I surrender unto You!

Deserted, abandoned, cast off

Caught unaware

Shocked, Lonely and Hurt

over and over again

Thousand years or millions of lifetimes

finding Gajendra within myself

How many experiences 

before I follow Gajendra

Futility of false shelters

belief in false promises

Why that pull towards falsity?

You are the Absolute Truth!

Your loving embrace

Your ocean of compassion

Your glance, Your love, Your patience

You are the controller

You are acyuta

You have kept Your promise at all times

You are bhakta vatsala

Hey Govinda!

I surrender unto You

I surrender unto You

I surrender unto You

No material remedy to get out of distress, only devotional service is the solution

From 3.5.2
Vidura said: O great sage, everyone in this world engages in fruitive activities to attain happiness, but one finds neither satiation nor the mitigation of distress. On the contrary, one is only aggravated by such activities. Please, therefore, give us directions on how one should live for real happiness.

3.5.4: Therefore, O great sage, please give me instruction on the transcendental devotional service of the Lord, so that He who is situated in the heart of everyone can be pleased to impart, from within, knowledge of the Absolute Truth in terms of the ancient Vedic principles delivered only to those who are purified by the process of devotional service.

3.5.13: For one who is anxious to engage constantly in hearing such topics, kṛṣṇa-kathā gradually increases his indifference towards all other things. Such constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa by the devotee who has achieved transcendental bliss vanquishes all his miseries without delay.

These verses are similar in mood to Sri Prahalada Maharaja Prayers to Lord Narasimha Deva:

SB 7.9.17 — O great one, O Supreme Lord, because of combination with pleasing and displeasing circumstances and because of separation from them, one is placed in a most regrettable position, within heavenly or hellish planets, as if burning in a fire of lamentation. Although there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves. Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct me in such service.

SB 7.9.18 — O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, by engaging in Your transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated souls [haṁsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way I shall undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience.

SB 7.9.19 — My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man.

SB 7.9.20 — My dear Lord, everyone in this material world is under the modes of material nature, being influenced by goodness, passion and ignorance. Everyone — from the greatest personality, Lord Brahmā, down to the small ant — works under the influence of these modes. Therefore everyone in this material world is influenced by Your energy. The cause for which they work, the place where they work, the time when they work, the matter due to which they work, the goal of life they have considered final, and the process for obtaining this goal — all are nothing but manifestations of Your energy. Indeed, since the energy and energetic are identical, all of them are but manifestations of You.

SB 7.9.21 — O Lord, O supreme eternal, by expanding Your plenary portion You have created the subtle bodies of the living entities through the agency of Your external energy, which is agitated by time. Thus the mind entraps the living entity in unlimited varieties of desires to be fulfilled by the Vedic directions of karma-kāṇḍa [fruitive activity] and the sixteen elements. Who can get free from this entanglement unless he takes shelter at Your lotus feet?

Laxmi Devi cleaning the Vaikuntha floor to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so

SB 3.15.21
The ladies in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Supreme Lord, Govinda, is always served in His abode by many, many millions of goddesses of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. These millions and trillions of goddesses of fortune who reside in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are not exactly consorts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but are the wives of the devotees of the Lord and also engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the houses are made of marble. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the ground on the Vaikuṇṭha planets is made of touchstone. Thus there is no need to sweep the stone in Vaikuṇṭha, for there is hardly any dust on it, but still, in order to satisfy the Lord, the ladies there always engage in dusting the marble walls. Why? The reason is that they are eager to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so.

It is also stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the goddesses of fortune are faultless. Generally the goddess of fortune does not remain steadily in one place. Her name is Cañcalā, which means “one who is not steady.” We find, therefore, that a man who is very rich may become the poorest of the poor. Another example is Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa took away Lakṣmī, Sītājī, to his kingdom, and instead of being happy by the grace of Lakṣmī, his family and his kingdom were vanquished. Thus Lakṣmī in the house of Rāvaṇa is Cañcalā, or unsteady. Men of Rāvaṇa’s class want Lakṣmī only, without her husband, Nārāyaṇa; therefore they become unsteady due to Lakṣmījī. Materialistic persons find fault on the part of Lakṣmī, but in Vaikuṇṭha Lakṣmījī is fixed in the service of the Lord. In spite of her being the goddess of fortune, she cannot be happy without the grace of the Lord. Even the goddess of fortune needs the Lord’s grace in order to be happy, yet in the material world even Brahmā, the highest created being, seeks the favor of Lakṣmī for happiness.

Learn to be sober and well behaved towards the Vaishnavas

From Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 8.5.15-16
It is described that while Durvāsā Muni was passing on the road, he saw Indra on the back of his elephant and was pleased to offer Indra a garland from his own neck. Indra, however, being too puffed up, took the garland, and without respect for Durvāsā Muni, he placed it on the trunk of his carrier elephant. The elephant, being an animal, could not understand the value of the garland, and thus the elephant threw the garland between its legs and smashed it. Seeing this insulting behavior, Durvāsā Muni immediately cursed Indra to be poverty-stricken, bereft of all material opulence. Thus the demigods, afflicted on one side by the fighting demons and on the other by the curse of Durvāsā Muni, lost all the material opulences in the three worlds.

To be extremely opulent in materialistic advancement is sometimes very risky.

The materially opulent person does not care about anyone, and thus he commits offenses to great personalities, such as devotees and great saints. This is the way of material opulence. As described by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, dhana-durmadāndha: too much wealth makes one blind. This happens even to Indra in his heavenly kingdom, and what to speak of others in this material world? When one is materially opulent, he should learn to be sober and well-behaved toward Vaiṣṇavas and saintly persons; otherwise he will fall down.

Canto 1 Chapter 1 Summary

Summary by HG Narayani Mataji:

Verses 1-3: Mangalacarana

Srimad Bhagavatam, the ripened fruit of the desire tree of the Vedas, glorifies the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Absolute Truth, and reservoir of all rasas. All cheating religious activities are completely rejected from the Bhagavatam, and the highest truth of Lord is revealed. Pure hearted souls who submissively drink the Bhagavatam from the lips of Sukadeva, will soon capture Krsna within their hearts.

janamady asya yatah - SB 1.1.1 - Meditate on Lord Krishna

dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra SB 1.1.2

Introspection:

am I attached to any of the cheating religions? what hole am I trying to fill through them?

How can I help myself to do away with them?

Verses 4-8: The sages worship Suta

Great sages headed by the sage Saunaka assembled at Naimisaranya to perform a thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees. They first glorified Suta as being pure, knowledgeable, experienced in hearing and chanting, and blessed by  his spiritual master.

Qualifications of a representative of Srila Vyasadeva 1.1.4- 1.1.8

Introspection:

A humility activity: Go through the qualities presented in these verses and make a note of what is going well with you and what are the areas of improvement

Verses 9-13: The sages ask questions

Understanding the spiritual disqualifications of people in this age, the sages ask relevant questions. They especially desire to know what is the ultimate good for the people in general and what is the essence of all the various scriptures. They are also very eager to hear about Lord Krsna.

Six Questions- Six Answers

What is wrong with Kali Yuga?

Verses 14-20: Holy name and devotees

The sages then glorify chanting the holy names, associating with pure devotees and hearing Srimad Bhagavatam. They express their eagerness to hear of the incarnations of Lord Krsna.

Introspection:

 How do I view the Holy Name, the devotees and the process of hearing?

Verses 21-23 Spiritual master

The sages affirm their determination to perform the sacrifice of hearing the glories of the Lord, accepting Suta as the captain of the ship to take them across the difficult ocean of Kali. Their final question is where to find religious principles in this age, since Lord Krsna departed for His own abode.

In this chapter the sages pose 6 questions to Suta Goswami who answers them throughout the course of Srimad Bhagavatam. The 6 questions and their answers are linked below:
6 questions 6 answers

Six Questions- Six Answers

6 Questions	Theme	6 Answers
Question 1: What is the absolute and ultimate  good (sreyah) for people in general?  SB 1.1.9: Please, therefore, being blessed with many years, explain to us, in an easily understandable  way, what you have ascertained to be the absolute  and ultimate good for the people in general.	Foreseeing the incompetencies of the people of Kali Yuga the sages being compassionate ask this question for their spiritual well being. Refer link : What is wrong with Kali Yuga	After describing that devotional service to Sri Krsna was the essence of the scriptures, Suta explains that the ultimate benefit for people in general is to become free from material bondage and develop love of God through devotional service offered only to Krsna or His plenary parts (Especially SB 1.2.6- 7, but also until verse 27) SB 1.2.6 — The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. Refer link: The Supreme Occupation
Question 2: What is the essence of all scriptures? SB 1.1.11:There are many varieties of scriptures,  and in all of them there are many prescribed duties,  which can be learned only after many years  of study  in their various divisions. Therefore, O sage, please  select the essence of all these scriptures and explain  it for the good of all living beings, that by such instruction their hearts may be fully satisfied.	How to attain the highest goal that is easily attainable by the people in Kali Yuga considering the condition of the people
Question 3:For what reason did the Lord take His birth from Devaki? SB 1.1.12: All blessings upon you, O Sūta Gosvāmī. You know for what purpose the Personality of Godhead appeared in the womb of Devakī as the son of Vasudeva.	Eagerness to hear They are pleading to Suta Goswami , please tell us.They are very eager to hear about Lord Krishna.Eagerness to hear about the activities and the pastimes of Lord Krishna- they are also thus asking Suta Goswami about activities of hearing and chanting Refer : tava kathamritam Krsna is svarat - appears by His own desire, not forced to appear in this material world. Therefore it is difficult to understand why He would enter the prison house of the material world. satvatam patih-protector of His devotees. Thus He appears to give pleasure to His devotees and broadcast His glories
Question 4: Tell us of the acts the Lord performs in relationship to creating the material world? SB 1.1.17: His transcendental acts are magnificent and gracious, and great learned sages like Nārada sing of them. Please, therefore, speak to us, who are eager to hear, about the adventures He performs in His various incarnations.	Srila Jiva Goswami explains that Saunaka is specifically referring to the Lord's pastimes of universal creation.
Question 5: Describe the activities of the incarnations of the Lord. SB 1.1.18:O wise Sūta, please narrate to us the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Godhead’s multi-incarnations. Such auspicious adventures and pastimes of the Lord, the supreme controller, are performed by His internal powers.	Saunaka Rsi is requesting avatara katha, narrations concerning the Lord's descent in this material world.
Question 6: Where have religious principles gone after Krsna's disappearance from this planet? SB 1.1.23: Since Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us to whom the religious principles have now gone for shelter.	Whenever there is gross misuse or neglect of the principles of religion, the Supreme Lord appears Himself to restore religious principles. This is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Here the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya are inquiring about these principles

What is wrong with Kali Yuga?

SB 1.1.10

prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya
 kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
mandāḥ sumanda-matayo
 manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ

O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.

 

The sages are asking Suta Goswami- "If this is the situation then what should we do?Atmosphere will be full of faithlessness and they will make wrong choices? What should we do? "

Important points:

1. When we are not in Krishna Consciousness we fall in this category
2. Mandah:
1. Faulty, Slow, Procrastination. Lots to do never finishes
3. Sumandah Matayoh- less intelligent/misguided
1. Have the wrong philosophy. Therefore misguided. 
2. The standard of enjoyment is sense gratification and material advancement- so it is not compatible for Spiritual Growth.
3. Work hard for the wrong reasons
4. Mandah Bhagya - Unlucky
1. Too intelligent and too busy to take association of devotees
5. upadrutah- disturbed
1. Their minds are always disturbed and full of anxieties due to so many different engagements
2. Maufacture their own faith
3. Varnasram is not maintained properly
4. Deny the needs of the soul(atma ha, self envy)- therefore always unsatisfied,