Years ago, in the sacred forest of Naimisha, many sages gathered to worship the Supreme Lord. They offered a seat of respect to the sage Suta Goswami and enquired from him as follows:
Suta Goswami, you are free from corruption and you are educated in the Vedic literatures as well as the oral histories. Because you are devoted and humble, your teachers have given you all the knowledge which is confided to a worthy disciple.
Would you please explain, in a simple way, what you have concluded to be the highest benefit for all humanity.
O great sage, in the age of Kali people are short lived, lazy, lacking intelligence and always in anxiety. There are many different scriptures and they describe many different duties. For the benefit of humanity would you please distil the essence of these scriptures and explain them to us, because only this knowledge can satisfy the soul.
Would you also tell us about the character and personality of the Supreme Lord and the activities he performs. Please explain those teachings to us. The Lord performs his activities to bring about the prosperity of all beings. Those people who are trapped within the material world of birth and death can be liberated from suffering by calling the name of the Lord.
Is there anyone who doesn’t desire to be free from the corruptions of the age of Kali? Why would they not want to hear the virtues and glorious qualities of the Lord? His activities are wonderful and benevolent and the sages always sing about them.
So please tell us about the different activities the Supreme Lord performs. Those who have acquired the taste for hearing of his wonderful activities never grow tired of listening to them.
We know the age of Kali has arrived so we have assembled here in this sacred place to hear and discuss spiritual topics and perform sacrifice to please the Lord. Providence has blessed us with your presence because you can guide us through the difficult times of the age of Kali.
The age of Kali is characterised by disagreement and hypocrisy and it deprives human beings of their virtue. O Suta, tell us where we should take shelter now that Lord Krishna, the protector of religion has returned to his abode.
Suta Goswami was pleased with the questions he had been asked, so he thanked the sages and said, I bow down to the great spiritual teacher Suka Goswami, who is the son of Vyasadeva. Due to compassion for those in the material world who desire to be free from suffering, Suka narrated this Bhagavatam, the most confidential of all the Vedic literatures.
Before reciting this Bhagavatam we should offer respects to the Supreme Lord; to Sarasvati the goddess of learning; and to Vyasadeva, the author.
O sages, your questions are about Lord Krishna and relevant to everyone. The highest benefit for all humanity is to achieve continuous devotion to the Supreme Lord. That devotion should be free of any ulterior motive for only this can fully satisfy the soul. Any religious activities which do not awaken attraction for the Supreme Lord are a waste of time and effort.
Wealth and material benefits are not the proper objective of religious activities. All religious activities are meant for liberation from suffering. One’s desires should not be focused on satisfying the senses because the aim of a human life is to enquire into the truth.
The highest perfection one can achieve by their actions is to please the Supreme Lord. One should therefore constantly hear about, worship, remember and glorify the Supreme Lord, who always protects those who are devoted to him.
The learned sages cut through the bonds of karma by remembering the Supreme Lord, so who will not listen to talks about him? By serving the great souls who are free from corruption, one develops attraction to hearing about the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the benefactor of those who are honest and devoted. He purifies all material desires from the heart of anyone who hears and sings of his virtues.
By hearing this Bhagavatam, impiety is dissolved and firm devotion to the Lord arises. Lust, desire and anger disappear and one becomes satisfied. The knot of ego in the heart is cut and all doubts and fears are destroyed.
This is why learned people delight in the service of the Supreme Lord because such service enlivens the soul. Whoever follows those sages who worship the Supreme Lord deserves to be liberated from material suffering. Those who seek liberation are without envy and they respect everyone.
The Supreme Lord is the object of Vedic knowledge, he is the purpose of performing sacrifice and the goal of religion. He controls all material rewards and is the ultimate goal of life.
