Text 320]
Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse
261
praśnottare bhāgavate kariyāche nirdhāra yāṅhāra śravaṇe loke lāge camatkāra
SYNONYMS
praśna-uttare —in the form of questions and answers;  bhāgavate —in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam;  kariyāche —has made;  nirdhāra —conclusion;  yāṅhāra śravaṇe —hearing which;  loke —in all people;  lāge —there is;  camatkāra —wonderful astonishment.
TRANSLATION
“The form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is given in questions and answers. Thus the conclusion is established. By hearing these questions and answers, one is highly astonished.”
TEXT 320
ক্রহি যোগেশ্বরে কুষ্ণে ব্রহ্মণ্যে ধর্মবর্মণি ।
স্বাং কাষ্ঠাম্বুনোপেতে ধর্মঃ কং শরণং গতঃ ॥ ২০ ॥
brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi svām kāṣṭhām adhunopete dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ
SYNONYMS
brūhi —kindly explain;  yoga-īśvare —the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all mystic power;  kṛṣṇe —Lord Kṛṣṇa;  brahmaṇye —the protector of brahminical culture;  dharma-varmaṇi —the strong arms of religious principles;  svām —His own;  kāṣṭhām —to the personal abode;  adhunā —at present;  upete —having returned;  dharmaḥ —the religious principles;  kam —unto what;  śaraṇam —shelter;  gataḥ —have gone.
TRANSLATION
“Now that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us by whom religious principles are presently protected.”
PURPORT
This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.23) was a question raised by all the sages, who were headed by Śaunaka. This question put before the great devotee Sūta Gosvāmī is the foremost of the six questions raised. The answer to this important question is given in the next verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.43).