Text 58
iti nandādayo gopāḥ
kṛṣṇa-rāma-kathāṁ mudā
kurvanto ramamāṇāś ca
nāvindan bhava-vedanām
iti — in this way; nanda-ādayaḥ — all the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja; gopāḥ — cowherd men; kṛṣṇa-rāma-kathām — narration of incidents in connection with Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa and Rāma; mudā — in great transcendental pleasure; kurvantaḥ — doing that; ramamāṇāḥ ca — enjoyed life and increased their affection for Kṛṣṇa; na — not; avindan — perceived; bhava-vedanām — the tribulations of material existence.
In this way all the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, enjoyed topics about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with great transcendental pleasure, and they could not even perceive material tribulations.
Here is an instruction about the result of studying or discussing the kṛṣṇa-līlās that appear in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt (Bhāg. 1.1.2). Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā in Vṛndāvana appeared like ordinary persons of this material world, but they never felt the tribulations of this world, although they sometimes met many dangerous situations created by the demons. This is a practical example. If we follow in the footsteps of Nanda Mahārāja and the gopas, we can all be happy simply by discussing the activities of Kṛṣṇa.
anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād
bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje
lokasyājānato vidvāṁś
cakre sātvata-saṁhitām
(Bhāg. 1.7.6)
Vyāsadeva has given this literature so that everyone may understand one’s transcendental position simply by discussing bhāgavata-kathā. Even at the present moment, everyone everywhere can be happy and free from material tribulations by following Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is no need of austerities and penances, which in this age are very difficult to perform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore declared, sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. By our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to distribute Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so that anyone in any part of the world can be absorbed in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by chanting and hearing about the activities of Kṛṣṇa and be free from all material tribulations.