sa isah paramo guror guruh

SYNONYMS

yat-sevaya—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by serving whom; agneh—in touch with fire; iva—as it is; rudra-rodanam—a block of silver or gold becomes purified; puman—a person; vijahyat—can give up; malam—all the dirty things of material existence; atmanah—of one’s self; tamah—the mode of ignorance, by which one performs pious and impious activities; bhajeta—may revive; varnam—his original identity; nijam—one’s own; esah—such; sah—He; avyayah—inexhaustible; bhuyat—let Him become; sah—He; isah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; paramah—the supreme; guroh guruh—the spiritual master of all other spiritual masters.

TRANSLATION

One who wants to be free of material entanglement should take to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and give up the contamination of ignorance, involving pious and impious activities. Thus one regains his original identity, just as a block of gold or silver sheds all dirt and becomes purified when treated with fire. May that inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead become our spiritual master, for He is the original spiritual master of all other spiritual masters.

PURPORT

In human life one is meant to undergo austerity to purify one’s existence. Tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyet. Because of contamination by the modes of material nature, one continues in the cycle of birth and death (karanam guna-sango ’sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu). Therefore the purpose of human life is to purify oneself of this contamination so that one can regain his spiritual form and not undergo this cycle of birth and death. The recommended process of decontamination is devotional service to the Lord. There are various processes for self-realization, such as karma, jnana and yoga, but none of them is equal to the process of devotional service. As gold and silver can be freed from all dirty contamination by being put into a fire but not merely by being washed, the living entity can be awakened to his own identity by performing devotional service (yat-sevaya), but not by karma, jnana or yoga. Cultivation of speculative knowledge or practice of yogic gymnastics will not be helpful.

The word varnam refers to the luster of one’s original identity. The original luster of gold or silver is brilliant. Similarly, the original luster of the living being, who is part of the sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], is the luster of ananda, or pleasure. Anandamayo bhyasat. Every living entity has the right to become anandamaya, joyful, because he is part of the sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], Krsna. Why should the living being be put into tribulation because of dirty contamination by the material modes of nature? The living entity should become purified and regain his svarupa, his original identity. This he can do only by devotional service. Therefore, one should adopt the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described here as guror guruh, the spiritual master of all other spiritual masters.

Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord’s representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Krsna. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Krsna as guru. This is the guru-parampara system. The original guru is Vyasadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Krsna. Therefore guru-puja is known as Vyasa-puja. In the final analysis, the original guru is Krsna, His disciple is Narada, whose disciple is Vyasa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-parampara. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Krsna or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world.

SB8.24.49

TEXT 49

na yat-prasadayuta-bhaga-lesam

anye ca deva guravo janah svayam

kartum sametah prabhavanti pumsas

tam isvaram tvam saranam prapadye

SYNONYMS

na—not; yat-prasada—of the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ayuta-bhaga-lesam—only one ten-thousandth; anye—others; ca—also; devah—even the demigods; guravah—the so-called gurus; janah—the total population; svayam—personally; kartum—to execute; sametah—all together; prabhavanti—can become equally able; pumsah—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tam—unto Him; isvaram—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tvam—unto You; saranam—shelter; prapadye—let me surrender.

TRANSLATION

Neither all the demigods, nor the so-called gurus nor all other people, either independently or together, can offer mercy that equals even one ten-thousandth of Yours. Therefore I wish to take shelter of Your lotus feet.

PURPORT

It is said, kamais tais tair hrta jnanah prapadyante ’nya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] people in general, being motivated by material desires, worship the demigods to get fruitive results very quickly. People generally do not become devotees of Lord Visnu, since Lord Visnu never becomes the order-supplier of His devotee. Lord Visnu does not give a devotee benedictions that will create a further demand for benedictions. By worshiping the demigods one may get results, but, as described in Bhagavad-gita, antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam: whatever great benedictions one may achieve from the demigods are all temporary. Because the demigods themselves are temporary, their benedictions are also temporary and have no permanent value. Those who aspire for such benedictions have a poor fund of knowledge (tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam). The benedictions of Lord Visnu are different. By the mercy of the Lord Visnu, one can be completely freed from material contamination and go back home, back to Godhead. Therefore the benedictions offered by the demigods cannot compare to even one ten-thousandth of the Lord’s benedictions. One should not, therefore, try to obtain benedictions from the demigods or false gurus. One should aspire only for the benediction offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.66):

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” This is the greatest benediction.

SB8.24.50

TEXT 50

acaksur andhasya yathagranih krtas

tatha janasyaviduso ’budho guruh

tvam arka-drk sarva-drsam samiksano

vrto gurur nah sva-gatim bubhutsatam

SYNONYMS

acaksuh—one who does not have his power of sight; andhasya—for such a blind person; yatha—as; agranih—the leader, who goes first; krtah—accepted; tatha—similarly; janasya—such a person; avidusah—who has no knowledge of the goal of life; abudhah—a foolish rascal; guruh—the spiritual master; tvam—Your Lordship; arka-drk—appear like the sun; sarva-drsam—of all sources of knowledge; samiksanah—the complete seer; vrtah—accepted; guruh—the spiritual master; nah—our; sva-gatim—one who knows his real self-interest; bubhutsatam—such an enlightened person.

TRANSLATION

As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested in self-realization. Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as our spiritual master, for You are able to see in all directions and are omniscient like the sun.

PURPORT

The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not knowing the goal of life, accepts a guru who can juggle words and make some display of magic that is wonderful to a fool. Sometimes a foolish person accepts someone as a guru because he can manufacture a small quantity of gold by mystic yogic power. Because such a disciple has a poor fund of knowledge, he cannot judge whether the manufacture of gold is the criterion for a guru. Why should one not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, from whom unlimited numbers of gold mines come into being? Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. All the gold mines are created by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, why should one accept a magician who can manufacture only a small portion of gold? Such gurus are accepted by those who are blind, not knowing the goal of life. Maharaja Satyavrata, however, knew the goal of life. He knew the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he accepted the Lord as his guru. Either the Supreme Lord or His representative can become guru. The Lord says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: [Bg. 7.14] “One can get relief from the clutches of maya as soon as he surrenders unto Me.” Therefore it is the guru’s business to instruct his disciple to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wants relief from the material clutches. This is the symptom of the guru. This same principle was instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. In other words, one is advised not to accept a guru who does not follow the path of instruction given by Lord Krsna.

SB8.24.51

TEXT 51

jano janasyadisate ’satim gatim

yaya prapadyeta duratyayam tamah

tvam tv avyayam jnanam amogham anjasa

prapadyate yena jano nijam padam

SYNONYMS

janah—a person who is not a bona fide guru (an ordinary person); janasya—of an ordinary person who does not know the goal of life; adisate—instructs; asatim—impermanent, material; gatim—the goal of life; yaya—by such knowledge; prapadyeta—he surrenders; duratyayam—insurmountable; tamah—to ignorance; tvam—Your Lordship; tu—but; avyayam—indestructible; jnanam—knowledge; amogham—without material contamination; anjasa—very soon; prapadyate—achieves; yena—by such knowledge; janah—a person; nijam—his own; padam—original position.

TRANSLATION

A materialistic so-called guru instructs his materialistic disciples about economic development and sense gratification, and because of such instructions the foolish disciples continue in the materialistic existence of ignorance. But Your Lordship gives knowledge that is eternal, and the intelligent person receiving such knowledge is quickly situated in his original constitutional position.

PURPORT

So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. But if one is intelligent enough to take instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gita or the Sankhya philosophy of Kapiladeva, one can very soon attain liberation and be situated in his original position of spiritual life. The words nijam padam are significant. The living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has the birthright to a position in Vaikunthaloka, or the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety. Therefore, one should follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, as stated in Bhagavad-gita, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up one’s body, one will return home, back to Godhead. The Lord lives in the spiritual world in His original personality, and a devotee who follows the instructions of the Lord approaches Him (mam eti). As a spiritual person, such a devotee returns to the Personality of Godhead and plays and dances with Him. That is the ultimate goal of life.

SB8.24.52

TEXT 52

tvam sarva-lokasya suhrt priyesvaro

hy atma gurur jnanam abhista-siddhih

tathapi loko na bhavantam andha-dhir

janati santam hrdi baddha-kamah

SYNONYMS

tvam—You, my dear Lord; sarva-lokasya—of all planets and their inhabitants; suhrt—the most well-wishing friend; priya—the most dear; isvarah—the supreme controller; hi—also; atma—the supreme soul; guruh—the supreme teacher; jnanam—the supreme knowledge; abhista-siddhih—the fulfillment of all desires; tatha api—still; lokah—persons; na—not; bhavantam—unto You; andha-dhih—because of blind intelligence; janati—can know; santam—situated; hrdi—in his heart; baddha-kamah—because of being bewildered by material lusty desires.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are the supreme well-wishing friend of everyone, the dearmost friend, the controller, the Supersoul, the supreme instructor and the giver of supreme knowledge and the fulfillment of all desires. But although You are within the heart, the foolish, because of lusty desires in the heart, cannot understand You.

PURPORT

Herein the reason for foolishness is described. Because the conditioned soul in this material world is full of materialistic lusty desires, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart (isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese’rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]). It is because of this foolishness that one cannot take instructions from the Lord, although the Lord is ready to instruct everyone both externally and internally. The Lord says, dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te. In other words, the Lord can give instructions on devotional service by which one can return home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, however, people do not take this devotional service. The Lord, being situated in everyone’s heart, can give one complete instructions on going back to Godhead, but because of lusty desires one engages himself in materialistic activities and does not render service to the Lord. Therefore one is bereft of the value of the Lord’s instructions. By mental speculation one can understand that one is not the body but a spirit soul, but unless one engages in devotional service, the real purpose of life is never fulfilled. The real purpose of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, and live with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dance with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and eat with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These are different items of ananda, spiritual happiness in spiritual variegatedness. Even though one may come to the platform of brahma-bhuta and understand his spiritual identity by speculative knowledge, one cannot enjoy spiritual life without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is indicated here by the word abhista-siddhih. One can fulfill the ultimate goal of life only by engaging in devotional service to the Lord. Then the Lord will give one proper instructions on how to go back home, back to Godhead.

SB8.24.53

TEXT 53

tvam tvam aham deva-varam varenyam

prapadya isam pratibodhanaya

chindhy artha-dipair bhagavan vacobhir

granthin hrdayyan vivrnu svam okah

SYNONYMS

tvam—how exalted You are; tvam—unto You; aham—myself; deva-varam—worshiped by the demigods; varenyam—the greatest of all; prapadye—fully surrendering; isam—unto the supreme controller; pratibodhanaya—for understanding the real purpose of life; chindhi—cut off; artha-dipaih—by the light of purposeful instruction; bhagavan—O Supreme Lord; vacobhih—by Your words; granthin—knots; hrdayyan—fixed within the core of the heart; vivrnu—kindly explain; svam okah—my destination in life.

TRANSLATION

O Supreme Lord, for self-realization I surrender unto You, who are worshiped by the demigods as the supreme controller of everything. By Your instructions, exposing life’s purpose, kindly cut the knot from the core of my heart and let me know the destination of my life.

PURPORT

Sometimes it is argued that people do not know who is a spiritual master and that finding a spiritual master from whom to get enlightenment in regard to the destination of life is very difficult. To answer all these questions, King Satyavrata shows us the way to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the real spiritual master. The Supreme Lord has given full directions in Bhagavad-gita about how to deal with everything in this material world and how to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore, one should not be misled by so-called gurus who are rascals and fools. Rather, one should directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the guru or instructor. It is difficult, however, to understand Bhagavad-gita without the help of the guru. Therefore the guru appears in the parampara system. In Bhagavad-gita (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends:

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” Lord Krsna directly instructed Arjuna. Arjuna is therefore tattva-darsi or guru. Arjuna accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead (param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]). Similarly, following in the footsteps of Sri Arjuna, who is a personal devotee of the Lord, one should accept the supremacy of Lord Krsna, as supported by Vyasa, Devala, Asita, Narada and later by the acaryas Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka and Visnusvami and still later by the greatest acarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Where, then, is the difficulty in finding a guru? If one is sincere he can find the guru and learn everything. One should take lessons from the guru and find out the goal of life. Maharaja Satyavrata, therefore, shows us the way of the mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. One should surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (dasavatara) and learn from Him about the spiritual world and the goal of life.

SB8.24.54

TEXT 54

sri-suka uvaca

ity uktavantam nrpatim

bhagavan adi-purusah

matsya-rupi mahambhodhau

viharams tattvam abravit

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; uktavantam—being addressed by Maharaja Satyavrata; nrpatim—unto the King; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-purusah—the original person; matsya-rupi—who had assumed the form of a fish; maha-ambhodhau—in that water of inundation; viharan—while moving; tattvam abravit—explained the Absolute Truth.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When Satyavrata had thus prayed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form of a fish, the Lord, while moving in the water of inundation, explained to him the Absolute Truth.

SB8.24.55

TEXT 55

purana-samhitam divyam

sankhya-yoga-kriyavatim

satyavratasya rajarser

atma-guhyam asesatah

SYNONYMS

purana—the subject matter explained in the Puranas, the old histories, especially the Matsya Purana; samhitam—the Vedic instructions contained in Brahma-samhita and other samhitas; divyam—all transcendental literatures; sankhya—the philosophical way of sankhya-yoga; yoga—the science of self-realization or bhakti-yoga; kriyavatim—practically applied in life; satyavratasya—of King Satyavrata; raja-rseh—the great king and saint; atma-guhyam—all the mysteries of self-realization; asesatah—including all branches.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead thus explained to King Satyavrata the spiritual science known as sankhya-yoga, the science by which one distinguishes between matter and spirit [in other words, bhakti-yoga], along with the instructions contained in the Puranas [the old histories] and the samhitas. The Lord explained Himself in all these literatures.

SB8.24.56

TEXT 56

asrausid rsibhih sakam

atma-tattvam asamsayam

navy asino bhagavata

proktam brahma sanatanam

SYNONYMS

asrausit—he heard; rsibhih—the great saintly persons; sakam—with; atma-tattvam—the science of self-realization; asamsayam—without any doubt (because it was spoken by the Supreme Lord); navi asinah—sitting in the boat; bhagavata—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; proktam—explained; brahma—all transcendental literatures; sanatanam—eternally existing.

TRANSLATION

While sitting in the boat, King Satyavrata, accompanied by the great saintly persons, listened to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in regard to self-realization. These instructions were all from the eternal Vedic literature [brahma]. Thus the King and sages had no doubt about the Absolute Truth.

SB8.24.57

TEXT 57

atita-pralayapaya

utthitaya sa vedhase

hatvasuram hayagrivam

vedan pratyaharad dharih

SYNONYMS

atita—passed; pralaya-apaye—at the end of the inundation; utthitaya—to bring him to his senses after sleeping; sah—the Supreme Lord; vedhase—unto Lord Brahma; hatva—after killing; asuram—the demon; hayagrivam—by the name Hayagriva; vedan—all the Vedic records; pratyaharat—delivered; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

At the end of the last inundation [during the period of Svayambhuva Manu] the Supreme Personality of Godhead killed the demon named Hayagriva and delivered all the Vedic literatures to Lord Brahma when Lord Brahma awakened from sleeping.

SB8.24.58

TEXT 58

sa tu satyavrato raja

jnana-vijnana-samyutah

visnoh prasadat kalpe ’sminn

asid vaivasvato manuh

SYNONYMS

sah—he; tu—indeed; satyavratah—Satyavrata; raja—the King; jnana-vijnana-samyutah—enlightened in full knowledge and its practical use; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; prasadat—by the mercy; kalpe asmin—in this period (ruled by Vaivasvata Manu); asit—became; vaivasvatah manuh—Vaivasvata Manu.

TRANSLATION

King Satyavrata was illuminated with all Vedic knowledge by the mercy of Lord Visnu, and in this period he has now taken birth as Vaivasvata Manu, the son of the sun-god.

PURPORT

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives his verdict that Satyavrata appeared in the Caksusa-manvantara. When the Caksusa-manvantara ended, the period of Vaivasvata Manu began. By the grace of Lord Visnu, Satyavrata received instructions from the second fish incarnation and was thus enlightened in all spiritual knowledge.

SB8.24.59

TEXT 59

satyavratasya rajarser

maya-matsyasya sarnginah

samvadam mahad-akhyanam

srutva mucyeta kilbisat

SYNONYMS

satyavratasya—of King Satyavrata; raja-rseh—of the great king; maya-matsyasya—and the fish incarnation; sarnginah—who had one horn on His head; samvadam—the description or dealings; mahat-akhyanam—the great story; srutva—by hearing; mucyeta—is delivered; kilbisat—from all sinful reactions.

TRANSLATION

This story concerning the great King Satyavrata and the fish incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is a great transcendental narration. Anyone who hears it is delivered from the reactions of sinful life.

SB8.24.60

TEXT 60

avataram harer yo ’yam

kirtayed anvaham narah

sankalpas tasya sidhyanti

sa yati paramam gatim

SYNONYMS

avataram—incarnation; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yah—whoever; ayam—he; kirtayet—narrates and chants; anvaham—daily; narah—such a person; sankalpah—all ambitions; tasya—of him; sidhyanti—become successful; sah—such a person; yati—goes back; paramam gatim—back home to Godhead, the supreme place.

TRANSLATION

One who narrates this description of the Matsya incarnation and King Satyavrata will certainly have all his ambitions fulfilled, and he will undoubtedly return home, back to Godhead.

SB8.24.61

TEXT 61

pralaya-payasi dhatuh supta-sakter mukhebhyah

sruti-ganam apanitam pratyupadatta hatva

ditijam akathayad yo brahma satyavratanam

tam aham akhila-hetum jihma-minam nato ’smi

SYNONYMS

pralaya-payasi—in the water of inundation; dhatuh—from Lord Brahma; supta-sakteh—who was inert because of sleeping; mukhebhyah—from the mouths; sruti-ganam—Vedic records; apanitam—stolen; pratyupadatta—gave back to him; hatva—by killing; ditijam—the great demon; akathayat—explained; yah—one who; brahma—Vedic knowledge; satyavratanam—for the enlightenment of Satyavrata and the great saintly persons; tam—unto Him; aham—I; akhila-hetum—unto the cause of all causes; jihma-minam—appearing as and pretending to be a great fish; natah asmi—I offer my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who pretended to be a gigantic fish, who restored the Vedic literature to Lord Brahma when Lord Brahma awakened from sleep, and who explained the essence of Vedic literature to King Satyavrata and the great saintly persons.

PURPORT

Here is a summary of Satyavrata’s meeting with the fish incarnation of Lord Visnu. Lord Visnu’s purpose was to take back all the Vedic literatures from the demon Hayagriva and restore them to Lord Brahma. Incidentally, by His causeless mercy, the Lord spoke with Satyavrata. The word satyavratanam is significant because it indicates that those on the level of Satyavrata can take knowledge from the Vedas delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is spoken by the Supreme Lord is accepted as Veda. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, vedanta-krd veda-vit: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge, and He knows the purport of the Vedas. Therefore, anyone who takes knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or from Bhagavad-gita as it is, knows the purpose of the Vedas (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). One cannot understand Vedic knowledge from the veda-vada-ratas, who read the Vedas and misconstrue their subject matter. One has to know the Vedas from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Twenty-fourth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Matsya, the Lord’s Fish Incarnation.”

—This commentation has been finished in our New Delhi center today, the first of September, 1976, the day of Radhastami, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the acaryas. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa janame janame haya, ei abhilasa. I am attempting to present Srimad-Bhagavatam in the English language by the order of my spiritual master, Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and by his grace the work of translation is gradually progressing, and the European and American devotees who have joined the Krsna consciousness movement are helping me considerably. Thus we have expectations of finishing the great task before my passing away. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

END OF THE EIGHTH CANTO