PURPORT

The word Bhagavan is sometimes used in relation with some of the great devotees of the Lord, like Sukadeva Gosvami. Such liberated souls are disinterested in the affairs of this material world because they are self-satisfied by the great achievements of devotional service. As explained before, Sukadeva Gosvami never accepted any formal spiritual master, nor did he undergo any formal reformatory performances. His father, Vyasadeva, was his natural spiritual master because he heard Srimad-Bhagavatam from him. After this, he became completely self-satisfied. Thus he was not dependent on any formal process. The formal processes are necessary for those who are expected to reach the stage of complete liberation, but Sri Sukadeva Gosvami was already in that status by the grace of his father. As a young boy he was expected to be properly dressed, but he went about naked and was disinterested in social customs. He was neglected by the general populace, and inquisitive boys and women surrounded him as if he were a madman. He thus appears on the scene while traveling on the earth on his own accord. It appears that to the inquiry of Maharaja Pariksit, the great sages were not unanimous in their decision as to what was to be done. For spiritual salvation there were many prescriptions according to the different modes of different persons. But the ultimate aim of life is to attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service of the Lord. As doctors differ, so also sages differ in their different prescriptions. While such things were going on, the great powerful son of Vyasadeva appeared on the scene.