The 61st practice of Sadhana is to taste the objective of the Shrimad Bhagavatam.

Rupa Goswami quotes the third text of the Bhagavatam to glorify and explain this practice.

nigama-kalpa-taror-galitaM phalaM shuka-mukhAd-amrita-drava-saMyutam | pibata bhAgavataM rasam-AlayaM muhur aho rasikA bhuvi bhAvukAH || 225 ||

"The very ripe fruit of the Vedic desire tree, pierced by the beak of a parrot, has become liquid-soft, as sweet as nectar, and totally perfect. Connoisseurs of the world's beauty and poetry should drink it's divine juice again and again, without cessation!"

The author of this shloka compares Vedic scriptures ("nigama") to "wish-fulfilling trees" ("kalpa-taru") because they fulfill all wishes for pleasure, achievement, righteousness, and liberation (kAma, artha, dharma, mokSa). The author then compares the SHrImad BhAgavatam to the fruit ("phala") of that tree. All the energies of a tree culminate in it's fruit. Similarly the four types of human desires mentioned above, culminate in the fifth desire: love of Godhead (kriSNa-prema).

Comparing SHrImad BhAgavatam to the fruit of the Vedic desire tree indicates that it bestows the culmination of all wishes - love of Godhead.

Furthermore, the author describes the fruit as being so ripe that it oozes and drips on the ground ("galitam"). This indicates that SHrimad BhAgavatam is overflowing with love of Godhead. The BhAgavatam-fruit is so "ripe" or mature because it was the final scripture composed by SHrI VyAsa, after his realization of Godhead and reality became fully mature.

Next, the author states that this fruit was pierced by the beak of a parrot ("shuka-mukhAt") and from that incident became even riper, attaining an almost liquid state ('drava") as sweet as nectar ("amrita") and totally perfect, without skin or pit ("samyuta"). The "parrot" (shuka) here is SHuka-deva Goswami, who "pierced" the BhAgavatam with his mouth when he spoke it to King ParIkSit, embellishing and perfecting it, by (1) making it "liquid-soft," or easily swallowed and appreciated by all, (2) making it as sweet as nectar by infusing it's words with his own deep love of Godhead, and (3) removing any remaining pit or skin of jnana (pursuit of liberation) or karma (pursuit of pleasure, achievement, or righteousness). The SHrImad BhAgavatam as spoken by SHukadeva Goswami is thus nothing but relishable love of Godhead.

Connoisseurs of beauty and poetry ("rasika-bhAvuka") should drink the "BhAgavatam-rasa" - the divine juice of SHrimad BhAgavatam. They will find it so pleasurable that they will not be able to stop, and will thus drink again and again ("muhur"), without cessation ("Alayam").

By stating that the rasikA and the bhAvuka will taste BhAgavatam-rasa, the author implies that only the Krishna-bhakta who is a connoisseur appreciative of BhAva-bhakti can properly read or speak SHrImad BhAgavatam. But, by using the word bhuvI the author also implies that BhAgavatam spoken by such a rasikA has the potential to attract even connoisseurs of worldly beauty and poetry.

By stating that one will relish the juice of the BhAgavatam-fruit without cessation (Alayam), the author implies that the love of Godhead described within SHrImad BhAgavatam continues to attract the soul even after he or she attains immortality through liberation.

This love of Godhead is the objective or aim of SHrImad BhAgavatam. To taste the love of Godhead within SHrImad BhAgavatam is the 61st practice of SAdhana. This is most effectively done when one hears the BhAgavatam from a person who, like SHukadeva Goswami, is imbued with love of Godhead.

© CHAKRA 1-May-2000

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