708 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 13
karpadhara—captain of the ship; iva—like; apare—in the extensive
oceans; bhagavan—representative of the Lord; paradargsakah—one who
can give directions to the other end; atha—thus; ababhase— began to say;
bhagavan—the godly personality; naradah—the great sage Narada; muni-
sattamah—the greatest among the devotee-philosophers.
TRANSLATION
You are like a captain of a ship in a great ocean and you can direct us
to our destination. Thus addressed, the godly personality, Devarsi Narada,
greatest of the philosopher devotees, began to speak.
PURPORT
There are different types of philosophers, and the greatest of all of them
are those who have seen the Personality of Godhead and have surrendered
themselves in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Among all
such pure devotees of the Lord, Devarsi Narada is the chief, and therefore
he has been described herein as the greatest of all philosopher devotees.
Unless one is a sufficiently learned philosopher by hearing the Vedanta
philosophy from a bona fide spiritual master, one cannot be a learned
philosopher devotee. One must be very faithful, learned and re-
nounced, otherwise one cannot be a pure devotee. A pure devotee of the
Lord can give us direction towards the other end of nescience. Devarsi
Narada used to visit the palace of Maharaja Yudhisthira because the
Pandavas were all pure devotees of the Lord, and the Devarsi was always
ready to give them good counsel whenever needed.
TEXT 41
ARE Sara
WM aT TN WHT WAT TT |
THE: ATST TAY Tetra aferithara: |
a dgafe gaia a oa frqaten a eel
narada uvaca
ma kantcana suco rajan
yad i§vara-vasam jagat
lokah sapala yasyeme
vahanti balim isituh
sa sarinyunakti bhitani
sa eva viyunakti ca
