Shloka 19
Questions by the Sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (Śaunaka’s Inquiries and the Bhāgavata Thesis)
वयं तु न वितृप्याम उत्तमश्लोकविक्रमे । यच्छृण्वतां रसज्ञानां स्वादु स्वादु पदे पदे ॥ १९ ॥
vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma uttama-śloka-vikrame yac-chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ svādu svādu pade pade
ഉത്തമശ്ലോകനായ ഭഗവാന്റെ വീര്യലീലകൾ കേട്ടിട്ടും ഞങ്ങൾ ഒരിക്കലും തൃപ്തരാകുന്നില്ല; രസജ്ഞർക്ക് കേൾക്കുന്തോറും ഓരോ പദത്തിലും കൂടുതൽ മധുരം അനുഭവപ്പെടുന്നു.
There is a great difference between mundane stories, fiction, or history and the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. The histories of the whole universe contain references to the pastimes of the incarnations of the Lord. The Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata, and the Purāṇas are histories of bygone ages recorded in connection with the pastimes of the incarnations of the Lord and therefore remain fresh even after repeated readings. For example, anyone may read Bhagavad-gītā or the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam repeatedly throughout his whole life and yet find in them new light of information. Mundane news is static whereas transcendental news is dynamic, inasmuch as the spirit is dynamic and matter is static. Those who have developed a taste for understanding the transcendental subject matter are never tired of hearing such narrations. One is quickly satiated by mundane activities, but no one is satiated by transcendental or devotional activities. Uttama-śloka indicates that literature which is not meant for nescience. Mundane literature is in the mode of darkness or ignorance, whereas transcendental literature is quite different. Transcendental literature is above the mode of darkness, and its light becomes more luminous with progressive reading and realization of the transcendental subject matter. The so-called liberated persons are never satisfied by the repetition of the words ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Such artificial realization of Brahman becomes hackneyed, and so to relish real pleasure they turn to the narrations of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Those who are not so fortunate turn to altruism and worldly philanthropy. This means the Māyāvāda philosophy is mundane, whereas the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is transcendental.
FAQs
Because the Lord’s pastimes carry spiritual rasa; when heard with faith and attentiveness, the heart’s taste for devotion awakens, making the same narrations ever-fresh rather than repetitive.
They were requesting Suta to continue narrating the Lord’s glories, expressing that true devotees never tire of hearing about Uttamashloka’s deeds.
Schedule regular listening/reading of Bhagavatam, revisit the same sections with reflection, and hear in saintly association—consistent śravaṇam gradually deepens taste and steadiness in bhakti.