Shloka 4
Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent
Prelude to Prahlāda’s History
श्रीऋषिरुवाच साधु पृष्टं महाराज हरेश्चरितमद्भुतम् । यद् भागवतमाहात्म्यं भगवद्भक्तिवर्धनम् ॥ ४ ॥ गीयते परमं पुण्यमृषिभिर्नारदादिभि: । नत्वा कृष्णाय मुनये कथयिष्ये हरे: कथाम् ॥ ५ ॥
śrī-ṛṣir uvāca sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ mahārāja hareś caritam adbhutam yad bhāgavata-māhātmyaṁ bhagavad-bhakti-vardhanam
શ્રીઋષિ બોલ્યા—હે મહારાજ, તમે અતિ ઉત્તમ પ્રશ્ન કર્યો છે; હરિના અદ્ભુત ચરિત્રો અને શ્રીમદ્ ભાગવતનું માહાત્મ્ય ભગવદ્-ભક્તિ વધારનાર છે. આ પરમ પુણ્ય નારદાદિ ઋષિઓ ગાય છે; કૃષ્ણદ્વૈપાયન વ્યાસમુનિને નમસ્કાર કરીને હવે હું હરિ-કથા કહું છું।
In this verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī offers his respectful obeisances kṛṣṇāya munaye, which means to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. One must first offer one’s respectful obeisances to one’s spiritual master. Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s spiritual master is his father, Vyāsadeva, and therefore he first offers his respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa and then begins describing topics of Lord Hari.
FAQs
This verse states that the Bhāgavatam’s glory lies in increasing devotion to the Lord; hearing Hari’s wondrous pastimes nourishes bhakti.
Because Parīkṣit’s inquiry centers on Hari’s adbhuta-carita and the Bhāgavatam’s māhātmya—topics that directly awaken and expand pure devotion.
Prioritize regular śravaṇa (hearing) of Bhāgavatam and Hari-kathā, since devotion grows by consistently engaging the mind and heart in the Lord’s narrations.