Section Forty Eight

            Çréla Vyäsadeva experienced that this prayojana was even better than the happiness derived by realization of impersonal Brahman. Consequently, He taught Çrémad Bhägavatam to Çukadeva Gosvämé, who was absorbed in the bliss of Brahman, so that he too could taste the special bliss derived from love of Godhead. This is described by Süta Gosvämé in Bhägavatam verse 1.7.8, beginning with "sa saàhitäà".

            In this verse the phrase kåtvä anukramya ca, "after writing and rearranging", means that Vyäsadeva first wrote Çrémad Bhägavatam in an abbreviated form and later on, upon getting instructions from Çré Närada Muni, expanded and rearranged it. Thus the contradictory statements, that the Bhägavatam was composed after the Mahäbhärata, as mentioned in the Bhägavatam, and that the Mahäbhärata was compiled after the eighteen Puräëas, as mentioned elsewhere, can be reconciled.

            The phrase nivåtti-niratam indicates that because of absorption in the bliss of Brahman Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé was leading a life of complete renunciation from which he never deviated.
 

ÇRÉ JÉVA TOÑAËÉ COMENTARY

             One of the most profound realizations of Çréla Vyäsadeva was His experience of the superiority of bhaktyänanda, the bliss derived from loving devotional service to Kåñëa, over brahmänanda, the bliss of impersonal Brahman absorption. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé confirms this in  Bhakti Rasämåta Sindhu (1.1.38):

"Even if the happiness of Brahman realization is multiplied trillions of times it cannot compare to even a single drop from the ocean of the bliss of devotional service." Indeed, this is an inevitable experience of devotional service, that it completely belittles and derides the happiness of Brahman realization.

            Naturally a father wants to give the best thing to his son. Vyäsadeva therefore taught Çrémad Bhägavatam to Çukadeva Gosvämé, but being the son of Çréla Vyäsadeva was not Çukadeva's only qualification. His qualification was that he was fixed on the path of renunciation and so he had no material desires whatsoever (nivåtti-niratam). No material desires means he had no ulterior motive to misconstrue the meaning of the Çrémad Bhägavatam and thus use it for material gain, either gross or subtle. Çréla Vyäsadeva did not consider any of His other disciples qualified like Çukadeva. In this way, Vyäsadeva set a standard for all students and speakers of the Çrémad Bhägavatam.

            In this section, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé also solves any doubt about the chronology of the Bhägavatam's composition. It is clear from statements in the Çrémad Bhägavatam that it was composed after  the Mahäbhärata. This is evident from the following Bhägavatam verses (1.4.25,26):

            "Out of compassion, the great sage thought it wise that this would enable men to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the great historical narration called the Mahäbhärata for women, laborers, and friends of the twice-born. O twice-born brähmaëas, still his mind was not satisfied, although he engaged himself in working for the total welfare of all people."

            After this dissatisfaction of Vyäsa, Närada Muni appeared and told him to compose the Çrémad Bhägavatam. But elsewhere it is stated that the Mahäbhärata was written after all eighteen Puräëas were composed. For example, Çré Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa, in his commentary on this section, quotes Matsya Puräëa (MP. 53.70):

"The son of Satyavaté, Çréla Vyäsadeva, after writing the eighteen, Puräëas composed the great history called the Mahäbhärata, which acts like a commentary on the Vedas".

            To resolve this apparent contradiction in the chronology, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé explains that the Bhägavatam was originally composed by Çréla Vyäsadeva in an abbreviated form.  He compiled the great history called Mahäbhärata out of compassion for those who are not allowed to study the Vedas. But even after completing the great epic, Vyäsa still felt a void in His heart. Thereafter, on the instructions of Närada Muni, he created a new, expanded edition of the Çrémad Bhägavatam, which is the one currently available.

            Furthermore, it is understood that this later edition was composed after the disappearance of Lord Çré Kåñëa from Earth, because it was then only that Kali could spread its influence and was noticed by Çréla Vyäsadeva. For the welfare of those people in the grip of Kali He earlier composed the Mahäbhärata. Parékñita Mahäräja's chastisement of Kali occurred after the dialogue between Närada

Muni and Çréla Vyäsadeva, since it was the spreading of Kali's influence that caused the unhappiness in Vyäsa's heart. Prior to the appearance of Kali, Vyäsadeva had no motive to feel dissatisfied because Lord Kåñëa was still present with all the religious principles. That this later edition of Çrémad Bhägavatam came about before

Mahäräja Parékñita was cursed by the brähmaëa boy, which was  after the disappearance of Lord Çré Kåñëa, is confirmed in the Bhägavatam (1.3.43):

"This Bhagavata Puräëa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kåñëa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Puräëa." In this connection one may also refer to the statements of Süta Gosvämé in the First Canto, Chapter Four.
            To summarize the chronology of the Vedic literatures: First Çréla Vyäsadeva edited the one original Yajurveda into four Vedas. He then

reduced the 1,000 million verses of the Puräëas into eighteen Puräëas consisting of four hundred thousand verses. This included the Çrémad Bhägavatam in it's original abbreviated form. After this he composed his epic work the Mahäbhärata. Then he gave the essence of the Vedas, Puräëas, and Mahäbhärata in the form of the Vedänta Sütra. His last composition, the best of all, is the Çrémad Bhägavatam, which is His own commentary on the Vedänta Sütra.

            Some scholars believe that there were two editions of Mahäbhärata. They say it was first compiled after the Vedas in one hundred sections, later Veda Vyäsa reduced it to a hundred thousand verses in 18 sections after compiling the 18 Puräëas. The Ädi Parva of Mahäbhärata, verse 1.10.5, states that Çréla Vyäsa compiled a Saàhitä with six million verses, out of this one hundred thousand verses were given to human beings. This Mahäbhärata was first recited by sage Vaiçaàpayäna to Janmejaya Mahäräja, son of King Parékñita. Another reason they give to support their theory is that in the Båhadäraëyaka mantra (2.4.10), cited in Anuccheda 12, the list of scriptures breathed out by Lord is given. On that list Itihäsa appears before the Puräëas and they believe Çréla Vyäsa compiled the Vedic literatures in the same order as listed in that verse.

            Next, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé shows that the realization of Çréla Vyäsadeva in His trance is the epitome of all philosophies and that this is confirmed by Süta Gosvämé.