saṃgha 2

Shaunaka said:
(13-14) What is it that the king, the ruler of Bharata, after hearing all of this, wanted to know more from the son of Vyasadeva, the learned sage? Oh learned Suta, explain those topics to us who are eager to hear about it, for in an assembly of devotees those talks are welcome that lead to the narrations about the Lord.

(15-16) He, the king, that grandson of the Pandavas, was no doubt a great devotee, a great fighter who -playing with his toys - as a child enacted the activities of Krishna. And that must have also been true for the son of Vyasadeva who, in the presence of all those devotees there, in his attachment to the Supreme Lord Vasudeva [father of Krishna] glorified by so many, proved to have all the great qualities.

(17) Except for the one who spends his time on the topics about the One hailed in the scriptures, the rising and setting sun only decreases [verminderen, afnemen] the lives of the people.

(18-19) Are the trees not growing also, are the blacksmith's bellows not also producing air, and are the beasts all around us not also eating and procreating? A person whose ear never reached the holy name of the One who delivers us from all evil, is not better than a dog, a hog [varken], an ass or a camel.

(20) The ears of a man who never heard of Vishnu, the One of the great step forward, are like those of snakes. And also the tongues of those who never sang the songs of worth aloud, are as useless as those of frogs.

(21) Even carrying a heavy silk turban, the upper part of the body is just a burden, when that body never bows down to Mukunda [Krishna granting liberation]. Just like hands that not engaged in the worship of the Lord, are like those of a dead body, however decorated they are with glittering golden bangles.

(22) Like the eyes on the plumes of a peacock, are the eyes of those men who do not see the forms of Vishnu. And like the roots of trees are their feet, when they never visit the holy places of the Lord.

(23) Those mortals who never personally received the dust of the feet of the pure devotees, are dead while being alive. And a descendant of Manu [i.e. a human] is like a dead corpse breathing, when he has never experienced the wealth of the aroma of the tulsi leaves of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet.

(24) Certainly that heart is steel-framed that, despite being absorbed in chanting the name of the Lord, is not moved therewith by emotions of having tears in one's eyes and hairs standing on end.

(25) Oh Suta Goswami, you express yourself so faithfully. Therefore, please tell us about the transcendental knowledge that the leading great devotee Shukadeva Gosvami so expertly spoke about in response to the excellent questions of the King.