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   So аwhen we see all this, we can understand that some аof аthe Н defects аcannot аbe removed, because even the great аsages, аthey Н don't аhave the desire to cheat but the other defects аthey аalso Н have. Therefore Srila Jiva Goswami says that only аsabda-pramana, Н which аis аapauruseya, not coming from any human being, аwill аbe Н free from these defects and that will be considered as the аvalid Н knowledge.
   Srila Jiva Goswami says: "therefore we are not going to аanalН ize аthe аother processes but we can limit аourselves аto аsabda-Н pramana аand we will analize sabda with sabda because sabda, аor Н word, аis аof two types pauruseya and apauruseya. аApauruseya аis Н that аwhich is not composed by any human being and аpauruseya аis Н composed by human beings whether is a common person or a saintly Н person a great sage. We based our knowledge on apauruseya, sabda- e аVedas, they have come directly from Purusa, or аthe аSupreme Н Personality of Godhead.
   It is interesting to know that they are coming from Purusa but Н they аare called apauruseya. This can be explained аin аdifferent Н ways. We can say that they are not composed by any human being or Н we can say that they are not composed even by the Lord. They come Н from аHim аbut аeven He has not composed them аbecause аthey аare Н eternal. аJust as the Lord is nitya, eternal also the аVedas аare Н nitya. аThere is not one particular date when the аLord аcomposed Н them, аthat is why it is said that the Vedas have come аfrom аHis Н breath, аbecause naturally the breath is flowing, we аdon't аconН sciously аsay :"now I am going to breath in, now I аbreath аout". Н When we have to perform a work we have to consciously do it, аbut Н breathing we don't do it consciously, even when we sleep it аgoes Н on. аWe don't feel proud "I am breathing!". In the same аway аthe Н Vedas have come out from the Lord and He has not consciously аsat Н down аwith the intention of writing the Vedas, because аthey аare Н eternaly with Him, they just become sometimes manifest and аsomeН times non-manifest, in and out. For this reason they are аapauruН seya.
   But аSrila Jiva Goswami says that the problem still the аsame. Н The аproblem is that the Vedas, at present, are not available аin Н its entirety. Originally they were suposed to be 1130 branches of Н the аVedas: 21 branches of Rg-veda, 1000 branches аof аSoma-veda, Н 900 аbranches of Yajur-veda and 9 branches of аAtharva-veda. аBut Н what is available at present is the maximum of 20 branches, аthat Н means only 10% or less. So if the case is that how can we аunderН stand the Vedas. Suppose that out of the 700 verses of the BhagaН vad-gita аwe аjust had 20 verses, how could we understand аit аin Н all? We would not get any conclusion.
   So аthat is one great problem, Srila Jiva Goswami says. аEven Н though we cannot have the entire Vedas we could try to understand Н whatever is available but a second problem is that the Vedas аare Н very difficult to understand because the language is very аdiffiН cult аand аthey cannot be understood if there is not аthe аproper Н sampradaya аand that sampradaya has broken down, so аthe аcriptic Н message аof the Vedas cannot be understood. Besides that even аif Н we аwant аto аunderstand, in Kali-yuga we endowed аof аvery аless Н memory аand to understand Vedas we have to understand аfirst аthe Н Vedangas with all its six divisions. If we don't understand these Н six аbooks we cannot understand the Vedas. Therefore, Srila аJiva Н Goswami аsays "why not we study the Puranas?". And on the top аof Н everything, not everybody is allowed to study the Vedas, аbecause Н the аVedas themselves say that only the twice-born аcan аapproach Н the аVedic knowledge. So why not we study the Puranas? аVyasadeva Н himself аsays that he has composed this Mahabharata аand аPuranas Н for people who cannot understand Vedas.
   So Srila Jiva Goswami starts to analize the Puranas. One аwork Н that аhe аwants to do is to show that the Puranas аhave аnot аthe Н defect аof аpauruseya. Everyone agrees in India аthat аVedas аare Н apauruseya аnot composed by any person. Even the Mayavadis аagree Н with аthat. аEven many western scholars agree аthat аthey аcannot Н trace the begin of the Vedas.
   First, Srila Jiva Goswami wants to prove that the Puranas аare  ke complete (purna iti аpurana). аHe Н says аthe vedic meaning are very difficulty to understand and аif Н one does not study the Puranas he will not understand the аVedas. Н Whatever there is in the Vedas it is also in the Puranas. In fact Н the Puranas are like commentaries of the Vedas. The same аmessage Н of the Vedas have been conveyed in the Puranas in a simple аstory Н form аso that everyone can read it because anyone likes аstories. Н Then аhe аalso propounds that just as Vedas were divided аby аSri Н Vyasa аinto аfour аdivisions, the Puranas were аalso аdivided аby Н Vyasa, so he is the same author. And this Vyasa is none else than Н an incarnation of Lord Narayana Himself. Therefore His words have Н to be authoritative.
   Srila аJiva Goswami takes a lot of time on this аpart, аestabН lishing аthe authority of the Puranas. He also tells a very аnice Н story аhow аNarayana took this incarnation. He says аthat аbefore Н Dvapara-yuga аthere was a great famine, so all the great аsaintly Н people аand brahmanas they assembled in the place of Gautama аRsi Н who аwas having some mystic powers and was feeding everyone. аBut Н after some time rain came and from rain came the grains so everyН body аwanted аto аgo back to their asramas and аGautama аRsi аwas Н keeping аthem because he wanted to be very hospitable and a аgood Н host. But they really wanted to go to their places so they try to Н device аsome means to leave. They made a calf out of hay and аput Н it аon the way to the river where Gautama use to go take is аbath Н early аin the morning. In the next morning when Gautama Rsi аwas Н walking to the river he kicked the calf and it fell down. аEveryН one start to say that he had killed a cow so they could not аstay Н anymore in the place of a cow-killer, and they all left. аGautama Н was very surprised how he could have killed a cow in that way аso Н when the sun came he saw that they had played a trick. He аcursed Н them to loose all their knowledge and thus many of the scriptures Н were аlost. аThen the demigods went to pray to the аLord аand аHe Н decided аto appear as Vyasadeva and again compile the аVedas аand Н the аPuranas. Therefore Srila Jiva Goswami says that the аPuranas Н are all authoritative as the Vedas.
   But аagain the problem in the Puranas remain the аsame. аThere Н are а18 Puranas and they speak about different demigods as аbeing Н the аSupreme аLord. The Siva Purana says that Lord аSiva аis аthe Н Supreme аPersonality аof аGodhead; the аSkanda-purana аsays аthat Н Skanda is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the Bhagavat-purana Н says that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; and аDevi-Н purana says that Devi is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; аand Н so on. So what to do? How to understand who is right or is wrong, Н there is so much confusion.
   Then аhe says that the Puranas are actually divided аin аthree Н classes: six in the mode of goodness, six in the mode of аpassion Н and six in the mode of ignorance. Then he says, quoting Bhagavad-Н gita, аthat from the mode of goodness comes knowledge, from аpas avatam is the natural commentary of Vedanta-sutra, аit Н is аbeginning with Gayatri-mantra (the first mantra), it is аcomН pletely аavailable аin 18.000 verses, and there аis аa аparampara Н available а(he talks about Ramanujacarya and Madvacarya аwho аacН cepted аSrimad-Bhagavatam. Even Sankaracarya accepted it.). аThen Н he аestablishes аthe Srimad-Bhagavatam as the аultimate аbook аof Н pramana. Of course there are many details.
   From here he begins analizing. Now since we have decided аthat Н the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the book authority then we will аdiscuss Н from аSrimad-Bhagavatam. Whenever we want to give аauthority, аwe Н will quote from Srimad-Bhagavatam. He says: "I will not quote the Н Srimad-Bhagavatam to give authority to my words but I will аquote Н the аSrimad-Bhagavatam аto explain what the Bhagavatam аsays аand Н that is what I want to explain. I will quote other scriptures but Н the Bhagavatam will be the ultimate authority."
   Srila аJiva аGoswami says that the аSrimad-Bhagavatam аis аthe Н topmost аbook аof authority because Sri Vyasadeva wrote it аas аa Н book аfor аhimself. Generaly a writer writes аsomething аfor аthe Н benefit of others. That was the case with Sri Vyasa with all аthe Н books compiled by him. Himself said that he wrote the Mahabharata Н for аthe benefit of people in Kali-yuga since they cannot аunderН stand аthe Vedas. But Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled by аhim аbeН cause аhe аwas not satisfied in himself therefore he аwrote аthis Н book for his own satisfaction on the instruction of his spiritual Н master. That also tells about the importance of Srimad-Bhagavatam Н which gave Vyasadeva satisfaction who is considered as an аincarН nation of the Lord.
   Then аSrila Jiva Goswami showed how the Srimad-Bhagavatam аwas Н accepted аby аthe аgreat acaryas. Even аSankaracarya аrespect аit Н because аhe composed one poem called "Govindastaka" in аwhich аhe Н mentions аabout Lord Krsna's pastimes from the 10th canto of аSB. Н In аthat аpoem аhe also prays that he desires to аpass аhis аtime Н sitting on the bank of the Yamuna and meditate on Lord Krsna when Н He was surrounded by His cowherd friends eating the food kept аon Н His hands. He says that this is the perfection of life.
   Taking аhints аfrom these compositions and аother аwords аlike Н "bhaja аgovindam, аbhaja govindam", some of аhis аfollowers аwere Н inclined towards bhakti and some others were staunch аimpersonalН ist аwho didn't care anything about bhakti. There аwere аactually Н two аbranches аamong his followers: аthe аbhagavata-sampradaya а- Н these аthey used to study the Srimad-Bhagavatam. аSridhara аSwami Н composed his famous commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, а"Bhaga ry than Sridhara Swami.
   Srila аJiva аGoswami аsays: "I will quote аthe аcommentary аof Н Sridhara аSwami to give proof." This is because the six аGoswamis Н have taken the message of Lord Caitanya to their hearts and аthey Н didn't аwant аto do anything that did not please Him. аBut аSrila Н Jiva аGoswami continues: " In some places Sridhara Swami had аnot Н writen аin a very clear sense, then I will write my аown аcommenН tary." And also in some places Sridhara Swami's commentaries аare Н not аaccording to the bhakti principles because he was using аthe Н logic аcalled а?- nyaya. That means when one wants to аcatch аthe Н fish аhe has to supply meat. The purpose of using meat is not аto Н feed the fish with it what one wants is to catch the fish. In the Н same way Sridhara Swami's purports are not that he wants to аgive Н impersonal аcomments on Srimad-Bhagavatam but if he does аnot аdo Н that the impersonalists will think that he is a Vaisnava and they Н will not read his commentaries. So he writes mixed аcommentaries. Н Sometimes right from the beginning he explains very clearly аthat Н he accepts the Lord and His potencies as eternal, he accepts this Н material аworld as part of His potency not just "mitya". аBut аin Н between, аwhile he is commenting, sometimes he writes аimpersonal Н comments. аSrila Jiva Goswami says that we will not accept аthose Н comments аand аfor аthis reason some аwestern аphilosophers аhave Н criticized Srila Jiva Goswami thinking that he is just аaccepting Н Sridhara Swami for his own purpose not really paying any аrespect Н to аhim. аBut Srila Jiva Goswami is not hiding this, аhe аclearly Н comments about it.
   Then he talks about Ramanujacarya and Madvacarya who аaccepted Н also the authority of Srimad- Bhagavatam.
   Then аhe starts to analize Srimad-Bhagavatam. The first аthing Н he does is to try to analize the heart of Sukadeva Goswami. аThen Н he аquotes verses that were spoken by Suta Goswami as аprayer аto Н his guru. Then he starts to answer the questions of Saunaka аRsi. Н In аthe а2nd аchapter he prays to Sukadeva Goswami аand аin аthat Н prayer he mentions "I bow down to the son of Vyasa, the destroyer Н of аall sins whose mind was filled with Brahmananda and thus аhis Н mind аwas free from wordly thoughts; who has his heart аdrawn аto Н his аenchanting аbeloved а'ajita'; and аwho аhas аcompassionately Н unfolded аthis Purana, revolving around Him, Lord Krsna. аSalutaН tions to Him."
   In аthis verse and in the next specifically he аmentions аthat Н Sukadeva Goswami was absorbed in brahmananda. The significance of Н that аis аthat he had no material desires. It means аthat аif аhe Н studied аSrimad-Bhagavatam was not for showing his аknowledge аby Н delivering а'Bhagavata-sapta' аbut аhe was аalready аsituated аin Н Brahman, аhe was 'atmarama', self-satisfied. He was аthat аperson Н behind аwhich his father was calling "putra, putra!" аand аdidn't Н care for that call. He was that same person who didn't аdiscrimiН nate аbetween аmale and female. This shows аhow аhighly аadvanced Н Sukadeva Goswami was. But the same person he came back and аstudН ied аSrimad-Bhagavatam. This means that Srimad-Bhagavatam аis аso Н important that even an atmarama like Sukadeva was attracted. аAnd Н we should note that all impersonalists accept Sukadeva Goswami as  'grantha', literatures. This means that they don't have any аneed Н to follow any rules and regulations because these are to be аfolН lowed аfor аa certain purpose and once one have attained аit аone Н doesn't аneed to follow them, they have already bypass them аthey Н are аconsidered а"avadhutas",which means those who аhave аshaken Н away аall аrules and regulations). Also 'grantha' аmeans а'knot'. Н Those аwho аare free from the knots of maya they don't аneed аany Н scriptures because the scriptures are there to help us to come to Н the stage of Krsna consciousness and if one is already there then Н he аneed аnot follow it, they follow the Lord directly. аSo аeven Н such аa аperson who is brahman situated performs аbhakti аbecause Н without performing bhakti one cannot attain Brahman аrealization. Н One аcannot аget 'moksa' without bhakti, it is not аpossible. аSo Н impersonalists аalso take shelter of devotion to аget аliberation Н but аlater аon they give up bhakti. But Sukadeva Goswami аis аnot Н performing аbhakti for any cause, it is causeless devotion. аThen Н it must be some reason why he is doing it?
   Sukadeva аGoswami was attracted to hear the аSrimad-Bhagavatam Н which speaks about Lord Krsna's transcendental qualities. So what Н he аis аgoing аto speak to Pariksit Maharaja аis аnot аimpersonal Н Brahman. аHe is not going to propound later on that the аgoal аof Н life,'brahma-jijnasa', аis to become "one" with аBrahman аbecause Н that аwas where he was at. He explains that although is mind аwas Н filled with Brahmananda neverthless he was attracted by the аLila Н of аAjita. аHis аmind was very attracted аby аthe аtranscendental Н pastimes аof the beautiful Lord Krsna. He says "whatever my аmind Н is attracted to, I am going to speak. He I really consider аsomeН body аas аmy аfriend, I will tell him what is in аmy аheart, аnot Н something аthat I already rejected." Therefore whatever аSukadeva Н Goswami speaks has to be with devotion nothing else, because this Н he consideres as the need for human beings to purify аthemselves. Н He thus spoke the most confidential Purana, the Bhagavat-purana.

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