Canto 10: The Summum BonumChapter 1: The Advent of Lord Krishna: Introduction

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.1.16

vāsudeva-kathā-praśnah

purushāms trīn punāti hi

vaktāram pracchakam śrotrims

tat-pāda-salilam yathā

SYNONYMS

vāsudeva-kathā-praśnah — questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Vāsudeva, Krishna; purushān — persons; trīn — three; punāti — purify; hi — indeed; vaktāram — the speaker, such as Śukadeva Gosvāmī; pracchakam — and an inquisitive hearer like Mahārāja Parīkshit; śrotrin — and, between them, the listeners hearing about the topics; tat-pāda-salilam yathā — exactly as the entire world is purified by the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Lord Vishnu.

TRANSLATION

The Ganges, emanating from the toe of Lord Vishnu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vāsudeva, Krishna, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen.

PURPORT

It is said, tasmād gurum prapadyeta jijñāsuh śreya uttamam (Bhāg. 11.3.21). Those interested in understanding transcendental subject matters as the goal of life must approach the bona fide spiritual master. Tasmād gurum prapadyeta. One must surrender to such a guru, who can give right information about Krishna. Herein, Mahārāja Parīkshit has surrendered to the right personality, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, for enlightenment in vāsudeva-kathā. Vāsudeva is the original Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited spiritual activities. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a record of such activities, and Bhagavad-gītā is the record of Vāsudeva speaking personally. Therefore, since the Krishna consciousness movement is full of vāsudeva-kathā, anyone who hears, anyone who joins the movement and anyone who preaches will be purified.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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