just like the bird named bhūruṇḍa on the peak of the Himālaya. // 17
A bull, whose mind is blind to the essential and non-essential, takes in all that is heard,

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just as a bull [eats] sweet grapes and oil-cake without distinction. // 18

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He who abandons what is sweet and delights in what is contrary is a camel,

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just as a camel feeds on neem, abandoning even a mango tree joined with it. // 19

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There are also many other varieties of both, such as bees, donkeys, and others,

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which are to be recognized by their respective conducts arising from their respective natures. // 20

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He who, having stood facing [the speaker] and bowed according to rule, leaving aside other discourse, desires to hear the playful deeds of Hari, highly skilled, humble, with folded hands;

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a disciple, trustworthy, devoted to contemplation, fond of questioning, pure, ever dear to the people of Kṛṣṇa—he indeed is declared by speakers to be [the ideal] listener. // 21

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He whose mind is fixed on the Lord, who is free from expectation, a friend, compassionate toward the distressed,

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clever in explaining in many ways—such a speaker is honored by sages. // 22

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Now, concerning the service of the Śrībhāgavata in the land of Bhārata,

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hear, O brahmins, the procedure by which a continuous succession of happiness may arise. // 23

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Rājasika, sāttvika, tāmasika, and likewise nirguṇa:

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the service of the Śrībhāgavata is to be known as fourfold. // 24

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That which is [performed for] seven days like a sacrifice, with effort, in haste, with joy,

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attended upon with many worships and the like, is the rājasika one. // 25

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Hearing [it] over a month or a season, accompanied by relish,

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effortless, increasing all bliss, is the sāttvika one. // 26

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That which is performed over a year, lethargic, yet endowed with faith,

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accompanied by forgetting and remembering—such service is tāmasika, and brings happiness. // 27

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Relinquishing the rigid adherence to rules of years, months, and days,

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service performed solely through loving devotion at all times is considered nirguṇa. // 28

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Even in the dialogue with Parīkṣit, it was proclaimed as nirguṇa;

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there, the seven-day narration was due to the count of the days of his life. // 29

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Elsewhere, whether of the three guṇas or nirguṇa, according to one's wish,

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service to the Lord's scripture is to be performed in whatever manner possible. // 30

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Those who are greedy to relish only the worship of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's sports,

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having no longing even for liberation—to them the Bhāgavata is their wealth. // 31

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And those who are despondent from the torment of saṃsāra and long for liberation,

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for them this medicine for worldly existence is to be served with effort in the Kali [age]. // 32

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And those who delight in sense objects, desiring worldly pleasures,

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for them, whatever perfection is attainable through the path of works is now, in the Kali [age],

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extremely difficult to attain due to the lack of capacity, wealth, and specialized knowledge;

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therefore, the sacred story of the Bhāgavata should be resorted to even by them. // 34

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Wealth, sons, and wives, vehicles and the like, fame, houses,

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and rival-less sovereignty—the Bhāgavata story can bestow all this. // 35

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Having enjoyed excellent, mentally desired pleasures in this world,

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at the end, through contact with the Śrībhāgavata, one goes to the abode of Śrī Hari. // 36

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Where the Bhāgavata discourse takes place and whoever is devoted to hearing it—

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one should render service to them with one's body and with one's wealth. // 37

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By their grace, he too obtains the service of the Śrībhāgavata.

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Whatever is apart from Śrī Kṛṣṇa is all designated as 'wealth'. // 38

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A listener or speaker is considered two-fold: one seeking Kṛṣṇa, and one seeking wealth.

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As the speaker is, so is the listener; there happiness increases. // 39

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When there is a discrepancy between the two, a semblance of sentiment results in the loss of the fruit;

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however, for those seeking Kṛṣṇa, perfection arises even after a delay. // 40

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The perfection of one who seeks wealth depends upon the completeness of the ritual rule;

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for one who seeks Kṛṣṇa, even if lacking merit, love alone is the supreme rule. // 41

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Until completion, the ritual rule must indeed be observed personally by one who has desires.

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Having bathed, performed the daily rites, and tasted the foot-nectar of Hari, // 42

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and having worshipped both the book and the guru with the proper offerings,

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he should speak or listen to the Śrīmad Bhāgavata with joy. (43)

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He should eat in silence, either on milk or on sacrificial fare (haviṣya);

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he should observe celibacy, sleep on the ground, and avoid anger, greed, and the like. (44)

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At the end of the recitation, he should always perform chanting (kīrtana); at its conclusion, he should keep a night-vigil.

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Having fed the brahmins, he should please them with sacrificial gifts. (45)

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Having given garments, ornaments, and the like to the guru, he should also offer a cow.

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When the procedure is thus performed, he obtains the desired fruit: (46)

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a wife, a house, sons, kingship, wealth, and whatever else is desired.

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However, acting with desire is not appropriate here; it is a mockery. (47)

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It brings about the attainment of Kṛṣṇa, bestowing the fruit of eternal bliss of divine love;

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the scripture Śrīmad Bhāgavata was spoken in the Kali [age] by the parrot-like Śuka. (48)

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Thus ends the fourth chapter in the Śrīmadbhāgavatamāhātmya, in the second, Vaiṣṇava section of the venerable Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses]. (4)

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Thus ends the Śrībhāgavatamahāpurāṇamāhātmya in the second, Vaiṣṇava section of the venerable Skanda Mahāpurāṇa. (2.6)

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit