SUKADEVA GOSVÄMI INSTRUCTS MAHARAJA PARIKSIT

Maharaja Pariksit, the great king, was cursed by a brahmana boy to die in seven days. The king therefore decided to fast until death and approached the great sage Sukadeva Gosvami to receive transcendental knowledge. When Sukadeva Gosvami began to speak about Krsna consciousness, Maharaja Pariksit forgot the fatigue brought about by his fasting. Enthusiastic to describe Krsna, Sukadeva Gosvami said, "Like the waters of the Ganges, descriptions of the activities of Krsna can purify the entire universe. The speaker, the inquirer and the audience all become purified."

Sukadeva Gosvāmi imparted transcendental knowledge to Maharaja Pariksit during the remaining seven days of his life, and Maharaja Parikṣit heard him properly, just like an ardent student. The effect of such a bona fide hearing and chanting of Srimad Bhagavatam was equally shared by both the hearer and the chanter. Both of them were benefited. Out of the nine different transcendental means of devotional service to the Lord prescribed in the Bhagavatam, either all of them, or some of them or even one of them are equally beneficial if properly discharged. Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami were serious performers of the first two important items, namely the process of chanting and the process of hearing, and therefore both of them were successful in their laudable attempt. Transcendental realization is attained by such serious hearing and chanting and not otherwise.

Material knowledge means ignorance of the knowledge of one's own self. Philosophy means to seek after the right knowledge of one's own self, or the knowledge of self-realization. Without self-realization, philosophy is dry speculation or a waste of time and energy. Srimad Bhagavatam gives the right knowledge of one's own self, and by hearing Srimad Bhagavatam one can get free from material attachment and enter into the kingdom of fearlessness.