Chapter 1
The Meeting of Bhakti and Narad

When Shukadevji who had become free from the reactions of all his karmas and whose even upanayan samskara had not yet been performed walked away giving up everything, then Vyasji, being bewildered by the separation, called him (by shouting), "O son!"  At that time, the trees had replied on behalf of Shukadevji (because Shukadevji did not even care reply. So, the trees might have replied thus:  "O Vyasaji, you are attached to your son, but your son is not attached to anything or anyone except Krishna.  Therefore, he will not come back with you.)  I (the speaker who tells us this) bow down to that Sri Shukadevji who knows the minds of all creatures.1

 Muni Shaunak who an was expert in relishing the taste of the katha-nectar bowed down to the highly intelligent Soota who was seated in the Naimisharanya and asked,2 "O Soota, you are as capable and brilliant as millions of suns in destroying the darkness of ignorance. Please tell me the katha which gives bliss to my ears. How does the discretion acquired by devotion, knowledge, and detachment increase; and how do Vishnu bhaktas get rid of illusion and passion?  People have acquired demoniac nature due to the arrival of this terrible Kali yuga. Then, what is the best way to purify people who are unhappy because of the worldly miseries?  Please tell me the way which is best of all the way of spiritual progress, which is the most pious of all the pious ways, and with which one always obtains Sri Krishna. Chintamani gives worldly pleasures when pleased; Indra gives the wealth of the heaven when pleased; and guru (spiritual master,) when pleased, gives Vaikuntha which is difficult to achieve even for the yogis."3-7

Soota said:  O Shaunak!  Your heart abounds in love. Therefore, I tell you, after pondering, the (spiritual) way which has been approved by all principles, which removes fear of the worldly entanglements, which increases the flow of devotion, and which is the root cause of pleasing Sri Krishna. Listen with attention.8-9

 Sri Shukadevji has recommended the 'Srimad Bhagavat' scripture (as a spiritual way) to destroy the fear of becoming the victim of the Kali yuga. This is the only way to purify the mind. One gets the benefit of the Bhagavat if he has acquired punya (righteous deeds) of (his) many previous births.  When Sri Shukadevji sat in the assembly to narrate the katha to Parixit, the demigods came there with a pot of nectar. The demigods, who were expert in their work, prayed with folded hands to Shukadevji, 'Give us the katha-nectar in exchange for this nectar.  After the exchange, let King Parixit drink this nectar, and we all will drink the katha-nectar of Srimad Bhagavat.'10-14

 Then Shukadevji thought, 'In this world, how can we compare the preciousness of the katha with that of the nectar?  The value of a diamond cannot be compared with the value of a piece of glass.'  Thinking thus, he ridiculed the demigods; and thinking them to be non-devotees, he did not give them katha-nectar. Thus, the Srimad Bhagavat katha listening is not readily available even for the demigods.15-16
 

 In ancient times, Lord Brahma was surprised when he saw that King Parixit had achieved salvation by just listening Srimad Bhagavat. And then, using a balance, he had weighed all the (different) means (of achieving salvation) in the Satyaloka.17  At that time, all the other means were found to be lighter than the means of the Srimad Bhagavat. Knowing this, all the rishis were extremely astonished.  They were convinced that Srimad Bhagavat is the manifestation of the Supreme Lord on the earth; and by reading or hearing it, one goes to Vaikuntha instantly.  It always bestows salvation by hearing it just for  seven days. In the past, kind Sanat Kumaras had narrated the Bhagavat to Narad Muni.  Although Devarshi Narad had heard it from Brahma, the procedure of saptaaha had been told to him by Sanat Kumaras.18-21

 Shaunak said:  How Narad, who is eager to cause fights among people and who is always wandering, got lovingly interested in listening the procedure of the saptaaha; and where he met the Sanat Kumaras?22

 Soota said:  In this matter, I will tell you a katha (story) full of devotion.  Shukadevji, knowing me to be his disciple, had told me this katha in a secluded place. Once the four holy Sanat Kumaras came for satsang (holy discourse) to Badrikashram and there they saw Narad.23-24

 Sanat Kumaras said:  O Narad, why is your face so sad?  Why are you full of anxiety?  Where are you going in such a hurry, and from where have you come?  You look like an empty minded person whose wealth is gone.  This does not befit you who are free from all associations.  Please explain the reason for this. 25-26

 Narad said:  I had gone to earth knowing it was as the best planet, and I went to many pilgrim places like Pushkara, Prayaga, Kashi, Godavari, Harikshetra, Kurukshetra, Shriranga, and Setubandha; but I did not see any happiness satisfying the mind. Nowadays Kali yuga, the friend of irreligious, has made the earth unhappy.  There is no truth, austerity, piousness, mercy, or charity there.  The people are observed to be selfish, poor, liars, lazy, stupid, unlucky, and unhappy.  Even "saintly" people are engaged in irreligious cheating business.  "Recluses" have become householders.  Women are rulers in every house. Brother-in-laws have become the family consultants.  Daughters are being greedily sld. Husbands and wives fight with each other.27-32  Aashramas, pilgrim places, temples and rivers have been occupied by wicked yavans, and many temples have been destroyed by them.33  There is no yogi, siddha, gyani, or a doer of religious activities.  All the religious infra-structure and means to salvation have been destroyed by Kali yuga.34  In Kali yuga, cooked food is being sold, brahmins sell the Vedas, and women engage in sex with any man for money.35  This way, seeing the bad effects of Kali yuga and roaming the earth, I went to the banks of the Yamuna river where Krishna had performed divine acts in His human form.36

 O Worthy Munis, there I saw a wonder. Listen to it.37  A young lady with dejected mind was seated there. Two old men were lying unconsciously in front of her and were breathing with difficulty, and that lady was crying. She was serving them and was trying to awaken them.38  She was looking in all the ten directions for a protector of her body. Hundreds of ladies were fanning her and were trying to comfort her.39  Seeing her from a distance, I went to her out of curiosity. Seeing me, she stood up and spoke the following words in the state of bewilderment.40  The lady said:  O Pious man, stay here for a moment and remove my anxiety. Your super darshan always destroys sins of people. My unhappiness will probably end with your words. If one has great luck, he gets your darshan.41-42  Narad said:  O goddess, who are you?  Who are these two men; and O lotus-eyed, who are these ladies?  What is the cause of your distress?  Tell me in detail.43

The Lady said:  I am known by the name 'Bhakti.' These are my two sons. Their names are 'Gyan' and 'Vairagya,'  and they have become old due to time.44  These ladies are the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, etc. and have come to serve Mme. The demigods serve me, but still I am not happy.  O man whose wealth is his austerity, now listen about my anxiety. It is a long story, but please listen and give me happiness.45-46  I was born in Dravid country, and grew in some places in Karnatak and Maharashtra; but in Gujarat, I became old.  There, because of the terrible Kali yuga, irreligion broke my limbs. Therefore, my two sons and I have been weak for a long time. But now just having gone to Vrindavan, I have become extremely beautiful as if rejuvenated.47-49  But my two sons are sleeping here and are experiencing pain due to fatigue, but I want to go to another place.50  I am unhappy because my sons have become old. By what cause did I become old and by what cause did they became old?51  The three of us travel together, yet this oddity has still occurred. A mother should be old and her sons should be young.52  O master of yoga, because of this, I am confused and worried. So, O intelligent man, please tell me what must be the reason for this?  Narad said:  O innocent Bhakti, I have been thinking in my heart, with a torch of knowledge, about the cause of all your unhappiness. Do not worry now. Sri Hari will do what is best for you.53-54

 Soota said:  The great muni Narad, knowing the cause in an instant, spoke these words. Narad said:  O young lady, listen with attention. This Kali yuga is terrible.55  It has destroyed dharma, yoga practice, and austerity. People have become like the demon Aghasur, and therefore they cheat and do demoniac deeds.56  In this yuga religious people suffer and scoundrels enjoy.  Only those intelligent people who have patience are considered learned.57  This earth is gradually becoming unfit to even see or touch, and is becoming simply a burden to Shesha Naga. No place is seen as auspicious.58  Nowadays, no one even looks at you with your sons.  You have become old, rejected by people blinded by lust.59  But you have become rejuvenated by the association of Vridavan. Truly, this Vrindavan is fortunate because you dance there.60  But here, since there is no one interested in you, your two sons do not give up their old age. But still, your sons are experiencing a little bliss here since it appears as though they are sleeping.61

 Sri Bhakti said:  Why did King Parixit keep the impious Kali yuga alive?  Who knows why the importance of all good things vanished as soon as Kali came?62  Why does merciful Sri Hari tolerate Kali?  Please remove my doubts about this. I have become happy with your words.62

 Narad said:  O young girl, listen with love. I shall tell you everything. O spiritual booster, your distress will be gone.63-64  Kali yuga which destroys all spiritual paths has come after Lord Sri Krishna left this earth and went to His abode.65  When King Parixit went on to conquer the world and saw Kali, he surrendered (to Parixit) humbly. So, Parixit thought, 'It is not proper for me to kill this Kali just as a bee takes honey from flower (without destroying it.)'66  By devotion to Krishna in Kali yuga,  people achieve salvation. They cannot not achieve salvation by austerity, yoga, or trance (which are very difficult in Kali yuga.)67  Thus, seeing some worth in Kali which is worthless mostly, Parixit has kept him alive for the happiness of living beings.68  Nowadays, everything has lost importance due to the performance of irreligious acts; and the things on earth have become worthless like a shell without a seed.69  Brahmanas recite Bhagavat katha to everyone at every house due to greed for food. Therefore, the importance of the katha has vanished.70  Even those who do many harsh deeds and are horrible atheists, live in the pilgrim places. Therefore, the importance of pilgrim places has vanished.71  The people whose minds are disturbed by lust, anger, a lot of greed, and desires are performing self-mortification. Therefore, the importance of penance has vanished.72  No one achieves the result of meditation and yoga because of inability to control the mind, greed, hypocrisy, practice of irreligion, and neglecting scriptural study. Even the learned are behaving like bulls with their wives and have become experts in producing sons rather than remaining experts in the attainment of salvation.73-74  Also, institutionalized Vaishnavism in disciplic succession is seen nowhere. In these ways, the importance has gone from everything and everyplace. This is how things happens in Kali yuga. What else can be at fault?  Because of this reason only, the Lord, even though He is very near, tolerates the bad characteristics of Kali.75-76

 Soota said:  O Shaunak, listening to Narada's words, Bhakti again spoke.77  Sri Bhakti said:  O Devarshi, how fortunate you are!  You have come because of my luck. In this world, merely the darshan of a pious person culminates in the attainment of all accomplishments. I bow down to you, O son of Brahma. I bow down to you, the one who recited spiritual discourse to Prahalad only once because of it he conquered maya. I bow down to you, the one by whose mercy Dhruva also acquired his permanent place in the heaven.78-79