Shloka 23
Questions by the Sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (Śaunaka’s Inquiries and the Bhāgavata Thesis)
ब्रूहि योगेश्वरे कृष्णे ब्रह्मण्ये धर्मवर्मणि । स्वां काष्ठामधुनोपेते धर्म: कं शरणं गत: ॥ २३ ॥
brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi svāṁ kāṣṭhām adhunopete dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ
ദയവായി പറയുക—യോഗേശ്വരനും ബ്രാഹ്മണഹിതനും ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ കവചവുമായ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ തന്റെ ധാമത്തിലേക്ക് പോയിരിക്കുന്നു; ഇപ്പോൾ ധർമ്മം ആരുടെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചു?
Essentially religion is the prescribed codes enunciated by the Personality of Godhead Himself. Whenever there is gross misuse or neglect of the principles of religion, the Supreme Lord appears Himself to restore religious principles. This is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Here the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya are inquiring about these principles. The reply to this question is given later. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the transcendental sound representation of the Personality of Godhead, and thus it is the full representation of transcendental knowledge and religious principles.
FAQs
The sages ask Sūta Gosvāmī this because Kṛṣṇa is described as the very protector of dharma; after His departure, they want to know the new refuge and sustaining principle for dharma in the age of Kali.
At Naimiṣāraṇya, the sages are beginning a long sacrifice for the welfare of the world and seek authoritative guidance; therefore they question Sūta, the qualified narrator, about the state of dharma after Kṛṣṇa’s return to His abode.
When righteousness seems to decline, one should consciously seek authentic shelter in the Lord’s teachings and saintly guidance, rather than relying on unstable worldly supports.