Text 8
śrī-uddhava uvāca
jñānaṁ viśuddhaṁ vipulaṁ yathaitad
vairāgya-vijñāna-yutaṁ purāṇam
ākhyāhi viśveśvara viśva-mūrte
tvad-bhakti-yogaṁ ca mahad-vimṛgyam
śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; jñānam — knowledge; viśuddham — transcendental; vipulam — extensive; yathā — just as; etat — this; vairagya — detachment; vijñāna — and direct perception of the truth; yutam — including; purāṇam — traditional among great philosophers; ākhyāhi — please explain; viśva-īśvara — O Lord of the universe; viśva-mūrte — O form of the universe; tvat — unto You; bhakti-yogam — loving devotional service; ca — also; mahat — by great souls; vimṛgyam — sought after.
Śrī Uddhava said: O Lord of the universe! O form of the universe! Please explain to me that process of knowledge which automatically brings detachment and direct perception of the truth, which is transcendental, and which is traditional among great spiritual philosophers. This knowledge, sought by elevated personalities, describes loving devotional service unto Your Lordship.
Those who are able to cross over the darkness of material existence are called mahat, or great personalities. Secondary items like cosmic consciousness or universal control do not deviate the attention of such great souls from loving service to the Lord. Śrī Uddhava desires to hear knowledge of the eternal religious principles that are the traditional aim and objective of all superior personalities.