# SB 3.5.12 > मुनिर्विवक्षुर्भगवद्गुणानां सखापि ते भारतमाह कृष्णः । > यस्मिन्नृणां ग्राम्यसुखानुवादैर्मतिर्गृहीता नु हरेः कथायाम् ॥१२॥ ## Text > munir vivakṣur bhagavad-guṇānāṁ > sakhāpi te bhāratam āha kṛṣṇaḥ > yasmin nṛṇāṁ grāmya-sukhānuvādair > matir gṛhītā nu hareḥ kathāyām ## Synonyms *muniḥ*—the sage; *vivakṣuḥ*—described; *bhagavat*—of the Personality of Godhead; *guṇānām*—transcendental qualities; *sakhā*—friend; *api*—also; *te*—your; *bhāratam*—the *Mahābhārata*; *āha*—has described; *kṛṣṇaḥ*—Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa; *yasmin*—in which; *nṛṇām*—of the people; *grāmya*—worldly; *sukha*-*anuvādaiḥ*—pleasure derived from mundane topics; *matiḥ*—attention; *gṛhītā* *nu*—just to draw towards; *hareḥ*—of the Lord; *kathāyām*—speeches of (*Bhagavad-gītā*). ## Translation **Your friend the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa has already described the transcendental qualities of the Lord in his great work the Mahābhārata. But the whole idea is to draw the attention of the mass of people to kṛṣṇa-kathā [Bhagavad-gītā] through their strong affinity for hearing mundane topics.** ## Purport The great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa is the author of all Vedic literature, of which his works *Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and *Mahābhārata* are very popular readings. As stated in *Bhāgavatam* (1.4.25), Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the *Mahābhārata* for the less intelligent class of men, who take more interest in mundane topics than in the philosophy of life. The *Vedānta-sūtra* was compiled for persons already above the mundane topics, who might already have tasted the bitterness of the so-called happiness of mundane affairs. The first aphorism of *Vedānta-sūtra* is *athāto brahma jijñāsā,* i.e., only when one has finished the business of mundane inquiries in the marketplace of sense gratification can one make relevant inquiries regarding Brahman, the Transcendence. Those persons who are busy with the mundane inquiries which fill the newspapers and other such literatures are classified as *strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhus,* or women, the laborer class and unworthy sons of the higher classes (*brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya* and *vaiśya*). Such less intelligent men cannot understand the purpose of *Vedānta-sūtra,* although they may make a show of studying the *sūtras* in a perverted way. The real purpose of *Vedānta-sūtra* is explained by the author himself in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* and anyone trying to understand *Vedānta-sūtra* without reference to *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is certainly misguided. Such misguided persons, who are interested in the mundane affairs of philanthropic and altruistic work under the misconception of the body as the self, could better take advantage of the *Mahābhārata,* which was specifically compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva for their benefit. The great author has compiled the *Mahābhārata* in such a way that the less intelligent class of men, who are more interested in mundane topics, may read the *Mahābhārata* with great relish and in the course of such mundane happiness can also take advantage of *Bhagavad-gītā,* the preliminary study of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* or the *Vedānta-sūtra.* Śrīla Vyāsadeva had no interest in writing a history of mundane activities other than to give less intelligent persons a chance for transcendental realization through *Bhagavad-gītā.* Vidura's reference to the *Mahābhārata* indicates that he had heard of the *Mahābhārata* from Vyāsadeva, his real father, while he was away from home and was touring the places of pilgrimage.