SECTION NINETEEN

            Lord Vyäsa was not satisfied even after compiling the Puräëas and Vedänta Sütra. He then compiled Çrémad Bhägavatam, which was revealed to Him in trance as the natural commentary on His own sütras. Çrémad Bhägavatam reconciles all the scriptures. That it gives their essence is indicated, because the Bhägavatam opens with a reference to Gäyatré, which is the essence of all the Vedas.

            The characteristics of Çrémad Bhägavatam are given in the Matsya Puräëa (53.20-22), "That which explains the topmost principles of religion, basing it on Gäyatré, and which has the incident of the killing of Våträsura is to be known as the Çrémad Bhägavatam. This Puräëa has eighteen thousand verses. Whoever makes a copy of the Çrémad Bhägavatam and, placing it on a golden lion throne, donates it on the full moon day in the month of Bhadra (August-September), will attain the supreme goal".

            Here Gäyatré refers to the word dhémahi, which is always found in the Gäyatré mantra. It is an indicator of Gäyatré, with all the meaning of Gäyatré in it. Gäyatré is the origin of all Vedic mantras and thus it would be improper to mention it directly. The meaning of Gäyatré in the first verse of Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.1.1) is indicated by janmädyasya yataù, "From Him emanates the creation etc.", and tene brahma hådä, "He revealed the Vedic knowledge in the heart". These indicate the identical meaning with Gäyatré by explaining the Lord as the basis of all the universes and as the controller of everyone's intellect.

            Dharma, in the compound word dharmavistäraù, refers to the supreme religion, which is expressed in the Bhägavatam phrase (1.1.2), "The supreme religion devoid of all cheating propensities", dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo'tra paramaù (S.B. 1.1.2). This is certainly characterized by meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as will be explained in the upcoming sections.

 

ÇRÉ JÉVA TOÑAËÉ COMMENTARY

             In Çrémad Bhägavatam is the story of its appearance. Çréla Vyäsadeva was not content even after arranging the four Vedas and composing the great epic, Mahäbhärata, for the welfare of women and çüdras. He also compiled the natural commentary on the Vedas, the Puräëas. Finally, he gave the essence of the Vedas and Puräëas in Vedänta Sütra. But even after this Veda Vyäsa felt discontent in his heart, yet he could not understand the reason for His discontent. Then his spiritual master, Närada Muni, came to his rescue (SB.1.5.2, 9):  

"Närada Muni said: Your inquiries were full and your studies were also well fulfilled, and there is no doubt that you have prepared a great and wonderful work, the Mahäbhärata, which is full of all kinds of Vedic sequences elaborately explained." 

"...Although, great sage, you have very broadly described the four principles beginning with religious performances, you have not described the glories of the Supreme Personality, Väsudeva with the same intensity."(S.B. 1.5.9.)

            On the instruction of Närada Muni, Çréla Vyäsa meditated and while in trance Çrémad Bhägavatam was revealed to Him. From this it is apparent that the Çrémad Bhägavatam, which gave solace to Vyäsadeva, is revealed knowledge from the transcendental sphere. Itwill be shown in the upcoming sections that it is the natural commentary on the Vedanta Sutra.

            Various Puräëas mention the relation between Gäyatré mantra and the Çrémad Bhägavatam. This mantra is considered the cream of the Vedas and every brähmaëa is supposed to recite it in the morning, at noon, and at dusk. In the Bhävärtha-dépika,  in commenting on the first verse of Bhägavatam Çrédhara Svämé, explains that it opens with Gäyatré,  dhémahéti gäyatryä prärambhena ca gäyatryäkhyäbrahmavidyärüpam etat puräëam iti darçitam, "Beginning this Puräëa with the Gäyatré phrase dhémahi, indicates that this Puräëa has the nature of brahma vidyä (vedic knowledge), known as the Gäyatré". Because Çrémad Bhägavatam is based on Gäyatré, the cream of Vedas, it explains the topmost principles of religion. It is considered the ripened fruit of the wish fulfilling tree of the Vedas (nigama-kalpa-tarorgalitam phalam).

            Gäyatré and other Vedic mantras have strict restrictions regarding the person, time, place, and purity of the chanter; but such restrictions do not apply to Çrémad Bhägavatam. Anyone may read the Bhägavatam, hence it is improper to have the Gäyatré mantra in its original form in Çrémad Bhägavatam. Gäyatré, being a Vedic mantra, only twice-born persons have the right to chant it. That's why Çréla Vyäsadeva conveyed its meaning in the Bhägavatam without using the actual mantra. Only one word from Gäyatré, dhémahi, has been kept as an indicator of His intention, because it is a compulsory word in the mantra and carries its essence.

            Another reason for Vyäsa not writing Gäyatré in its original form is that it leaves room for misinterpretation. Different scholars have explained Gäyatré in a variety of ways--as a meditation on impersonal Brahman, or the Sun, or Agni, Çiva, and so on. Rarely is it understood as a meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Väsudeva. Now, here in Vyäsadeva's own commentary on Vedänta, He delivers the complete and unambiguous meaning of Gäyatré in the opening verse of Çrémad Bhägavatam. Vyäsadeva reveals that Gäyatré is a meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His eternal consort Çré Rädhikä. This indeed is the highest dharma. A detailed explanation of Gäyatré is in the 105th section of Çré Paramätmä Sandarbha and a detailed analysis of the first verse of Bhägavatam as a meditation on Rädhä-Kåñëa is in the Kåñëa Sandarbha.

            In the next section, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé further introduces the Çrémad Bhägavatam, explaining its distinctive features with references from various scriptures.