62 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 1

challenging spirit. One must submit questions with a great regard for the
speaker and the subject matter. This is also the way recommended in
Bhagavad-gita. One must learn the transcendental subject by submissive
aural reception from the right sources. Therefore these sages addressed
the speaker Sita Gosvami with great respect.

TEXT 6

WT Fa
aT as TNs afrerats aAazT |
TTA ATT HATE THATS ARTA & UI

rsaya iicuh
tvayda khalu puranani
setihasani canagha
akhyatany apy adhitani
dharma-sastrani yany uta

rsayah—the sages; icuh—said; tvaya—by you; khalu—undoubtedly ; pura-
nani—the supplements to the Vedas with illustrative narrations; sa-itihdsani
—along with the histories; ca—and; anagha—freed from all vices; akhyatani
—explained; api—although; adhitani—well read; dharma-sastrani—scriptures
giving right directions to progressive life; yani—all these; uta—said.

TRANSLATION

The sages said: Respected Sita Gosvami, you are completely free
from all vice. You are well versed in all religious scriptures, the Puranas
and histories, for you have gone through them under proper guidance and
have also explained them.

PURPORT

A Gosvami, or the bona fide representative of Sri Vyasadeva, must be
free from all kinds of vices. The four major vices of Kali-yuga are 1.) illicit
connection with women, 2. ) animal slaughter, 3.) intoxication, 4.) specula-
tive gambling of all sorts. A Gosvimi must be free from all these vices
before he can dare sit on the Vydsdsana. No one should be allowed to sit
on the Vydsdsana who is not spotless in character and who is not freed
