328
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 7]
TRANSLATION
The great sage Vyāsadeva, after compiling the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and revising it, taught it to his own son, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was already engaged in self-realization.
PURPORT
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  is the natural commentation on the  Brahma-sūtras  compiled by the same author. This  Brahma-sūtra  or  Vedānta-sūtra  is meant for those who are already engaged in self-realization.  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  is so made that one becomes at once engaged in the path of self-realization simply by hearing the topics. Although it is especially meant for the  paramahaṁsas , or those who are totally engaged in self-realization, it works into the depth of the heart of those who may be worldly men. Worldly men are all engaged in sense gratification. But even such men will find in this Vedic literature a remedial measure for their material diseases. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul from the very beginning of his birth, and his father taught him  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . Amongst mundane scholars, there is some diversity of opinion as to the date of compilation of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . It is, however, certain from the text of the  Bhāgavatam  that it was compiled before the disappearance of King Parīkṣit and after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was ruling the world as the King of Bhāratavarṣa, he chastised the personality of Kali. According to revealed scriptures and astrological calculation, the age of Kali is in its 5,000th year. Therefore,  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  was compiled not less than five thousand years ago.  Mahābhārata  was compiled before  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , and the  Purāṇas  were compiled before  Mahābhārata . That is an estimation of the date of compilation of the different Vedic literatures. The synopsis of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  was given before the detailed description under instruction of Nārada.  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  is the science for following the path of  nivṛtti-mārga . The path of  pravṛtti-mārga  was condemned by Nārada. That is the natural inclination for all conditioned souls. The theme of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  is the cure of the materialistic disease of the human being, or stopping completely the pangs of material existence.
TEXT 9
शौनक उवाच
स वै निवृत्तिनिरतः सर्वत्रोपेक्षको मुनिः । 
  कस्य वा वृहतीमेतामात्मारामः समभ्यसत् ॥ ९ ॥