360 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 10
Arjuna for instruction in spiritual knowledge because Arjuna happened
to be a great devotee and confidential friend. Similarly, great per-
sonalities also speak to the advanced, not to Stidras, vaiSyas, women or
unintelligent men. Sometimes it is very risky to give great philosophical
instructions to ordinary people, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for the
benefit of the fallen souls of Kali-yuga, has given us a very nice instru-
ment, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. The general mass of peo-
ple, although sidras and less, can be purified by chanting this Hare
Krsna mantra. Then they can understand the exalted philosophical state-
ments of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Our Krsna conscious-
ness movement has therefore adopted the chanting of the Hare Krsna
mahda-mantra for the general masses. When people gradually become
purified, they are instructed in the lessons of Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhdgavatam. Materialistic people like stri, Sidra and dvija-
bandhu cannot understand words of spiritual advancement, yet one can
take to the shelter of a Vaisnava, for he knows the art of enlightening
even Stdras in the highly elevated subject matter spoken in Bhagavad-
gitd and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
TEXT 19
ae  aPaTATRa-
AJ e e a
fat aat wi qe al
me wae: fefaereot aq
S
argh «= - arora 2S
aham ca yogesvaram dtma-tattva-
vida munindm paramam gurum vai
prastum pravrttah kim ihadranam tat
sdksad dharim jndna-kalavatirnam

aham—I|; ca—and; yoga-isvaram—the master of all mystic power;
atma-tattva-vidam—of the learned scholars who are aware of the
spiritual science; muninam—of such saintly persons; paramam—the
best; gurum—the preceptor; vai—indeed; prastum—to inquire; praurt-
tah—engaged; kim—what; iha—in this world; aranam—the most
