Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 10
Avadhūta’s Teachers: Python, Ocean, Moth, Bee, Elephant, Deer, Fish—and Piṅgalā’s Song of Detachment
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्य: कुशलो नर: । सर्वत: सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पद: ॥ १० ॥
aṇubhyaś ca mahadbhyaś ca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalo naraḥ sarvataḥ sāram ādadyāt puṣpebhya iva ṣaṭpadaḥ
Wie die Biene Nektar aus allen Blumen nimmt, kleinen wie großen, so soll der kluge Mensch aus allen Schriften die Essenz ziehen.
In human society the original knowledge is called Veda, and the essential part of veda, or knowledge, is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. From the honeybee, an intelligent human being should learn to take the essence, or nectar, of all knowledge. A honeybee does not waste its time trying to carry away an entire bush or garden, but rather takes the essential nectar. We may thus study the difference between the honeybee and the ass, who carries heavy loads. Education does not mean to become an intellectual ass carrying heavy loads of useless knowledge; rather, one should accept the essential knowledge that leads to an eternal life of bliss and understanding.
FAQs
This verse teaches that a discerning person should extract the essential truth from all teachings—small or great—like a bee gathering nectar from many flowers.
In the Uddhava Gītā section, Kṛṣṇa trains Uddhava in mature discernment and renunciation, using the Avadhūta’s example to show how a seeker learns the essence without getting lost in details.
Study widely but practice selectively: take what deepens devotion, clarity, and character, and avoid getting trapped in argument, information overload, or pride in learning.