Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 13
Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct Citraketu: Impermanence, Ātma-Tattva, and Mantra-Upadeśa
कुमारो नारद ऋभुरङ्गिरा देवलोऽसित: । अपान्तरतमा व्यासो मार्कण्डेयोऽथ गौतम: ॥ १२ ॥ वसिष्ठो भगवान् राम: कपिलो बादरायणि: । दुर्वासा याज्ञवल्क्यश्च जातुकर्णस्तथारुणि: ॥ १३ ॥ रोमशश्च्यवनो दत्त आसुरि: सपतञ्जलि: । ऋषिर्वेदशिरा धौम्यो मुनि: पञ्चशिखस्तथा ॥ १४ ॥ हिरण्यनाभ: कौशल्य: श्रुतदेव ऋतध्वज: । एते परे च सिद्धेशाश्चरन्ति ज्ञानहेतव: ॥ १५ ॥
kumāro nārada ṛbhur aṅgirā devalo ’sitaḥ apāntaratamā vyāso mārkaṇḍeyo ’tha gautamaḥ
噢诸位大德，我曾听闻：为教化被无明遮蔽的众生，许多圆满的悉地者行走于世间——如善住童子（萨那特·库玛罗）、那罗陀、利布、安祇罗、提婆罗、阿悉多、阿般多罗多摩（即毗耶娑）、马尔坎德耶、瞿昙、婆悉吒、薄伽梵帕罗修罗摩、迦毗罗、舒迦提婆、杜尔婆萨、雅吉那瓦尔迦、阇都迦尔那与阿鲁尼；又有罗摩沙、契婆那、达塔特雷耶、阿苏利、帕坦伽利、如吠陀之首的道弥亚仙人、般遮尸佉、希兰尼亚那婆、考沙利亚、舒鲁提提婆与利陀陀瓦阇等。二位必定也在其列。
The word jñāna-hetavaḥ is very significant because great personalities like those listed in these verses wander on the surface of the globe not to mislead the populace, but to distribute real knowledge. Without this knowledge, human life is wasted. The human form of life is meant for realization of one’s relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. One who lacks this knowledge is categorized among the animals. The Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.15) :
FAQs
Śukadeva Gosvāmī lists renowned ṛṣis and siddhas to show that perfected saints roam the worlds to awaken spiritual knowledge in conditioned souls.
In the context of Citraketu’s narrative, the Bhāgavatam emphasizes that divine guidance often comes through saintly persons who appear to instruct, correct, and elevate one toward realization.
Seek genuine sadhu-saṅga, hear śāstra from authentic teachers, and cultivate humility—recognizing that true wisdom is transmitted through realized devotees and disciplined hearing.