SB 1.2.4 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 1
Narayanam namaskritya naram cha eva narottamam
Devim saraswatim vyasam tato jayam udirayet.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Narayanam—the personality of Godhead, Namskritya—after offering respectful obeisance, Naramcha eva—narayan rishi, Narottamam—the supermost of the human being, Devim—the goddess, Saraswatim—the mistress of learning, Vyasam—vyasdeva, Tato—thereafter, Jayam—all that is meant for conquering, Udirayet—be announced.
TRANSLATION
One should utter the means of conquest (Srimad Bhagwatam) after offering respectful obeisances 1. to the Personality of Godhead Narayana, 2. to the Naranarayan Rishi who is the supermost human being 3. to the mother Saraswati the goddess of learning then 4. to Srila Vyasadeva (the author)
PURPORT
All the Vedic literatures and the Puranas are meant for conquering the darkest region of material existence. The living being is in the state of forgetfulness of his relation with God on account of his too much attraction for material sense gratification from the time immemorial. His struggle for existence in the material world is a perpetual affair and it is not possible for him to get out of it by plan making business. If he at all wants to make conquest over this perpetual struggle for existence he must re-establish his eternal relation with God. And one, who wants to adopt such remedial measures, must take shelter of these literatures like the Vedas and the Puranas. Foolish people say that the Puranas have no connection with the Vedas. Actually the Puranas are supplimentary explanations of the Vedas for different types of men. All men are not equal. There are men who are conducted under the mode of goodness, there are others who are under the mode of passion and there are others who are conducted under the modes of ignorance. The Puranas are so divided that any class of men can take advantage of them and gradually regain the lost position and get out of the hard struggle for existence. Srila Suta Goswami shows the way of chanting the Puranas and the same may be followed by persons who may be preachers of the Vedic literatures and the Puranas. Srimad Bhagwat is the spotless Purana and it is specially meant for them who are desirous to get out of the material entanglement for good.