The Six Questions of the Sages at Naimisaranya is the Start


The Veda contain all knowledge. The sanskrit word Veda means knowledge, see here explained elaborately. There are many people who say this yet, when asked for proof and demonstration that the Veda does contain all knowledge, one cannot provide proof or demonstrate it. This is because of Kali-yuga. The goal of the human life-form is to remember your relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (the cause of all causes, the Absolute Truth from which everything manifests, including the controlers aka isvaras, the gods, AUM, demigods, OM, Supreme Light, Almighty Father). The Veda is studied, assimilated and put into practice by the Brahmanas. They inturn share the knowledge with all other humanbeings. In Kali-yuga, one cannot peform the duties of Varna-asrama dharma (Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, Brahmacari, Grhasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa). Only Vaisnavism can be peformed. To sing the Holy Names of Krishna is the only duty of humans in Kali-yugas. To proof and demonstrate the end-conclusion of the Veda (Vedanta), one has to dive into the history of man-kind and the universe. This is called the itihasa (Ramayana and Mahabharata which occured in Treta and Dvapara yugas, the ages before the Kali yuga). One has to take shelter of the Three Sources which proof and demonstrate the greatness of the Veda which is Krishna (Srimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 15, Verse 15).

After Mahabharata, the Srimad Bhagavatam (12 Canto's) starts:


Questions of the Sages and Answers to these questions are from the notes of HG Bhurijana Prabhu.

Regarding the six questions of the sages, in his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.1, Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura has summarized the six questions that the sages of Namasaranya asked Suta Gosvami as follows:

1. What is the ultimate benefit for mankind?

2. What is the essence of all scriptures?

3. For what reason did the Lord take His birth from Mother Devaki?

4. Describe the wonderful deeds of the Lord when He assumed the forms of Brahma, Rudra, etc, for the purpose of creating, maintaining, and destroying the universe.

5. Fully describe the activities of Lord Hari's incarnations within this universe.

6. Where has religion taken shelter after Krsna has retired to His own abode?

Srila Jiva Gosvami has commented that of these six questions, four are answered in Chapter Two and two are answered in Chapter Three.

Here are the questions and the place in which they are answered according to two commentators on the Srimad Bhagavatam:


Question One (SB 1.1.9): What is the absolute and ultimate good (sreyah) for people in general?

After describing that devotional service to Sri Krsna was the essence of the scriptures, Suta explains that the ultimate benefit for people in general is to become free from material bondage and develop love of God through devotional service offered only to Krsna or His plenary parts (Especially SB 1.2.6- 7, but also until verse 27)



Question Two: (SB 1.1.11): What is the essence of all scriptures?

Throughout the Second Chapter of the Bhagavatam and especially in SB 1.2.6-7, and continuing on to text 28, Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is confirmed as the only object of worship, and establishing one's lost relationship with Him in love and service through devotional service is proclaimed as sum and substance of the Vedic literatures.



Question Three (SB 1.1.12): Tell why Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared.

This question is answered in SB 1.2.34, "to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness." In addition, this question is answered in SB 1.8.35, SB 9.4.61, SB 10.8.48-50, and SB 10.33.37.



Question Four (SB 1.1.17) Tell us of the acts of Lord performs in relationship to creating the material world.

This question is answered in SB 1.2.30-33, wherein the Bhagavatam explains how Vasudeva creates the material substance and enters into it as the Purusa incarnations. In addition, Cantos Three and Four explain the creation of the universe.



Question Five (SB 1.1.18): Describe the activities of the incarnations of the Lord.

The Lord's incarnations are described within the Chapter Three of the First Canto. Descriptions of the incarnations are expanded throughout the remainder of the Srimad Bhagavatam.



Question Six (SB 1.1.23): Where have religious principles gone after Krsna's disappearance from this planet?

Srila Suta Goswami answers this question in SB 1.3.43 by declaring, “This Bhagavat Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana.”