Sri mad Bhagavatam - Prabhupada

Text 5]The Glories of Devotional Service1005suta uvacadvaipayana-sakhas tv evarhmaitreyo bhagavarhs tathliprahedarh vidurarh pritaanvik§ikyarh pracoditasiitat uviica-Siita Gosvami said; dvaipiiyana-sakha-friend of Vyasadeva;tu-then; evam-thus; maitreya-Maitreya; bhagaviin-worshipful; tathiiinthat way; priiha-spoke; idam-this; viduram-to Vidura; prtta-beingpleased; iinvik§ikyiim-about transcendental knowledge; pracodita- beingasked.TRANSLATIONSri Siita Gosviimi said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friendof Vyasadeva's. Thus being encouraged, Maitreya, pleased by Vidura'sinquiry about transcendental knowledge, spoke as follows.PURPORTQuestions and answers are very satisfactorily dealt with when theinquirer is bona fide and the speaker is also authorized. Here Maitreya isconsidered a powerful sage, and therefore he is also described as bhagavan.This word can be used not only for the Supreme Personality of Godheadbut for anyone who is almost as powerful as the Supreme Lord. Maitreyais addressed as bhagaviin because he was spiritually far advanced. He wasa personal friend of Dvaipii.yana Vyii.sadeva, who is a literary incarnation ofthe Lord. Maitreya was very pleased with the inquiries of Vidura becausethey were the inquiries of a bona fide advanced devotee. Thus Maitreya wasencouraged to answer. When there are discourses on transcendental topicsbetween devotees of equal mentality, the questions and answers are veryfruitful and encouraging.TEXTS i37fRf'fflft Sls(U4 : fiiMEtft41 Ift"'\(1l00'Atlql'l_:ttllmaitreya uvacapitari prasthite 'raryarhmatu priya-cikir§aya