Text 4] Divinity and Divine Service 87
he likes the taste of the twigs mixed with blood. He does not realize that
it is his own blood and that his tongue is being cut by the thorns. Similarly,
to the materialist his own blood is as sweet as honey, and although he is
always harassed by his own material creations, he does not wish to escape.
Such materialists are called karmis. Out of hundreds of thousands of
karmis, only a few may feel tired of material engagement and desire to get
out of the labyrinth. Such intelligent persons are called janis. The
Vedanta-siitra is directed to such jnanis, But Srila Vyasadeva, being the
incarnation of the Supreme Lord, could foresee the misuse of the
Vedanta-sitra by unscrupulous men, and, therefore, he personally sup-
plemented the Veddnta-siitra with the Bhagavata Purana. It is clearly
said that this Bhdgavatam is the original commentary on the Brahma-
siitras. Srila Vyasadeva also instructed the Bhdgavatam to his own son,
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, who was already at the liberated stage of
transcendence. Srila Sukadeva realized it personally and then explained it.
By the mercy of Srila Sukadeva, the Bhagavat-Vedanta-sitra is available
for all those sincere souls who want to get out of material existence.

Srimad-Bhdgavatam is the one unrivalled commentary on Veddnta-sittra.
Sripada Sankaracarya intentionally did not touch it because he knew that
it would be difficult for him to surpass the natural commentary. He wrote
his Sariraka-bhasya, and his so-called followers deprecated the Bhagavatam
as some “new” presentation. One should not be misled by such propaganda
directed against the Bhagavatam by the Mayavada school. From this
introductory sloka, the beginning student should know that Srimad-
Bhagavatam is the only transcendental literature meant for those who are
paramahamsas and completely freed from the material disease called
malice. The May4vadis are envious of the Personality of Godhead despite
Sripada Sankaracdrya’s admission that Narayana, the Personality of God-
head, is above the material creation. The envious Mayavadi cannot have
access to the Bhagavatam, but those who are really anxious to get out of
this material existence may take shelter of this Bhdgavatam because it is
uttered by the liberated Srila Sukadeva Gosvami. It is the transcendental
torchlight by which one can see perfectly the transcendental Absolute
Truth realized as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.

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AR AMCHT at Ae ACT |
Mi aceardt ed ad aaah Ie II
