SECTION TWENTY-FOUR 

            Seeing that (Çré Çaìkaräcärya had not only avoided the Çrémad Bhägavatam, but respected it), out of fear that Vaiñëavas might fall for the monistic commentary written by Çaìkara's disciples, such as Puëyäraëya and others, Çré Madhväcärya wrote a gloss (Bhägavat-tätparya) on Çrémad Bhägavatam explaining the real path. This we have heard from the Vaiñëavas.

            Therefore, the following statements from Bhägavatam are appropriate. From the First Canto (1.3.41): "Çré Vyäsadeva, after extracting the cream of all the Vedas and Itihäsas, imparted this (Çrémad Bhägavatam) to his son (Çukadeva), who was the best of the self-realized souls."

            And the Twelfth Canto (12.13.15): "The Çrémad Bhägavatam is indeed the essence of all Vedänta. He who is satisfied by hearing its nectar-like words takes no stock in anything else."

            And again in the First Canto (1.1.3): "O expert and thoughtful men on the Earth, relish the Çrémad Bhägavatam continously until liberation. It is the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé, therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls."

            Therefore, in the same Canto (1.2.3): "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him (Çukadeva), the spiritual master of all the sages, the son of Vyäsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists, who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential Puräëa, the cream of all Vedic knowledge, the supreme torchlight of transcendental knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by his experience."

            These verses indicate that the teachings of Çrémad Bhägavatam is the emperor of all other philosophies. They also indicate the superiority of Çré Çuka to all present, by his taking his seat in the midst of the assembled sages, as the preceptor of the Çrémad Bhägavatam.

 

ÇRÉ JÉVA TOÑAËÉ COMMENTARY

             Here Çréla Jéva Gosvämé reveals the reason for Çréla Madhväcärya's gloss on the Bhägavatam. Çaìkaräcarya wrote some poems glorifying Lord Kåñëa's pastimes as told in Bhägavatam, but some of his followers, not understanding his true intention, took this as liscense to include the Bhägavatam as part of the Mäyäväda canon. Some of them commented on the Bhägavatam and somehow managed to screw out an impersonal conclusion, such as Puëyäraëya's commentary, which is now lost. Çréla Madhväcärya, wanting to protect Vaiñëavas from being misled, wrote his gloss called Bhägavat-tätparya.

            Since Çrémad Bhägavatam has already been established as the topmost pramäëa, Jéva Goswämé now shows its significance by quoting from it. This serves to bolster the reader's faith in the Bhägavatam, and to show that from here on he will use it as evidence in his analysis. Jéva Gosvämé also reveals the eminence of the Çrémad Bhägavatam owing to its brilliant prime speaker, Çukadeva Gosvämé. Vyäsdeva taught Çukadeva because he was Vyäsa's most brilliant student, and Çukadeva chose to study Bhägavatam, because it is the most brilliant book.

            Although Çréla Vyäsadeva had many disciples he taught the Bhägavatam only to Çukadeva. His reason was not that he was biased in favor of his son; rather Çukadeva was ätma-vatäà varam, "The best of the self-realized souls", which means he had no ulterior motive. Because he had no personal ambition he could understand the true purport of the Bhägavatam, which is the essence of the Vedas, Vedänta, and Itihäsas. By comparison Vyäsadeva did not consider His other disciples qualified to receive the Çrémad Bhägavatam.

            Just as the most essential part of a tree is its sweet, juicy fruit, so the Çrémad Bhägavatam has been compared to a succulent fruit, with no skin or stone in it. That is to say nothing is to be discarded in the Bhägavatam. Verses 1.1.3 and 1.2.3. are quoted in this section to show the versatility and importance of the Bhägavatam both for conditioned as well as liberated souls. The speaker was free of ulterior motive and he had realized its significance and so he was elected to speak even in the assembly of learned sages. This implies the superiority of Çukadeva over all the assembled sages by dint of his being proficient in reciting the Çrémad Bhägavatam. Thus the Çrémad Bhägavatam alone should be analyzed to know sambandha, abhideya, and prayojana.

            Next, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé shows the importance of the speaker, Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé.