The Lord’s excellence is always extolled by devoted and realised souls. Parikshit is wonderstruck by the untiring recitation of the Bhagavata Purana by Suka, who is the greatest of devotees. So too, Suka is highly impressed by Parikshit’s eagerness to listen to the stories of the Lord. Both have no thought of hunger or thirst when engaged thus, since the nectar of Bhagavata Katha flowing from Suka’s rendering is imbibed by Parikshit, and this keeps both of them totally contented. An important truth about the relevance of punya karma is explicit here, pointed out Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal in a discourse. Listening to the Bhagavata Purana itself is accepted as a form of worship of the Lord in this context, though of course, the purana talks of the phala Sruti to be gained by listening to the episodes in it. This is emphasised keeping in mind the majority who are struggling in samsara and seek relief for their various needs and desires. But both Suka and Parikshit have no goal except to take delight in the various narratives involving the Lord’s incarnations and exploits. Parikshit says that only those who have no good deeds to their credit will not be enthusiastic to listen to His narratives. The Mumukshu who desires moksha, the muktas, the liberated souls, and the realised souls, the jnanis, all long to contemplate on the Lord’s innumerable auspicious qualities that are revealed in His avatars. Though the Vedas proclaim that the Supreme Brahman is “is beyond human thought and speech”, ‘yatha vacho nivartanthe,’ still, He is realised by pure souls in their inner being. So, to enable the less realised jivatmas to know the Truth of the saying, ‘He who is birthless is born and takes many forms’, these stories are very necessary. Posterity is thus blessed with this invaluable gift that gives us all the chance to savour His infinite glories.
