Why Study the Vedanta Sutra? 219

the Lord. In the material conception of his life he thinks of himself falsely as
the lord of all he surveys, and therefore he is always troubled with the above-
mentioned threefcid miseries of life. But, as soon as he comes to know his
real position of transcendental servitude, he at once becomes freed from all
the above-mentioned miseries. The servitor position of the living being is
wasted in the material concept of his life. With a false sense of overlordship,
the living being must offer his service to the relative energies of matter. When
this servitorship is transferred unto the Lord in pure consciousness of spiritual
identity, the living entity at once becomes freed from the encumbrances
of material affliction.

Over and above this, Srimad Bhagwatam is the Personal commentary on
the Vedanta Sutra by the great Author Himself—and that also in the mature
stage of His spiritual realization, through the mercy of Narada. Sri Vyasadeva
is the authorized incarnation of Narayan, the Personality of Godhead. There-
fore, there is no question about His Authority. He is the Author of all other
Vedic literature; but, surpassing all of It, He recommends the study of Srimad
Bhagwatam. In other Puranas there are different methods of worshipping the
demigods, but in the Bhagwatam only the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is mentioned. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Whole Body, and
the demigods are the different parts of the body. As such, by worshipping
the Supreme Lord there is no need to worship the demigods, because the
Supreme Lord is at once fixed in the heart. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has
recommended this Srimad Bhagwatam as the spotless Puranam, as distinguish-
ed from all other Puranas.

The mode of receiving the transcendental message is to get it through
the ears by submissiveness. No challenging mode can help the receiver in
getting or realizing the transcendental message. Therefore, in the Ist verse
of Srimad Bhagwatam, one particular word is used for our proper guidance.
This particular word is Shushrusu: one must be anxious to hear about the
transcendental message. And this qualification of hearing with interest is the
prime qualification for assimilating transcendental knowledge.

Unfortunately, some persons are not interested in giving patient hearing
to the message of Srimad Bhagwatam. The process is simple, but the applica-
tion is difficult. Unfortunate persons will find enough time to hear ordinary
social, political, and all sorts of idle talks, but when they are invited to attend
a meeting of the devotees assembled to hear Srimad Bhagwatam, the unfortunate
creatures will either be reluctant to attend such a meeting, or they will indulge
in hearing the portion they are unfit to enter into. Professional readers of the
