Shloka 4
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
निवृत्ततर्षैरुपगीयमानाद्भवौषधाच्छ्रोत्रमनोऽभिरामात् । क उत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादात्पुमान् विरज्येत विना पशुघ्नात् ॥ ४ ॥
nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-’bhirāmāt ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
Glorification of Uttamaśloka, sung in the disciplic succession, is the true medicine for the disease of birth and death and is delightful to ear and mind. Who would give up hearing it—except a butcher, or one who slays his own soul?
In India it is the practice among the general populace to hear about Kṛṣṇa, either from Bhagavad-gītā or from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in order to gain relief from the disease of repeated birth and death. Although India is now fallen, when there is a message that someone will speak about Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, thousands of people still gather to hear. This verse indicates, however, that such recitation of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam must be done by persons completely freed from material desires ( nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ ). Everyone within this material world, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, is full of material desires for sense enjoyment, and everyone is busy in sense gratification, but when thus engaged one cannot fully understand the value of kṛṣṇa-kathā, either in the form of Bhagavad-gītā or in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
FAQs
This verse calls the Lord’s narrated qualities “bhavauṣadhi,” a medicine for worldly existence, because sincere hearing and glorification purify desire and awaken devotion.
Śukadeva emphasizes that Krishna-kathā is naturally pleasing and spiritually healing; to feel no attraction indicates hardened cruelty and deep impurity, symbolized by violence toward animals.
Regularly hear or read Bhagavatam, choose uplifting kīrtana and discourse, and cultivate compassion (including nonviolence in diet and conduct) so the heart becomes receptive to spiritual taste.