Devanagari
वासुदेवकथाप्रश्न: पुरुषांस्त्रीन् पुनाति हि
वक्तारं प्रच्छकं श्रोतृंस्तत्पादसलिलं यथा ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
vāsudeva-kathā-praśnaḥ
puruṣāṁs trīn punāti hi
vaktāraṁ pracchakaṁ śrotṝṁs
tat-pāda-salilaṁ yathā
Synonyms
vāsudeva
—
kathā — praśnaḥ — questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa
;
puruṣān
—
persons
;
trīn
—
three
;
punāti
—
purify
;
hi
—
indeed
;
vaktāram
—
the speaker, such as Śukadeva Gosvāmī
;
pracchakam
—
and an inquisitive hearer like Mahārāja Parīkṣit
;
śrotṝn
—
and, between them, the listeners hearing about the topics
;
tat
—
pāda — salilam yathā — exactly as the entire world is purified by the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu .
Translation
The Ganges, emanating from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The Ganges, emanating from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen.
Purport
It is said,
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijṣāsuḥ śreya uttamam
(
Bhāg.
11.3.21
). Those interested in understanding transcendental subject matters as the goal of life must approach the bona fide spiritual master.
Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta.
One must surrender to such a
guru,
who can give right information about Kṛṣṇa. Herein, Mahārāja Parīkṣit has surrendered to the right personality, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, for enlightenment in
vāsudeva-kathā.
Vāsudeva is the original Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited spiritual activities.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
is a record of such activities, and
Bhagavad-gītā
is the record of Vāsudeva speaking personally. Therefore, since the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is full of
vāsudeva-kathā,
anyone who hears, anyone who joins the movement and anyone who preaches will be purified.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The topics of Hari purifies three types of persons just like the caranamrta from the salagaram or deity (pada salilam yatha), which purifies three types of persons: those who put it on their head, those who drink it and those who do both. It can also mean that the topics are just like the Ganga, which purifies those in the upper, middle and lower worlds. The topics of Hari purify the speaker, the inquirer and the listener. It is most purifying for the speaker, then the inquirer, and then the listener, in that order.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Sages and I myself become purified of the contamination which arises from not hearing the Lord’s topics. He repeats the name Vāsudeva out of attraction for Kṛṣṇa. One will ask questions in order to increase steadiness. Talks about Kṛṣṇa definitely (hi) purify three types of persons (the main ones). By asking the question, the speaker becomes purified since he becomes established as the speaker at the time of asking him. Of course, how much more he will be purified when he speaks. What to speak of how much more the original questioner will be purified. And even those who hear the question as bystanders become purified. The questioner and speaker are single, since it is unsuitable that there be many questioners and speakers. But without consideration, all people are purified by things related to the Lord. An example is given. The water from the Gaṅgā or from a śālagrāma purifies the sprinkler of water (the questioner). It then purifies the object on which it is sprinkled (the speaker). It then purifies others who are present (the listeners).
śruto ’nupaṭhito dhyāta ādṛto vānumoditaḥ
sadyaḥ punāti sad-dharmo deva-viśva-druho ’pi hi
Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord, consisting of hearing, chanting, meditating, accepting it with faith, or praising others who perform it, immediately purifies even those who are envious of the Lord and the universe. SB 11.2.12