12 / Revealed Scriptures

According to Srila Ripa Gosvami, any book which gives enlighten-
ment in the matter of advancing devotional service is considered to
be revealed scripture. Srila Madhvacarya has also defined revealed
scriptures as referring to books such as the Ramdyana, Mahabharata,
Puranas, Upanisads, Vedénta—and any other literature which is writ-
ten in pursuance of such revealed scriptures.

In the Skanda Purana there is the statement, “A person who is
constantly engaged in reading literature enunciating the cultivation
of Vaisnava devotional service is always glorious in human society,
and certainly Lord Krsna becomes pleased with him. A person who
very carefully keeps such literature at home and offers respectful
obeisances to it becomes freed from all sinful reactions and ulti-
mately becomes worshipable by the demigods.”

It is also said to Narada Muni: “My dear Narada, a person who
writes Vaisnava literature and keeps such literature at home has Lord
Narayana always residing in his house.”

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twelfth Canto, 12th Chapter, 12th
verse, it is stated: “Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedanta
philosophy. Any person who has become attached in some way or
other to the reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot have any taste for
reading any other literature. In other words, a person who has
relished the transcendental bliss of Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot be
satisfied with mundane writings.”

In the Varaha Purana there is a statement praising the residen-
tial quarters of Mathura. Lord Varaha tells the men of earth: “Any

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