नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ ४

nÄrÄyaṇaá¹ namaská¹›tya
naraá¹ caiva narottamam
devÄ«á¹ sarasvatÄ«á¹ vyÄsaá¹
tato jayam udīrayet

6 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: LSB(3) , TLKS(3)

 nÄrÄyaṇam - the Personality of Godhead; namaḥ-ká¹›tya - after offering respectful obeisances; naram ca eva - and NÄrÄyaṇa Ṛṣi; nara-uttamam - the supermost human being; devÄ«m - the goddess; sarasvatÄ«m - the mistress of learning; vyÄsam - VyÄsadeva; tataḥ - thereafter; jayam - all that is meant for conquering; udÄ«rayet - be announced.


Text

Before reciting this ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, NÄrÄyaṇa, unto Nara-nÄrÄyaṇa Ṛṣi, the supermost human being, unto mother SarasvatÄ«, the goddess of learning, and unto ÅšrÄ«la VyÄsadeva, the author.

Purport

All the Vedic literatures and the PurÄṇas are meant for conquering the darkest region of material existence. The living being is in the state of forgetfulness of his relation with God due to his being overly attracted to material sense gratification from time immemorial. His struggle for existence in the material world is perpetual, and it is not possible for him to get out of it by making plans. If he at all wants to conquer this perpetual struggle for existence, he must reestablish his eternal relation with God. And one who wants to adopt such remedial measures must take shelter of literatures such as the Vedas and the PurÄṇas. Foolish people say that the PurÄṇas have no connection with the Vedas. However, the PurÄṇas are supplementary explanations of the Vedas intended for different types of men. All men are not equal. There are men who are conducted by the mode of goodness, others who are under the mode of passion and others who are under the mode of ignorance. The PurÄṇas are so divided that any class of men can take advantage of them and gradually regain their lost position and get out of the hard struggle for existence. ÅšrÄ«la SÅ«ta GosvÄmÄ« shows the way of chanting the PurÄṇas. This may be followed by persons who aspire to be preachers of the Vedic literatures and the PurÄṇas. ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam is the spotless PurÄṇa, and it is especially meant for them who desire to get out of the material entanglement permanently.