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in Kåñëa consciousness and spiritual life. This information has
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Bhägavata Tattva
Çréla Gour Govinda Swami explained that Çréla Vyäsadeva
gave the essence of all Vedic literatures in the Çrémad-
Bhägavatam. The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is one of the forms of the
Lord, and is therefore non-different from Him. Hearing Çrémad-
Bhägavatam from the lips of a pure Vaiñëava, bhakta-bhägavata,
is most important because by hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, vai
çrüyamäëäyäà, one can develop bhakti unto Kåñëa. If one has
developed a taste for hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam he will lose
taste for any other literatures.
Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja placed great emphasis on
hearing the Çrémad-Bhägavatam daily, nitya-bhägavata-sevayä,
and explained that there are two kinds of bhägavata:
grantha-bhägavata, the book bhägavata, and bhaktabhägavata,
devotee bhägavata, who is the embodiment
of the bhägavata.
At the beginning of every class, before reading the verse
of the day, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami would recite many
çlokas glorifying Çrémad-Bhägavatam. From Çré Caitanyacaritämåta
(Antya-lélä 5.131), he would emphasise yäha,
bhägavata pada vaiñëavera sthäne, ‘if you want to understand
Çrémad-Bhägavatam you must go and approach a self-realised
Vaiñëava and hear from him’. The sädhu only speaks kåñëakathä,
hari-kathä, bhägavata-kathä. Therefore, by associating
with that sädhu, uttama-adhikäré Vaiñëava this opportunity of
hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam from the right source is available to
us whereby all our doubts will be dispelled.
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