śrī-uddhava uvāca
jñānaṁ viśuddhaṁ vipulaṁ yathaitad
vairāgya-vijñāna-yutaṁ purāṇam
ākhyāhi viśveśvara viśva-mūrte
tvad-bhakti-yogaṁ ca mahad-vimṛgyam
śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca - Śrī Uddhava said; jñānam - knowledge; viśuddham - transcendental; vipulam - extensive; yathā - just as; etat - this; vairagya - detachment; vijñāna - and direct perception of the truth; yutam - including; purāṇam - traditional among great philosophers; ākhyāhi - please explain; viśva-īśvara - O Lord of the universe; viśva-mūrte - O form of the universe; tvat - unto You; bhakti-yogam - loving devotional service; ca - also; mahat - by great souls; vimṛgyam - sought after.
Those who are able to cross over the darkness of material existence are called mahat, or great personalities. Secondary items like cosmic consciousness or universal control do not deviate the attention of such great souls from loving service to the Lord. Śrī Uddhava desires to hear knowledge of the eternal religious principles that are the traditional aim and objective of all superior personalities.