# SB 1.2.3 > यः स्वानुभावमखिलश्रुतिसारमेकमध्यात्मदीपमतितितीर्षतां तमोऽन्धम् । > संसारिणां करुणयाह पुराणगुह्यं तं व्याससूनुमुपयामि गुरुं मुनीनाम् ॥३॥ ## Text > yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam > adhyātma-dīpam atititīrṣatāṁ tamo 'ndham > saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyaṁ > taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām ## Synonyms *yaḥ*—he who; *sva-anubhāvam*—self-assimilated (experienced); *akhila*—all around; *śruti*—the *Vedas*; *sāram*—cream; *ekam*—the only one; *adhyātma*—transcendental; *dīpam*—torchlight; *atititīrṣatām*—desiring to overcome; *tamaḥ andham*—deeply dark material existence; *saṁsāriṇām*—of the materialistic men; *karuṇayā*—out of causeless mercy; *āha*—said; *purāṇa*—supplement to the *Vedas*; *guhyam*—very confidential; *tam*—unto him; *vyāsa-sūnum*—the son of Vyāsadeva; *upayāmi*—let me offer my obeisances; *gurum*—the spiritual master; *munīnām*—of the great sages. ## Translation **Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him [Śuka], the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyāsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience.** ## Purport In this prayer, Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī practically summarizes the complete introduction of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the natural supplementary commentary on the *Vedānta-sūtras.* The *Vedānta-sūtras,* or the *Brahma-sūtras,* were compiled by Vyāsadeva with a view to presenting just the cream of Vedic knowledge. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the natural commentary on this cream. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a thoroughly realized master of the *Vedānta-sūtra,* and consequently he also personally realized the commentary, *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* And just to show his boundless mercy upon bewildered materialistic men who want to cross completely over nescience, he recited for the first time this confidential knowledge. There is no point in arguing that a materialistic man can be happy. No materialistic creature—be he the great Brahmā or an insignificant ant—can be happy. Everyone tries to make a permanent plan for happiness, but everyone is baffled by the laws of material nature. Therefore the materialistic world is called the darkest region of God's creation. Yet the unhappy materialists can get out of it simply by desiring to get out. Unfortunately they are so foolish that they do not want to escape. Therefore they are compared to the camel who relishes thorny twigs because he likes the taste of the twigs mixed with blood. He does not realize that it is his own blood and that his tongue is being cut by the thorns. Similarly, to the materialist his own blood is as sweet as honey, and although he is always harassed by his own material creations, he does not wish to escape. Such materialists are called *karmīs.* Out of hundreds of thousands of *karmīs,* only a few may feel tired of material engagement and desire to get out of the labyrinth. Such intelligent persons are called *jñānīs.* The *Vedānta-sūtra* is directed to such *jñānīs.* But Śrīla Vyāsadeva, being the incarnation of the Supreme Lord, could foresee the misuse of the *Vedānta-sūtra* by unscrupulous men, and, therefore, he personally supplemented the *Vedānta-sūtra* with the *Bhāgavata Purāṇa.* It is clearly said that this *Bhāgavatam* is the original commentary on the *Brahma-sūtras.* Śrīla Vyāsadeva also instructed the *Bhāgavatam* to his own son, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was already at the liberated stage of transcendence. Śrīla Śukadeva realized it personally and then explained it. By the mercy of Śrīla Śukadeva, the *Bhāgavata-vedānta-sūtra* is available for all those sincere souls who want to get out of material existence. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the one unrivaled commentary on *Vedānta-sūtra.* Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya intentionally did not touch it because he knew that the natural commentary would be difficult for him to surpass. He wrote his *Śārīraka-bhāṣya,* and his so-called followers deprecated the *Bhāgavatam* as some "new" presentation. One should not be misled by such propaganda directed against the *Bhāgavatam* by the Māyāvāda school. From this introductory *śloka,* the beginning student should know that *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the only transcendental literature meant for those who are *paramahaṁsas* and completely freed from the material disease called malice. The Māyāvādīs are envious of the Personality of Godhead despite Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya's admission that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is above the material creation. The envious Māyāvādī cannot have access to the *Bhāgavatam,* but those who are really anxious to get out of this material existence may take shelter of this *Bhāgavatam* because it is uttered by the liberated Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is the transcendental torchlight by which one can see perfectly the transcendental Absolute Truth realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.