Shloka 21
Nārada’s Instruction to Vyāsa: The Defect of Bhakti-less Literature and the Mandate of Kṛṣṇa-kathā
त्वमात्मनात्मानमवेह्यमोघदृक् परस्य पुंस: परमात्मन: कलाम् । अजं प्रजातं जगत: शिवाय त- न्महानुभावाभ्युदयोऽधिगण्यताम् ॥ २१ ॥
tvam ātmanātmānam avehy amogha-dṛk parasya puṁsaḥ paramātmanaḥ kalām ajaṁ prajātaṁ jagataḥ śivāya tan mahānubhāvābhyudayo ’dhigaṇyatām
Your vision is flawless. You can know the Supreme Paramātmā, for you are present as the Lord’s plenary portion. Though unborn, you have appeared for the welfare of the world; therefore describe more vividly the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Śrīla Vyāsadeva is the empowered plenary portion incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He descended by his causeless mercy to deliver the fallen souls in the material world. The fallen and forgotten souls are detached from the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The living entities are parts and parcels of the Lord, and they are eternally servitors of the Lord. All the Vedic literatures, therefore, are put into systematic order for the benefit of the fallen souls, and it is the duty of the fallen souls to take advantage of such literatures and be freed from the bondage of material existence. Although formally Śrīla Nārada Ṛṣi is his spiritual master, Śrīla Vyāsadeva is not at all dependent on a spiritual master because in essence he is the spiritual master of everyone else. But because he is doing the work of an ācārya, he has taught us by his own conduct that one must have a spiritual master, even though he be God Himself. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Rāma and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all incarnations of Godhead, accepted formal spiritual masters, although by Their transcendental nature They were cognizant of all knowledge. In order to direct people in general to the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He Himself in the incarnation of Vyāsadeva is delineating the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.
FAQs
It teaches that the Supreme Person exists as Paramātmā, and that a realized sage should understand his identity in relation to that Supreme—here described as a “portion” (kalā) of the Paramātmā.
Nārada is guiding Vyāsa to recognize his spiritual identity and mission: although the sage is unborn in essence, he appears in the world for its welfare, and his true glory is fulfilled by presenting pure devotional revelation.
It encourages self-realization and purposeful living: know the self in relation to the Supreme, and use one’s abilities for the welfare and upliftment of others through spiritually beneficial work.