Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 4

1. History of Vyasdev Srimad-BhagavatamCanto 1 Chapter 4 Text 13-18

2. Text 13 • tat sarvaà naù samäcakñva 
påñöo yad iha kiïcana 
manye tväà viñaye väcäà 
snätam anyatra chändasät • We know that you are expert in the meaning of all subjects, except some portions of the Vedas, and thus you can clearly explain the answers to all the questions we have just put to you.

3. Difference between Brahmana and Parivrajakacharya. • The difference between the Vedas and the Puräëas is like that between the brähmaëas and the parivräjakas. • The brähmaëas are meant to administer some fruitive sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas, but the parivräjakäcäryas, or learned preachers, are meant to disseminate transcendental knowledge to one and all. • There is no difference also between the Vedic mantras and what is explained in the Puräëas and Itihäsa. • Çrémad-Bhägavatam on the contrary, it is the ripened fruit of all the Vedas. • Realization is more important than parrotlike chanting.

4. Text 14-16 • süta uväca • dväpare samanupräpte tåtéye yuga-paryaye 
jätaù paräçaräd yogé väsavyäà kalayä hareù • sa kadäcit sarasvatyä upaspåçya jalaà çuciù 
vivikta eka äséna udite ravi-maëòale • parävara-jïaù sa åñiù kälenävyakta-raàhasä 
yuga-dharma-vyatikaraà präptaà bhuvi yuge yuge • Süta Gosvämé said: When the second millennium overlapped the third, the great sage [Vyäsadeva] was born to Paräçara in the womb of Satyavaté, the daughter of Vasu. Once upon a time he [Vyäsadeva], as the sun rose, took his morning ablution in the waters of the Sarasvaté and sat alone to concentrate. The great sage Vyäsadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to unseen forces in the course of time.

5. History of Vyasdev • There is a chronological order of the four millenniums, namely Satya, Dväpara, Tretä and Kali. But sometimes there is overlapping. • The River Sarasvaté is flowing in the Badarikäçrama area of the Himalayas. So the place indicated here is Çamyäpräsa in Badarikäçrama, where Çré Vyäsadeva is residing. • The great sages like Vyäsadeva are liberated souls, and therefore they can see clearly past and future • Thus he could see the future anomalies in the Kali age, and accordingly he made arrangement for the people in general so that they can execute a progressive life in this age, which is full of darkness. • The people in general in this age of Kali are too much interested in matter, which is temporary. Because of ignorance they are unable to evaluate the assets of life and be enlightened in spiritual knowledge.

6. Text 17-18 • The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see, through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life. • bhautikänäà ca bhävänäà 
çakti-hräsaà ca tat-kåtam 
açraddadhänän niùsattvän 
durmedhän hrasitäyuñaù • durbhagäàç ca janän vékñya 
munir divyena cakñuñä 
sarva-varëäçramäëäà yad 
dadhyau hitam amogha-dåk

7. Transcendentalists - The greatest philanthropists • The unmanifested forces of time are so powerful that they reduce all matter to oblivion in due course. • The great sage Vyäsadeva could see this by his transcendental vision. As an astrologer can see the future fate of a man, or an astronomer can foretell the solar and lunar eclipses, those liberated souls who can see through the scriptures can foretell the future of all mankind. They can see this due to their sharp vision of spiritual attainment. • And all such transcendentalists, who are naturally devotees of the Lord, are always eager to render welfare service to the people in general. They are the real friends of the people in general, not the so-called public leaders who are unable to see what is going to happen five minutes ahead. • The greatest philanthropists are the transcendentalists.