4 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 1
expected to be highly purposeful in spiritual values. Questions and
answers by different classes of men can be guessed by the caliber of the
persons concerned. In Bhagavad-gita, the discussion was between Lord Sri
Krsna and Arjuna, the Supreme Person and the supreme devotee
respectively. The Lord admitted Arjuna to be His devotee and friend
(Bg. 4.3), and therefore any sane man can guess that the discussion was on
the topic of the bhakti-yoga system. Actually the whole Bhagavad-gita is
based on the principle of bhakti-yoga. There is a difference between
karma and karma-yoga. Karma is regulated action for the enjoyment of
the fruit by the performer, but karma-yoga is action performed by the
devotee for the satisfaction of the Lord. Karma-yoga is based on bhakti,
or pleasing the Lord, whereas karma is based on pleasing the senses of the
performer himself. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, one is advised to
approach a bona fide spiritual master when one is actually inclined to
question from an elevated level of spiritual understanding. A common
man who has no interest in spiritual values has no need to approach a
spiritual master just as a matter of following fashion.

As a student, Maharaja Pariksit was serious about learning the science of
God, and Sukadeva Gosvami was a bona fide spiritual master in the
transcendental science. Both of them knew that the topics discussed by
Vidura and Rgi Maitreya were elevated, and thus Maharaja Pariksit was
very interested to learn from the bona fide spiritual master.

TEXT 5
ad sara
a carafrasisd get Tet oehferat |
TATE tT Aglare TATA UY A
suta uvaca
sa evam rsi-varyo ‘yam
prsto rajna pariksita
pratyaha tam su-bahuvit
pritatma sruyatam iti

Sri sutah uvaca—Sri Sita Gosvami said; sah—he; evam—thus; rsi-varyah—
the great rsi; ayam—Sukadeva Gosvami; prstah—being questioned; rajna—
by the King; paritksita—Maharaja Pariksit; prati aha—replied; tam—unto
the King; su-bahuvit—highly experienced; prita-atma—fully satisfied;
Sruyatam—please hear me; iti—thus.
