Text 13] Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya 175
PURPORT

The great sage Krena-dvaipayana Vyasa is the author of all Vedic
literature, of which his works Vedanta-sutra, Srimad-Bhagavatam and
Mahabharata are very popular readings. As stated in Bhagavatam (1.4.25),
Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Mahabharata for the less intelligent class of
men who take more interest in mundane topics than in the philosephy of
life. The Vedanta-sutra was compiled for persons already above the mun-
dane topics, who might already have tasted the bitterness of the so-called
happiness of mundane affairs. The first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra is
athato brahma-jijfasa, i.e., only when one has finished the business of
mundane inquiries in the marketplace of sense gratification can one make
relevant inquiries regarding Brahman, the Transcendence. Those persons
who are busy with the mundane inquiries which fill the newspapers and
other such literatures are classified as stri-sudra-dvijabandhus, or women,
the laborer class and unworthy sons of the higher classes (brahmana,
ksatriya and vaisya). Such less intelligent men cannot understand the
purpose of Vedanta-sutra, although they may make a show of studying
the siitras in a perverted way. The real purpose of Vedanta-sittra is
explained by the author himself in the SrimadBhagavatam, and any-
one trying to understand Vedanta-siitra without reference to Srimad-
Bhagavatam is certainly misguided. Such misguided persons, who are
interested in the mundane affairs of philanthropic and altruistic work
under the misconception of the body as the self, could better take
advantage of the Mahabharata, which was specifically compiled by Srila
Vyasadeva for their benefit. The great author has compiled the Maha-
bharata in such a way that the less intelligent class of men, who are more
interested in mundane topics, may read the Mahabharata with great relish
and in the course of such mundane happiness can also take advantage of
Bhagavad-gita, the preliminary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam or the
Vedanta-sutra. Srila Vyasadeva had no interest in writing a history of
mundane activities other than to give less intelligent persons a chance for
transcendental realization through Bhagavad-gita. Vidura’s reference to
the Mahabharata indicates that he had heard of the Mahabharata from
Vyasadeva, his real father, while he was away from home and was touring
the places of pilgrimage.

TEXT 13
a ace fiadarn
firfnaeaa aif ga: |
