Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 5: The Creative Impetus

Chapter 6: The Activities of Lord Rishabhadeva. Text 16

इति ह स्म सकलवेदलोकदेवब्राह्मणगवां परमगुरोर्भगवत ऋषभाख्यस्य
विशुद्धाचरितमीरितं पुंसां समस्तदुश्चरिताभिहरणं परममहा
मङ्गलायनमिदमनुश्रद्धयोपचितयानुशृणोत्याश्रावयति वावहितो भगवति
तस्मिन् वासुदेव एकान्ततो भक्तिरनयोरपि समनुवर्तते ॥१६॥

iti ha sma sakala-veda-loka-deva-brÄhmaṇa-gavÄá¹ parama-guror bhagavata ṛṣabhÄkhyasya viÅ›uddhÄcaritam Ä«ritaá¹ puá¹sÄá¹ samasta-duÅ›caritÄbhiharaṇaá¹ parama-mahÄ-maá¹…galÄyanam idam anuÅ›raddhayopacitayÄnuśṛṇoty ÄÅ›rÄvayati vÄvahito bhagavati tasmin vÄsudeva ekÄntato bhaktir anayor api samanuvartate

 iti - thus; ha sma - indeed; sakala - all; veda - of knowledge; loka - of people in general; deva - of the demigods; brÄhmaṇa - of the brÄhmaṇas; gavÄm - of the cows; parama - the supreme; guroḥ - master; bhagavataḥ - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; á¹›á¹£abha-Äkhyasya - whose name was Lord Ṛṣabhadeva; viÅ›uddha - pure; Äcaritam - activities; Ä«ritam - now explained; puá¹sÄm - of every living entity; samasta - all; duÅ›carita - sinful activities; abhiharaṇam - destroying; parama - foremost; mahÄ - great; maá¹…gala - of auspiciousness; ayanam - the shelter; idam - this; anuÅ›raddhayÄ - with faith; upacitayÄ - increasing; anuśṛṇoti - hears from the authority; ÄÅ›rÄvayati - speaks to others; vÄ - or; avahitaḥ - being attentive; bhagavati - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasmin - unto Him; vÄsudeve - to Lord VÄsudeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa; eka-antataḥ - unflinching; bhaktiḥ - devotion; anayoḥ - of both groups, the listeners and the speakers; api - certainly; samanuvartate - factually begins.


Text

Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« continued: Lord Ṛṣabhadeva is the master of all Vedic knowledge, human beings, demigods, cows and brÄhmaṇas. I have already explained His pure, transcendental activities, which will vanquish the sinful activities of all living entities. This narration of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s pastimes is the reservoir of all auspicious things. Whoever attentively hears or speaks of them, following in the footsteps of the ÄcÄryas, will certainly attain unalloyed devotional service at the lotus feet of Lord VÄsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Purport

The teachings of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva are for the people of all yugas — Satya-yuga, TretÄ-yuga, DvÄpara-yuga and especially Kali-yuga. These instructions are so powerful that even in this Age of Kali, one can attain perfection simply by explaining the instructions, following in the footsteps of the ÄcÄryas or listening to the instructions with great attention. If one does so, one can attain the platform of pure devotional service to Lord VÄsudeva. The pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees are recorded in ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam so that those who recite these pastimes and listen to them will become purified. Nityaá¹ bhÄgavata-sevayÄ. As a matter of principle, devotees should read, speak and hear ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam persistently, twenty-four hours daily if possible. That is the recommendation of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. KÄ«rtanÄ«yaḥ sadÄ hariḥ. One should either chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra or read ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam and thereby try to understand the characteristics and instructions of the Supreme Lord, who appeared as Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, Lord Kapila and Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way one can become fully aware of the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ, one who knows the transcendental nature of the Lord’s birth and activities attains liberation from material bondage and returns to Godhead.