Shloka 23
Parīkṣit’s Vow on the Gaṅgā and the Advent of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
समागता: सर्वत एव सर्वे वेदा यथा मूर्तिधरास्त्रिपृष्ठे । नेहाथ नामुत्र च कश्चनार्थ ऋते परानुग्रहमात्मशीलम् ॥ २३ ॥
samāgatāḥ sarvata eva sarve vedā yathā mūrti-dharās tri-pṛṣṭhe nehātha nāmutra ca kaścanārtha ṛte parānugraham ātma-śīlam
Wika ng Hari: “O mga dakilang rishi, kayo’y nagtipon dito nang may habag, mula sa lahat ng panig ng sansinukob. Kayo’y tulad ng mga Veda na nagkatawang-tao, na nananahan sa Satyaloka sa ibabaw ng tatlong daigdig. Likas sa inyo ang magbigay-biyaya sa iba; bukod dito, wala kayong pansariling hangarin, sa buhay na ito man o sa susunod.”
Six kinds of opulences, namely wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, are all originally the different attributes pertaining to the Absolute Personality of Godhead. The living beings, who are part-and-parcel entities of the Supreme Being, have all these attributes partially, up to the full strength of seventy-eight percent. In the material world these attributes (up to seventy-eight percent of the Lord’s attributes) are covered by the material energy, as the sun is covered by a cloud. The covered strength of the sun is very dim, compared to the original glare, and similarly the original color of the living beings with such attributes becomes almost extinct. There are three planetary systems, namely the lower worlds, the intermediate worlds and the upper worlds. The human beings on earth are situated at the beginning of the intermediate worlds, but living beings like Brahmā and his contemporaries live in the upper worlds, of which the topmost is Satyaloka. In Satyaloka the inhabitants are fully cognizant of Vedic wisdom, and thus the mystic cloud of material energy is cleared. Therefore they are known as the Vedas personified. Such persons, being fully aware of knowledge both mundane and transcendental, have no interest in either the mundane or transcendental worlds. They are practically desireless devotees. In the mundane world they have nothing to achieve, and in the transcendental world they are full in themselves. Then why do they come to the mundane world? They descend to different planets as messiahs by the order of the Lord to deliver the fallen souls. On the earth they come down and do good to the people of the world in different circumstances under different climatic influences. They have nothing to do in this world save and except reclaim the fallen souls rotting in material existence, deluded by material energy.
FAQs
This verse says a genuine, self-controlled saint has no selfish goal in this world or the next; his only purpose is para-anugraha—showing mercy by guiding others toward spiritual realization.
Because Śukadeva Gosvāmī is portrayed as the living essence of Vedic wisdom; his presence is like the Vedas taking a visible form to deliver their meaning directly to Parīkṣit and the assembled sages.
Live with self-discipline and use your knowledge, time, and speech to uplift others—share authentic spiritual teachings, encourage hearing and chanting, and act without selfish expectation.