PURPORT

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purpose. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original commentary on Vedanta-sutra, which is called nyaya-prasthana. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is extremely elaborate. Professional reciters have created the impression that Srimad-Bhagavatam deals only with Krsna's rasa-lila, although Krsna's rasa-lila is only described in the Tenth Canto (Chapters 29-35). They have in this way presented Krsna to the Western world as a great woman hunter, and therefore we sometimes have to deal with such misconceptions in preaching. Another difficulty in understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam is that the professional reciters have introduced Bhagavata-saptaha, or seven-day readings of the Bhagavatam. They want to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in a week, although it is so sublime that even one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, if properly explained, cannot be completed in three months. Under these circumstances, it is a great aid for the common man to read Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's Caitanya-bhagavata, for thus he can actually understand devotional service, Krsna, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. Srila Rupa Gosvami has said: