← Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1962)

Chapter 1: Questions by the Sages

Verse 21 of 23
SB 1.1.21

kalim āgatam ājñāya kṣetre 'smin vaiṣṇave vayam āsīnā dīrgha-satreṇa kathāyāṁ sakṣaṇā hareḥ

Synonyms

kalimthe age of Kali (iron age of quarrel) Agatam—having arrived; āgatamknowing this; ājñāyain this tract of land; kṣetrespecially meant for the devotee of the Lord; asminwe; vaiṣṇaveseated; vayamprolonged; āsīnāfor performance of sacrifices; dīrghawith time at our disposal; satreṇain the words of; kathāyāmof the Personality of Godhead.

Translation

Knowing it well that the age of Kali has already begun we are assembled here with a prolonged programme for performing sacrifices in the shape of hearing the transcendental message of Godhead.

Purport

This age of Kali is not at all suitable for self realisation as it was done in the Satya yuga (Golden age) or as it was possible to be performed in the Treta or Dwapara yugas (silver and copper age). For self realisation, the people in the Satya Yuoga, when the duration of life was for one lac of years, the people would have it by performances of prolonged meditation. The same was attained in the Tretayuga (when the duration of life was for ten thousands of years) by performances of great sacrifices. In the Dwapara Yug (when the duration of life was for one thousand of years) the same thing was attained by worshiping the Lord. But in the Kali Yuga the maximum duration of life being one hundred years only and that also combined with various difficulties,—the process of self realisation is recommended by hearing and chanting the holy Name, Fame and Pastimes of the Lord. The sages of Naimisharanya began this process in that specific land for the devotees of the Lord. They became ready for hearing for a prolonged time even for one thousand of years as the programme was so made. From the examples of the sages at Naimisharanya it should be learnt by those who want to make a prefection of self-realisation that regular recitation of the Bhagwatam and regular hearing thereof are the only way for self-realisation. Other attempts will be simply waste of time without any tangible result. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached this system of Bhagwat Dharma and He recommended all those who are born in India to take up the responsibility of broadcasting the messages of Lord Sri Krishna. Primarily the message of Lord Sri Krishna is the Bhagwat Geeta and when one is well established in the teachings of the Bhagwat Geeta one can take up the study of Srimad Bhagwatam for further enlightenment in self-realisation.

Verse 21 of 23
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