Suta Gosvami said, “O sages, I shall give you conclusive answers to your inquiries. After offering obeisances to Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi, Vayu, Bharati, Shesha, Vyasa, and Lord Krishna, I shall answer your questions as far as my understanding extends. There is no one equal to, or superior to Lord Narayana, nor in the future will anyone be equal to or superior to Him. With this faith, I begin my discussions.”
Shaunaka Rishi said, ‘Why did you offer obeisances to Lord Vishnu first and thereafter, to Lakshmi, Vayu, Bharati (Sarasvati), and Vyasa? Why is there this order of homage?”
Suta Gosvami said, “Lord Vishnu should always be worshiped before beginning any recitation of Vedic literature. He alone is the original source of all energy and illumination. He alone is worthy of our praise. He is the master of the demigods and so it is He who is worthy of our praise – not Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma or any other demigod.”
“Arrogant people who bypass Lord Vishnu to worship Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Surya, Sarasvati, Parvati, and Lakshmi are non-Vaishnavas, and thus should be considered as averse to the worship of Lord Vishnu. None of these gods and goddesses should be worshiped separately. Whatever worship they receive, they dedicate to their master, Lord Vishnu. Those who do not worship, even in adversity, any other Deity but Lord Vishnu, are the true devotees of the Lord.
Those whose minds are diverted to the demigods cannot be considered as genuine devotees.”
“The Puranas, which are very sacred texts, preach devotion to Lord Vishnu, from beginning to end. In the dark age of Kali, it is the Puranas that can greatly benefit the masses of people. However, the Puranas teach the duties that should be performed by all classes of men. Envious rascals accept only the statements
regarding their caste and feel jealous of others.”
“The Puranas that preach devotion to Lord Vishnu are called sattvika. These should be preached to the people in general and not the others, which only cause suffering. In the age of Kali, only three principal Puranas are purely devoted to Lord Vishnu and among them, the best is the Bhagavata Purana. Indeed, it renders the best service to the masses of people.”
‘The meaning of the Vedanta-sutra is present in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The full purport of the Mahabharata is also there. The commentary of the Brahma-gayatri is also there and fully expanded with all Vedic knowledge. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the supreme Purana, and it was compiled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyasadeva. There are twelve cantos, 335 chapters and eighteen thousand verses.”
“Whatever knowledge is deemed beneficial is found in the Bhagavata Purana. The Vishnu Purana comes next, and third is the Garuda Purana. These three are the principal Puranas in the age of Kali.”
