I have to confess. When I'm at home I don't normally read or hear Srimad Bhagavatam daily. I'll try to listen to lectures daily but that habit of reading and hearing Srimad Bhagavatam (specifically) is something I've never really done.
But after listening to Srimad Bhagavatam class here in Mayapur for over two weeks and studying the fourth canto I've become addicted! The jewels that come from the Bhagavatam are so relevant and important in our lives. Sometimes I have felt "How can the instructions of the Bhagavatam be relevant to me today, in Kali-yuga?" This morning I got an answer to that question- "Just as Bhagavatam is coming from Krishna, isn't Kali-yuga also coming from Krishna?" WOW! I had never thought of it that way. Yes, this is true. In that case since Krishna is the supreme and perfect teacher, wouldn't he ensure that whatever lilas he enacted and words that he spoke be relevant and not be subject to the limitations of time?
If we accept that as the basic premise, then the Bhagavatam becomes this chest of knowledge that can help us with every single aspect of our lives.
Take for example Kardama Muni praying to the Supreme for a good wife. One could argue that it was wrong for Kardama Muni to pray the Lord for something that could be categorized as a "material desire." But we also hear that the stories narrated in the Bhagavatam are those of the great devotees of the Lord. If that's the case how can a great devotee be praying to the Lord for material things?
This is the beauty of the Bhagavatam because just as we can perceive that devotees are on different levels, similarly the Bhagavatam shows us examples of devotees on different levels and the progression of such devotees. That's why we only hear about the vrajavasis, the top-most of Krishna's devotes, all the way in the 10th canto. That's why we are also encouraged not to "skip" cantos.
So although Kardama Muni is a pure devotee, through this lila he is teaching someone like me a very important lesson. Even if I have a material desire, I should take it to Krishna for it to be fulfilled. Trying to satisfy my desires on my own doesn't work. Believe me, I've tried! At the same time I shouldn't take the attitude of, "But it's a material desire and I shouldn't approach the Lord to ask him for material things." That's also an incorrect attitude. Why is it a wrong attitude? I heard a great analogy this morning with respect to this which I'd like to share.
Grade 1 math is not very difficult, right? Introduction to calculus at the university level is definitely quite advanced. But in order to do calculus we need to understand grade 1 math. So similarly if I want to get to the stage where my desires are centered on Krishna and not on myself I need to start somewhere and going to Krishna is a great place to start. If I go to Krishna with my material desires at least it shows Krishna that I at least recognize that I do not have any capacity or ability to fulfill my desires and that I am dependent on him.
In return, when an aspiring devotee turns to Krishna (and most devotees have had this experience) he tends to satisfy your desire in such a way that you will never want it again. Alternatively he satisfies your desire in such a way that it is very beneficial to your advancement in Krishna consciousness. In this way we can slowly graduate to the point where we will approach Krishna and only ask him for service to his devotees. Nothing more.
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