208 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

zation of the Supreme stage of love of Godhead one becomes full with trans-
cendental symptoms.

These symptoms are described in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Eleventh Canto,
Third Chapter, as follows: “When devotees discuss the subject of the Supreme
Lord, Who can cleanse the heart of a devotee from all kinds of sinful re-
action, they become overwhelmed with ecstasies of different symptoms, on
account of their devotional service; and, as such, when they chant the Holy Name
of the Supreme Lord, due to their spontaneous attachment for Him, they
sometimes cry, sometimes laugh, sometimes dance, sometimes sing, without
caring for any social convention.”

We should understand, therefore, that Srimad Bhagwatam is the real explana-
sion of the Brahma Sutra, and it is compiled by the Author Himself. In the
Guru Purana it is said: “The Srimad Bhagwatam is the actual explanation of
Brahma Sutra, and is a further explanation of Mahabarata. It is the explanation
of the Gayatri Mantra and the essence of all Vedic knowledge. This Srimad
Bhagwatam contains 18,000 verses, and is known as the explanation of all Vedic
literature.” In the First Canto of Srimad Bhagwatam there is an enquiry by the
sages of Naimisharanya to Suta Goswami, on how to know the essence of
Vedic literature. In answer to the enquiry, Suta Goswami presented Srimad
Bhagwatam as the essence of all the Vedas and histories and other Vedic literature.
In the Twelfth Canto, Thirteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagwatam, it is clearly
stated the Srimad Bhagwatam is the essence of all Vedanta knowledge, and one
who relishes the knowledge from the Srimad Bhagwatam has no taste for study-
ing any other literature. In the very beginning of Srimad Bhagwatam, the mean-
ing and purpose of the Gayatri Mantra is also described: “I am offering my
obeisances unto the Supreme Truth.” This is the first introductory verse on
the Supreme Truth, described in the Bhagwatam as the Source of creation,
maintenance, and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.

Obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, directly indicate.
Lord Sri Krishna, Who is the Divine Son of Vasudeva and Devaki. The fact
will be more explicitly presented later in the text of the Srimad Bhagwatam,
by the direct statement of the Author, in His assertion that Sri Krishna is the
Original Personality of Godhead, and all others are either His direct or indirect
plenary portions, or portions of the portion. Srila Jiva Goswami has later on
still more explicitly developed this subject matter in his Krishna Sandarva, and
Brahmaji, the original living being, has explained the subject of Sri Krishna
substantially in his treatise, called Brahma Samhita. In the Samveda Upanishad
it is also said that Lord Sri Krishna is the Divine Son of Devaki.
