# SB 1.3.41 > तदिदं ग्राहयामाससुतमात्मवतां वरम् । > सर्ववेदेतिहासानां सारं सारं समुद्धृतम् ॥४१॥ ## Text > tad idaṁ grāhayām āsa > sutam ātmavatāṁ varam > sarva-vedetihāsānāṁ > sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtam ## Synonyms *tat*—that; *idam*—this; *grāhayām* *āsa*—made to accept; *sutam*—unto his son; *ātmavatām*—of the self-realized; *varam*—most respectful; *sarva*—all; *veda*—Vedic literatures (books of knowledge); *itihāsānām*—of all the histories; *sāram*—cream; *sāram*—cream; *samuddhṛtam*—taken out. ## Translation **Śrī Vyāsadeva delivered it to his son, who is the most respected among the self-realized, after extracting the cream of all Vedic literatures and histories of the universe.** ## Purport Men with a poor fund of knowledge only accept the history of the world from the time of Buddha, or since 600 B.C., and prior to this period all histories mentioned in the scriptures are calculated by them to be only imaginary stories. That is not a fact. All the stories mentioned in the *Purāṇas* and *Mahābhārata,* etc., are actual histories, not only of this planet but also of millions of other planets within the universe. Sometimes the history of planets beyond this world appear to such men to be unbelievable. But they do not know that different planets are not equal in all respects and that therefore some of the historical facts derived from other planets do not correspond with the experience of this planet. Considering the different situation of different planets and also time and circumstances, there is nothing wonderful in the stories of the *Purāṇas,* nor are they imaginary. We should always remember the maxim that one man's food is another man's poison. We should not, therefore, reject the stories and histories of the *Purāṇas* as imaginary. The great *ṛṣis* like Vyāsa had no business putting some imaginary stories in their literatures. In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* historical facts selected from the histories of different planets have been depicted. It is therefore accepted by all the spiritual authorities as the *Mahā-Purāṇa.* The special significance of these histories is that they are all connected with activities of the Lord in a different time and atmosphere. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the topmost personality of all the self-realized souls, and he accepted this as the subject of studies from his father, Vyāsadeva. Śrīla Vyāsadeva is the great authority, and the subject matter of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* being so important, he delivered the message first to his great son Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is compared to the cream of the milk. Vedic literature is like the milk ocean of knowledge. Cream or butter is the most palatable essence of milk, and so also is *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* for it contains all palatable, instructive and authentic versions of different activities of the Lord and His devotees. There is no gain, however, in accepting the message of *Bhāgavatam* from the unbelievers, atheists and professional reciters who make a trade of *Bhāgavatam* for the laymen. It was delivered to Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and he had nothing to do with the *Bhāgavata* business. He did not have to maintain family expenses by such trade. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* should therefore be received from the representative of Śukadeva, who must be in the renounced order of life without family encumbrance. Milk is undoubtedly very good and nourishing, but when it is touched by the mouth of a snake it is no longer nourishing; rather, it becomes a source of death. Similarly, those who are not strictly in the Vaiṣṇava discipline should not make a business of this *Bhāgavatam* and become a cause of spiritual death for so many hearers. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* the Lord says that the purpose of all the *Vedas* is to know Him (Lord Kṛṣṇa), and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself in the form of recorded knowledge. Therefore, it is the cream of all the *Vedas,* and it contains all historical facts of all times in relation with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is factually the essence of all histories.