Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 1 Summary

We are reading the Srimad Bhagvatam on the conference calls with Mitra das prabhu and I thought it would be a good idea to summarize what we have read and understood from each chapter. Here is the summary of canto 1

Summary of the Srimad Bhagvatam - spoken by Sri Sukadeva Gosvami.

Canto 1: Creation

Chapter 1: Questions by the sages

The sages headed by Saunaka were performing a great 1000 year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and his devotees in the forest of Naimisaranya. They gave Suta Gosvami the seat of esteem and enquired about who was the incarnation of Godhead, the purpose of the Godhead to appear in the womb of Devaki, his incarnations, his teachings on how to get rid of birth and death, pastimes of the Supreme Godhead and his incarnations. They wanted to hear all this from sri Suta Gosvami (Ugraśravā)

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Chapter 2 :Divinity and Divine Service

Suta Gosvami told the sages that the questions they asked were worthy as they relate to Sri Krishna and hence to the world's welfare. He said the supreme occupation for all humanity is to attain to loving devotional service unto the Lord. Such service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted (anyabhilashita shunyam ...) to completely satisfy the self. The occupational activities of man will make sense only if the labor is to attract the message of the Personality of Godhead. Life's desires should never be for sense gratification. One should desire a healthy life to only inquire the Absolute Truth (or Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan). Hence the highest perfect one can achieve is to please Bhagavan. To do this:

1. Constantly hear about him, his glories, remember him and worship him.
2. With sword in hand, the intelligent men cut through the binding knots of reactionary work by remembering Bhagavan.
3. By serving pure devotees one can be completely freed from all vice.
4. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering disappear from the heart. The devotee is established in goodness and he becomes happy.
5. Goodness or sattva is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.
6. Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious and they respect all.
7. He performs pasttimes to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness.

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chapter 3: Krishna is the source of all incarnations

Here Sri Suta Gosvami explains how Krishna is the source of everything. He covers the 3 purusa forms - Karanodakshaya, Garbodakshaya and Kshirodakshaya Visnu. He explains how Brahma who sits on the lotus flower and is the father of creation comes from the navel of the Garbodakshaya Vishnu. Also, there are millions and millions of such universes emanating from the pores of the Karanodakshaya vishnu and the second purusa form entered in each of them. All incarnations within the universe are emanations from Ksirodakasyi visnu who is known as the maintainer of the universe. Then he explains the various incarnations of Visnu and how he comes down for a specific purpose.Then Sri Suta Goswami explained to the sages, that the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water. But Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead and is the original form. Whoever carefully recites the mysterious appearances of the Lord i.e, this 3rd chapter with devotion in the morning and evening gets relief from all miseries of life.Only those who render unreserved, uninterrupted, favorable service unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who carries the wheel of the chariot in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory, power and transcendence.

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Chapter 4: The apperance of Sri Narada

Then Sage Saunaka asked Suta Gosvami,

1. What period and what place was this first begun (Srimad Bhagavatam)

2. Why was this taken up

3. How did Vyasa get inspiration to compile this literature

4. When Vyasadev followed Sukhdev Gosvami, why did the young damsels cover themselves but not when his son went first.

5. How did the citizens recognize him when he entered Hastinapura

6. How did King Pariksit meet him

7. Tell us more about king Pariksit - why did he fast until death at the banks of Ganga

Suta Gosvami then said - That Vyasadev was born when the second millennium overlapped the third. He divided the vedas into 4 divisions so less intelligent can understand it. He had 4 sages head each of the vedas and impart it to their disciples. He could see from his transcendental vision how the whole world is going to deteriorate and people's life duration is going to decrease. He also wrote the Mahabharat for even less intelligent people. Yet after doing all of this work, he felt incomplete because he didn't specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord - which is dear both to perfect beings and the infallible Lord. As he was lamenting by his cottage on the banks of the Sarsvati, the great sage Sri Narada arrived whom Vysadeva gave a lot of respect by getting up and worshipping him.

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Chapter 5: Nārada's Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva

Sri Vyasadev asks Naradji what is his cause of despondence in spite of writing the Mahabharat and dividing the vedas. He tell Naradji that he is very knowledgable and everything that is mysterious is known to him as he worships the destroyer and the creator of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world - the original personality of Godhead.

Sri Narada then told Vyasadev that he hasn't really broadcasted the sublime and spotless glories of Lord Krishna. That philosophy which doesn't satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord are worthless.You have very broadly described the four principles beginning with religious performances, you have not described the glories of the Supreme Personality, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.The Supreme Lord is unlimited. Only a very expert personality, retired from the activities of material happiness, deserves to understand this knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore those who are not so well situated, due to material attachment, should be shown the ways of transcendental realization, by Your Goodness, through descriptions of the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord.

Naradji pushes Sri Vyasadev to describe the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme more vividly. He also motivates him by saying the once somebody has relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord, he can do nothing, but remember that ecstasy again and again.

Then he describes his story of how he was a son of a maidservant who was engaged in service of brahmanas. Once by their permission he took the remnants of their food and by doing so he was eradicated of all his sins.O great sage, as soon as I got a taste for the Personality of Godhead, my attention to hear of the Lord was unflinching. And as my taste developed, I could realize that it was only in my ignorance that I had accepted gross and subtle coverings, for both the Lord and I are transcendental. By hearing the great souls (sages) constantly chant the unadulterated glories of Lord Hari, Sri Naradji's coverings of modes of passion and ignorance vanished by devotional service.

He says "Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is called Bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service to the Lord, and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor."

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Chapter 6: Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva

Then Sri Vyasadev asks:

1. What did you do after the sages left, who had instructed you in the scientific transcendental knowledge before the beginning of your present birth?

2. How did you pass your life after initiation?

3. How did you attain this body?

4. How is this story still fresh in your mind as time annihilates everything (in the day of Brahma)?

Naradji answered: He was tied by his mother's affection as that was all she could offer. One night she was bitten by a snake and died and taking this as his cue, he left home and started north crossing lots of places on his way. He reached a river lake and took bath and drank water from exhaustion of walking. Then under a shadowy banyan tree in the uninhabited forest he began to meditate upon the super soul.

"As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared on the lotus of my heart.O Vyāsadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord."

As he tried to see that form again by concentration he couldn't see him any more. Then the Lord spoke to him saying he won't be able to see him again in that life time. Those of us incomplete in service and not completely free from material taints can hardly see him. The reason Naradji saw him was to increase his desire for him more and more. 

How can you attain the Supreme? 
1. By removing your anarthas from your heart - by regulative principles and controlling your senses by dove tailing it with the supreme. Also starve your senses with any fuel so the fire can die down!
2. Once anarthas are getting rid and you are dovetailing each sense for the pleasure of Krsna - you do devotional service so you can please Krsna.
3. Once Krsna is pleased, he will have his mercy on you.

Hence, only by service to the Supreme can one attain him. Intelligence engaged in his devotion cannot be thwarted at any time - The remembrance with continue by his mercy both at time of creation and time of annihilation.

Thus he began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and un-envious.

Then Naradji explains how he was awarded the transcendental body - And so, O Brāhmaṇa Vyāsadeva, in due course of time I, who was fully absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa and who therefore had no attachments, being completely freed from all material taints, met with death, as lightning and illumination occur simultaneously. After been awarded the transcendental body, he quit his body made of 5 material elements and all acquired fruitive results of work stopped. At the end of the millennium when The Garbodaksayi Vishnu lay down in the water of devastation, Brahma and all creative elements entered into him through his breathing in. After 4.3 billion years when Brahma woke up again, Naradji also appeared and by the grace of the lord he travels everywhere without restriction as he is fixed in unbroken devotional service to the Lord.

"It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their objects can cross the ocean of nescience on a most suitable boat — the constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead."

Saying this Naradji told Vyasadev that he is freed of all sins and this will be conducive for his personal satisfaction too. Then he left vibrating on his vina.

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Chapter 7: Son of Drona punished

After Naradji left, Vyasadev sat down in meditation after touching the water for purification. He fixed his mind in devotional service and thus he saw the Absolute. Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] without any tinge of materialism, and thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with His external energy, which was under full control.Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries. After compiling the Srimad Bhagavatm he taught it to his son Sri Sukhadeva Goswami who was already engaged in self-realization.

Then starts the Srimad Bhagavatam:

After the war of Kurukshetra, when Bhima broke the spine of duryodhana, Ashvathama beheaded the 5 sons of Draupadi and thought Duryodhana would approve. But he didn't. Arjuna to avenge the death of his sons - went after Ashvathama to kill him. Seeing him come, he threw the bhramastra (nuclear weapon).

Then Arjuna addressed the lord - You are the almighty and there isn't any limit to your different energies. You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your devotees. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path of liberation in You only.You are the original Personality of Godhead who expands Himself all over the creations and is transcendental to material energy. You have cast away the effects of the material energy by dint of Your spiritual potency. You are always situated in eternal bliss and transcendental knowledge.And yet, though You are beyond the purview of the material energy, You execute the four principles of liberation characterized by religion and so on for the ultimate good of the conditioned souls.

Then Sri Krishna told Arjuna to cast his bhramastra which he did and then recalled both as they would scorch people in all 3 worlds. He then took Asvathama as prisoner and walked him to the camp and produced him in front of Draupadi. Draupadi being a cultured woman asked him to be released from the ropes as he was a brahmana and was the representative of Dronacharya. But after hearing Sri Krishna tell that even if he's a brahmana if they have committed a crime and are an aggressor, they should be killed, Arjuna took out his sword and cut Ashvathama's hair and jewel. Then the sons of pandu and draupadi performed the proper rituals for the dead bodies.

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Chapter 8: Prayers by Queen Kunti and Pariksit saved

The Pandavas then went to the Ganges to deliver water to the dead relatives? Why the Ganges because it's sanctified by the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord. Then the Lord prepared for His departure. Then Uttara came running to Sri Krishna before he departed to ask him to help protect her embryo. Sri Krishna who protects his devotees at once used his sudarshana cakra to protect the womb from the iron arrow coming her way which was released by Ashvathama - son of Dronacharya. At this time, Srimati Kunti said -

1. You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world.
2. You are existing both within and without everything.
3. You are invisible by all.
4. Being beyond the range of limited sense perception - You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy.
5. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.
6. You yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit.
7. Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devakī, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vṛndāvana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses.
8. My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is marked with a depression like a lotus flower, who are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, whose glance is as cool as the lotus and whose feet are engraved with lotuses.
9. O Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have released Your mother, Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaḿsa, and me and my children from a series of constant dangers.
10. My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Aśvatthāmā.
11. I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.
12. My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.
13. My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You are the most gentle and are master of the monists.
14. My Lord, I consider Your Lordship to be eternal time, the supreme controller, without beginning and end, the all-pervasive one. In distributing Your mercy, You are equal to everyone. The dissensions between living beings are due to social intercourse.
15. O Lord, no one can understand Your transcendental pastimes, which appear to be human and are so misleading. You have no specific object of favor, nor do You have any object of envy. People only imagine that You are partial.
16. Of course it is bewildering, O soul of the universe, that You work, though You are inactive, and that You take birth, though You are the vital force and the unborn. You Yourself descend amongst animals, men, sages and aquatics. Verily, this is bewildering.
17. My dear Kṛṣṇa, Yaśodā took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes over flooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.
18. O Kṛṣṇa, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death.
19. O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.

Then Sri Krishna got ready to leave for Dwarika.

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Chapter 9: The passing away of Bhismadeva in the Presence of Lord Krishna

After the war, Maharaja Yudhistir was afraid that he had killed so many people and he went to the site of the massacre. There he saw Bhismadeva who was lying on a bed of arrows, getting ready to leave his body. At that time, many Rsis, Sages, Brahmanas, Demi Gods, Lord Krishna, the Pandavas were present there. Bhismadeva who knew fully well all the religious principles said that Lord Sri Krisna is situated in everyone's heart and yet he manifests his transcendental form by his internal potency. He is present in everyone's heart and is equally kind to everyone and he is free from the false ego of differentiation. The lord has 4 hands and has a beautifully decorated lotus face with eyes as red as the rising sun and is smiling. Then Maharaja Yudhistir asked about the essential principles of various religious duties.

Bhismadev explained the divisions, acts of charity, activities of a king, duties of women and devotees, occupational duties. As he described the occupational duties the sun went into the northern hemisphere when the mystics die at will. He focused on Sri Krishna who was present there and said:

• Let me now invest my thinking, feeling and willing, which were so long engaged in different subjects and occupational duties, in the all-powerful Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is always self-satisfied, but sometimes, being the leader of the devotees, He enjoys transcendental pleasure by descending on the material world, although from Him only the material world is created.
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the intimate friend of Arjuna. He has appeared on this earth in His transcendental body, which resembles the bluish color of the tamāla tree. His body attracts everyone in the three planetary systems [upper, middle and lower]. May His glittering yellow dress and His lotus face, covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp, be the object of my attraction, and may I not desire fruitive results.
• On the battlefield [where Śrī Kṛṣṇa attended Arjuna out of friendship], the flowing hair of Lord Kṛṣṇa turned ashen due to the dust raised by the hoofs of the horses. And because of His labor, beads of sweat wetted His face. All these decorations, intensified by the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows, were enjoyed by Him. Let my mind thus go unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
• In obedience to the command of His friend, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the arena of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra between the soldiers of Arjuna and Duryodhana, and while there He shortened the life spans of the opposite party by His merciful glance. This was done simply by His looking at the enemy. Let my mind be fixed upon that Kṛṣṇa.
• When Arjuna was seemingly polluted by ignorance upon observing the soldiers and commanders before him on the battlefield, the Lord eradicated his ignorance by delivering transcendental knowledge. May His lotus feet always remain the object of my attraction.
• Fulfilling my desire and sacrificing His own promise, He got down from the chariot, took up its wheel, and ran towards me hurriedly, just as a lion goes to kill an elephant. He even dropped His outer garment on the way.
• May He, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who awards salvation, be my ultimate destination. On the battlefield He charged me, as if angry because of the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows. His shield was scattered, and His body was smeared with blood due to the wounds.
• At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna's chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original forms after death.
• Let my mind be fixed upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose motions and smiles of love attracted the damsels of Vrajadhāma [the gopīs]. The damsels imitated the characteristic movements of the Lord [after His disappearance from the rāsa dance].
• At the Rājasūya-yajña [sacrifice] performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, there was the greatest assembly of all the elite men of the world, the royal and learned orders, and in that great assembly Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was worshiped by one and all as the most exalted Personality of Godhead. This happened during my presence, and I remembered the incident in order to keep my mind upon the Lord.
• Now I can meditate with full concentration upon that one Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, now present before me because now I have transcended the misconceptions of duality in regard to His presence in everyone's heart, even in the hearts of the mental speculators. He is in everyone's heart. The sun may be perceived differently, but the sun is one.

Then Bhismadeva merged himself in the supersoul with his mind, speech, sight and actions.

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Chapter 10: Departure of Lord Krishna for Dvaraka

After killing all the enemies and listening to Bhismadeva and Lord Sri Krishna, Maharaja Yudistir ruled his kingdom with all the religious principles. He had the ashvamedha yajna and had no enemies. During this time everything prospered as Lord Sri Krishna was present with them. He resided in Hastinapur for sometime to pacify his sister Subhadra. Then the Lord took permission to leave and everybody was sad. All the ladies fainted when they thought of the separation. They spoke thus - Lord Krishna is one and the supreme. He alone existed before the manifested creation and it is in him all living entities merge. The personality of Godhead's pastimes are described in the confidential parts of the vedic literature. Whenever the kings and admins live like animals the Lord manifests his supreme power and shows special mercy to the faithful and performs wonderful activities and manifests various transcendental forms as necessary in different periods and ages. They said that the dynasty of king Yadu is very glorified as is the land Mathura. Dvaraka's inhabitants are so lucky that they are always seeing the soul of all living beings. They also sang praises of all his wives saying they are truly pure souls who have gone through a lot of penances to get him as their husband who takes care of them all the time. Sri Krishna accepted their good greets and cast the grace of his glance on them before proceeding to Dvaraka

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Chapter 11: Lord Krishna's Entrance into Dvaraka

After Sri Krishna reached the border of his most prosperous metropolis Dvaraka, he sounded his counchshell which looked reddened by the touch of his lips like a swan playing with stems of red lotus flowers. As soon as the people of Dvaraka heard the sound, they stopped what they were doing and came running to the Lord. Telling him how they had missed him and they feel so separated when he goes to Hastinapur, Mathura or Vrindavan. Everybody decorated the path, had flowers and other offering ready. Everybody who came to see Krishna gave their obeisances and praised him justly. Krishna gave them all due honor and respect and awarded benedictions and assurances. He then met his father and mother and also his wives. They were all shy and had great ecstasy seeing him.

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Chapter 12: Birth of Maharaja Pariksit

Saunaka asked -

1. How was Maharaja Pariksit born, how did he die and what did he achieve after his death?

Suta said: Maharaja Pariksit the great fighter when in the womb of him mother was attacked by a powerful bhramastra but the Lord, entered into the womb almost like the size of the thumb. He was beautiful blackish in color, wore a dress of lightning yellow, helmet of gold, had four hands, earrings of molten gold and eyes blood red with fury. As he loitered about, his club was constantly encircling him like a shooting start. After protecting him from the weapon, the Lord vanished at once. Maharaja Pariksit who saw this, wondered who the great person was and would always remain a pure devotee of the Lord. Yudistir then enquired about the child and the rsis and brahmana's said - he would be a great king and gave similes of all the great personalities in the world. They also said he would be called Pariksit which means examiner as he will always examine who the personality of Godhead is all his life. They also predicted how he is going to die (snake bird) and what is going to happen once he gets to know about his death.

Then Maharaja Yudistir performed a horse sacrifice to get freed from the sins of fighting with kinsmen. Lord Sri Krishna was invited and he saw that everything was done perfectly. He then after staying for a few months bade goodbye to all and started for Dvaraka again accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty

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Chapter 13: Dhṛtarāṣṭra Quits Home

Sri Suta Gosvami said: Vidura after receiving knowledge of the absolute from the great sage Maitreya returned to Hastinapura. On seeing him return to the palace, everybody was very happy. Maharaja Yudistira and all his kin hurried to welcome him with great delight. After he had been fed prasad and had sufficient rest, Yudistir asked him how he maintained his livelihood and which places of pilgrimage did he render his service at. He inquired about the Yadu dynasty and how everybody were doing there. On being asked these questions, Vidura described everything he had experienced but not the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty - because he didn't want to give grief to the Pandavas, who had had enough of it till this time.

The main reason Vidura had come back was to help his elder brother understand the purpose of life and why he needed to leave the kingdom so he could go back to Godhead. He explained to him that -"Insurmountable, eternal time imperceptibly overcomes those who are too much attached to family affairs and are always engrossed in their thought.Whoever is under the influence of supreme kāla [eternal time] must surrender his most dear life, and what to speak of other things, such as wealth, honor, children, land and home. There is no need to live a life of a degraded person and subsist on the charity of those whom you have tried to kill by arson and poisoning. So become undisturbed by breaking all ties and the falsity and misery of this material world  so you can fully depend on the personality of Godhead" Hearing all this Dhirtarastra, left home and went North. Yudistir the next morning not being able to locate his uncles and aunt Gandari was very anxious. He asked Sanjaya but as he was trying to explain - Narad muni showed up to explain what had happened correctly. He helped Yudistir understand that there isn't any point lamenting for anyone as we are all under the control of the Supreme Lord. They are all under the control of Kala, Karma and Guna (material nature). He explained how Sri Krishna has control of the eternal time and in the guise of all devouring time (kala rupa) has descended on earth to eliminate the envious from the world. Then Narada told him where his uncle had gone and how he shall leave this world and achieve the lord. After speaking this, Narada ascended into outer space.

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Chapter 14: The Disappearance of Lord Krsna

In this chapter, Maharaja Yudistir notices that everything around him is having bad omens. For example - people were having misunderstandings, greed, anger, misery, fields weren't producing enough grains, clouds were thundering, animals were sad. When Arjuna came back from visiting his friend Krishna, Yudistir asked him lots of questions on why he looked so dejected and he ultimately asked him if it was because his close friend Sri Krishna had left for his spiritual abode based on Narada's indication.

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Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely

Arjuna was grief stricken because of his separation from Krishna and because of this his mouth and heart had dried up. His body luster was lost and he couldn't reply to Yudistir's questions. With great difficulty he controlled his grief and replied that only by Krishna being with him he could -

1. Krishna treated him exactly like an intimate friend. But as he has left him, his astounding power is no longer with him.

2. By his merciful strength I was able to vanquish all lusty princes assembled at the palace of King Drupada and pierce the fish target and gain the hand of Draupadi.

3. It was only by Krishna being near me, that I was able to conquer the powerful kind Indradeva and the fire god who devastated the Khandava forest

4. Demon maya was saved from that fire who helped build our assembly house.

5. Only from him Bhima possesses strength of ten thousand elephants and killed Jarasandha.

6. Only because of his mercy Durvasa muni and his ten thousand disciples felt full by him eating the remnants of food.

7. By his mercy, I was able to astonish the personality of god Lord Siva and his wife and Lord Siva being pleased gave me his weapon.

8. Though the Kauravas were so powerful and had huge armies, yet because of having him seated on my chariot were we able to cross all of them.

9. He was always joking and had frank talks with me.

10. By his mercy, my enemies neglected to kill me when I needed to get water for the horses.

11. But in his absence, with the same chariot, horses and the Gandiva bow, I still lost against infidel cowherd men trying to protest the bodies of all the wives of Krishna.

12. All our relatives in Dvaraka have been cursed and have killed each other and this was all done by Krishna so he could take all of them back before he left for his spiritual abode.

Replying this way and thinking about the Lord and his pastimes, made Arjuna feel a lot better and hence the trash in his thoughts subsided.

After overhearing Arjuna's reply to Maharaja Yudistir, Kunti engaged in devotional service with full attention and thus gained release from the course of material existence. Sinilarly, Yudistir and all the pandavas engaged fully in the devotional service of the Lord and attained the highest perfection of life - reached the spiritual sky.

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Chapter 16: How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali

After his fore-fathers had all left the material world and had achieved liberation, Maharaja Pariksit started ruling the kingdom. When he got to know that Kali had spread in his kingdom and there was widespread anxiety amongst people, he decided to travel in his kingdom to fight the menace of Kali. Every place he visited, the king heard about the glorious acts of Sri Krsna, his ancestors and also how the Lord played the act as their younger, about his childhood. Hearing all this Maharaja Pariksit become overwhelmed with devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord.

Once while on his travels, he saw a bull, a cow and a sudra dressed as a prince hitting the cow. On inquiring he found that the Bull was the personality of religious principles - Dharma and the cow was the personality of earth. She was grieving like a mother who had lost a child. She had tears and her bodily lusture was all lost. Dharma enquired why she was so distressed - was it because Dharma had lost his 3 legs or because the women and children are unhappy. or there isn't any sacrifice, or because the unlawful man-eaters are going to exploit her. Mother earth in the form of the cow replied - once even the bull was maintained by the mercy of the Lord and in him resided

- (1) truthfulness, (2) cleanliness, (3) intolerance of another's unhappiness, (4) the power to control anger, (5) self-satisfaction, (6) straightforwardness, (7) steadiness of mind, (8) control of the sense organs, (9) responsibility, (10) equality, (11) tolerance, (12) equanimity, (13) faithfulness, (14) knowledge, (15) absence of sense enjoyment, (16) leadership, (17) chivalry, (18) influence, (19) the power to make everything possible, (20) the discharge of proper duty, (21) complete independence, (22) dexterity, (23) fullness of all beauty, (24) serenity, (25) kindheartedness, (26) ingenuity, (27) gentility, (28) magnanimity, (29) determination, (30) perfection in all knowledge, (31) proper execution, (32) possession of all objects of enjoyment, (33) joyfulness, (34) immovability, (35) fidelity, (36) fame, (37) worship, (38) pridelessness, (39) being (as the Personality of Godhead), (40) eternity, and many other transcendental qualities which are eternally present and never to be separated from Him.

But as he has now left the surface of the earth, there are pangs of separation and hence Kali has taken over which is causing a lot of distressed. As the Bull and the Cow were talking, Maharaja Pariksit reached the banks of the river Sarasvati.

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Chapter 17: Punishment and Reward of Kali

Maharaja Pariksit saw that the lower cast sudra dressed as a king was beating the cow and a bull with a club. The bull was white as a lotus flower and because he was being beaten he was afraid and was standing on one leg, trembling and urinating.  The cow which is beneficial as one can draw religious principles from her was also rendered poor and calf-less as her legs were also being beaten by the Sudra. Seeing this Maharaja Pariksit was very angry and addressed the Sudra -  who he was and even though he appeared Strong  he dared tried to kill the helpless and poor. He then wanted to find out who the bull was actually was he a demigod dressed in that form? He also told the cow that she shouldn't lament anymore as he is here and has the prime duty to subdue the sufferings of those who suffer. Hence he said he needs to kill this sudra.

The bull then answered and spoke the principles of religion saying that everything around us is because of his mercy - Krishna. On hearing this, Pariksit said he who was in the form of the bull was indeed the personality of religion.  In the age of Satya [truthfulness] your four legs were established by the four principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. But it appears that three of your legs are broken due to rampant irreligion in the form of pride, lust for women, and intoxication.You are now standing on one leg only, which is your truthfulness, and you are somehow or other hobbling along. But quarrel personified [Kali], flourishing by deceit, is also trying to destroy that leg. Then Pariksit addressed the cow saying he is now here and hence she shouldn't be fearful of the low caste people who are trying to enjoy her. Saying so he took out his sword to kill Kali.

Seeing this Kali was terrified and he surrendered to Maharaja Pariksit and begged him to live under his protection. Maharaja Pariksit allowed him to live in places of gambling, animal eating, prostitution, intoxication and Gold. Thus he reestablished the lost legs of the personality of religion and imporved the conditions of the earth by encouraging activities.

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Chapter 18: : Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy

After hearing how Maharaja Pariksit had restored the principles of religion, the sages at Naimisarnya were very happy to hear Suta Gosvami speak and asked him more questions regarding how Pariksit achieved liberation and more leelas of Sri Krishna.

Once Maharaja Pariksit, while hunting and following stags, came to the hermitage of Samika Rsi who had his eyes closed in trance and who was deep in meditation. As the Rsi didn't welcome the king or offer him a seat or eat give the thirsty king some water - Maharaja Pariksit became very angry and on his way out placed a lifeless snake on the sage's shoulder. After he returned to his kingdom, he began to contemplate and argue within himself if what he did was right or not.  Meanwhile the sage's son - Sringi who was very powerful became very angry when he heard that his father was ill-treated. He took to himself to punish the king. He touched the water of the river Kausika and said "on the seventh day from today a snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] because of his having broken the laws of etiquette by insulting my father". When he returned to the hermitage he started crying seeing his father have a snake on his shoulder. When the sage opened his eyes he wasn't purturbed by the insult the king had done. On the contrary when he heard what his son had done he was sad and he seeked pardon from the personality of Godhead Krsna. He said his son had created a big mistake as he was inexperienced and didn't know that the King was a very pious man and was the protector of all people on the earth. He was a representative of the Lord and by his curse, after he's gone - there will be widespread calamity all over the world because of Kali and for that the brahmana and his son will be responsible.  The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the insult paid by the King very seriously.Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure [in worldly things], for they are transcendentally engaged

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Chapter 19: The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī

After arriving home Maharaja Pariksit was repentful and he felt he had committed a crime against a pious brahmana. He was ready to accept any calamity because of this. As he was thinking all this, he received the news that the son had cursed him to be killed by a snake bird 7 days from today. As soon as he heard the news, he gave up his kingdom and fast unto death at the banks of the Ganges. When he decided to do that, many great sages and saints arrived at that place as a great devotee of the Lord was about to get liberated and they wanted to be a part of this great moment. The fortunate king welcomed all of them very humbly.

Then the son of Vyasadev - Sukadeva Gosvami who was only 16 years old arrived at the scene. His complexsion was dark just like Krishna's and he was very beautiful. On seeing him all the sages got up to welcome him and honor him. Maharaja Pariksit also bowed his head and received the chief guest. The king then offered him a seat of respect and praised Sukhadev gosvami that he was a great sage and by simply remembering him the houses were sanctified and he was a great spiritual master of great saints and devotees. He saked what should a man hear, chant, remember and worship and what should he not do. Please explain this to me.

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End of Canto 1 - HARIBOL!