View source for Parasara, the father of Vyasadeva

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[[Category:Parasara is the Father of Vyasadeva|1]]
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" class="section" sec_index="0" parent="compilation" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is"><h2>Bhagavad-gita As It Is</h2>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 1 - 6"><h3>BG Chapters 1 - 6</h3>
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<div id="BG22_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" book="BG" index="41" link="BG 2.2" link_text="BG 2.2">
<div class="heading">The Sanskrit word bhagavān is explained by the great authority Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 2.2 (1972)|BG 2.2, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Sanskrit word bhagavān is explained by the great authority Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation is called Bhagavān. There are many persons who are very rich, very powerful, very beautiful, very famous, very learned, and very much detached, but no one can claim that he possesses all riches, all strength, etc., entirely. Only Kṛṣṇa can claim this because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No living entity, including Brahmā, Lord Śiva, or Nārāyaṇa, can possess opulences as fully as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is concluded in the Brahma-saṁhitā by Lord Brahmā himself that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is equal to or above Him. He is the primeval Lord, or Bhagavān, known as Govinda, and He is the supreme cause of all causes.</p>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 13 - 18"><h3>BG Chapters 13 - 18</h3>
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<div id="BG135_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" book="BG" index="4" link="BG 13.5" link_text="BG 13.5">
<div class="heading">Vyāsadeva's father, Parāśara, is also a great sage, and he writes in his books of religiosity, "we—you, I and the various other living entities—are all transcendental, although in material bodies. Now we are fallen into the ways of the three modes of material nature according to our different karma."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 13.5 (1972)|BG 13.5, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings. It is especially presented in Vedānta-sūtra with all reasoning as to cause and effect.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the highest authority in explaining this knowledge. Still, as a matter of course, learned scholars and standard authorities always give evidence from previous authorities. Kṛṣṇa is explaining this most controversial point regarding the duality and nonduality of the soul and the Supersoul by referring to a scripture, the Vedānta, which is accepted as authority. First He says, "This is according to different sages." As far as the sages are concerned, besides Himself, Vyāsadeva (the author of the Vedānta-sūtra) is a great sage, and in the Vedānta-sūtra duality is perfectly explained. And Vyāsadeva's father, Parāśara, is also a great sage, and he writes in his books of religiosity, aham tvaṁ ca tathānye. .. "we—you, I and the various other living entities—are all transcendental, although in material bodies. Now we are fallen into the ways of the three modes of material nature according to our different karma. As such, some are on higher levels, and some are in the lower nature. The higher and lower natures exist due to ignorance and are being manifested in an infinite number of living entities. But the Supersoul, which is infallible, is uncontaminated by the three qualities of nature and is transcendental." Similarly, in the original Vedas, a distinction between the soul, the Supersoul and the body is made, especially in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. There are many great sages who have explained this, and Parāśara is considered principal among them.</p>
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<div id="BG1518_1" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" book="BG" index="69" link="BG 15.18" link_text="BG 15.18">
<div class="heading">The Supreme Personality is exhibiting and diffusing His spiritual effulgence, which is the ultimate illumination. That Supreme Personality also has a localized aspect as Paramātmā. By incarnating Himself as the son of Satyavatī and Parāśara, He explains the Vedic knowledge as Vyāsadeva.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 15.18 (1972)|BG 15.18, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Supreme Lord, in His localized aspect of Paramātmā, is also described in the Vedas themselves. The following verse appears in the Vedas (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.12.3): tāvad eṣa samprasādo 'smāc charīrāt samutthāya paraṁ jyoti-rūpaṁ sampadya svena rūpeṇābhiniṣpadyate sa uttamaḥ puruṣaḥ. "The Supersoul coming out of the body enters the impersonal brahmajyoti; then in His form He remains in His spiritual identity. That Supreme is called the Supreme Personality." This means that the Supreme Personality is exhibiting and diffusing His spiritual effulgence, which is the ultimate illumination. That Supreme Personality also has a localized aspect as Paramātmā. By incarnating Himself as the son of Satyavatī and Parāśara, He explains the Vedic knowledge as Vyāsadeva.</p>
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<div id="BG1878_3" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" book="BG" index="192" link="BG 18.78" link_text="BG 18.78">
<div class="heading">Vyāsa—the son of Parāśara, and the literary incarnation of God; the greatest philosopher of ancient times, and the compiler of the original Vedic scriptures, including the eighteen Purāṇas, Vedānta-sūtra, the Mahābhārata, and the Upaniṣads.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 18.78 (1972)|BG 18.78, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Vyāsa—the son of Parāśara, and the literary incarnation of God; the greatest philosopher of ancient times, and the compiler of the original Vedic scriptures, including the eighteen Purāṇas, Vedānta-sūtra, the Mahābhārata, and the Upaniṣads. (10.13, 10.37, 18.75) See also</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_1" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 1"><h3>SB Canto 1</h3>
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<div id="SB1414_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="114" link="SB 1.4.14" link_text="SB 1.4.14">
<div class="heading">The mother of the great sage was Satyavatī the daughter of the Vasu (fisherman), and the father was the great Parāśara Muni. That is the history of Vyāsadeva's birth.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.4.14|SB 1.4.14, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Sūta Gosvāmī said: When the second millennium overlapped the third, the great sage (Vyāsadeva) was born to Parāśara in the womb of Satyavatī, the daughter of Vasu.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>There is a chronological order of the four millenniums, namely Satya, Dvāpara, Tretā and Kali. But sometimes there is overlapping. During the regime of Vaivasvata Manu, there was an overlapping of the twenty-eighth round of the four millenniums, and the third millennium appeared prior to the second. In that particular millennium, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa also descends, and because of this there was some particular alteration. The mother of the great sage was Satyavatī the daughter of the Vasu (fisherman), and the father was the great Parāśara Muni. That is the history of Vyāsadeva's birth. Every millennium is divided into three periods, and each period is called a sandhyā. Vyāsadeva appeared in the third sandhyā of that particular age.</p>
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<div id="SB152_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="133" link="SB 1.5.2" link_text="SB 1.5.2">
<div class="heading">Addressing Vyāsadeva, the son of Parāśara, Nārada inquired: Are you satisfied by identifying with the body or the mind as objects of self-realization?
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.5.2|SB 1.5.2, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Addressing Vyāsadeva, the son of Parāśara, Nārada inquired: Are you satisfied by identifying with the body or the mind as objects of self-realization?</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>This was a hint by Nārada to Vyāsadeva regarding the cause of his despondency. Vyāsadeva, as the descendant of Parāśara, a greatly powerful sage, had the privilege of having a great parentage which should not have given Vyāsadeva cause for despondency. Being a great son of a great father, he should not have identified the self with the body or the mind. Ordinary men with a poor fund of knowledge can identify the body as self or the mind as self, but Vyāsadeva should not have done so. One cannot be cheerful by nature unless one is factually seated in self-realization, which is transcendental to the material body and mind.</p>
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<div id="SB1967_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_1" book="SB" index="323" link="SB 1.9.6-7" link_text="SB 1.9.6-7">
<div class="heading">Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsadeva): He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana, Dvaipāyana, Satyavatī-suta, Pārāśarya, Parāśarātmaja, Bādarāyaṇa, Vedavyāsa, etc. He was the son of Mahāmuni Parāśara in the womb of Satyavatī.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 1.9.6-7|SB 1.9.6-7, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsadeva): He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana, Dvaipāyana, Satyavatī-suta, Pārāśarya, Parāśarātmaja, Bādarāyaṇa, Vedavyāsa, etc. He was the son of Mahāmuni Parāśara in the womb of Satyavatī prior to her betrothal with Mahārāja Śantanu, the father of the great general Grandfather Bhīṣmadeva.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_3" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3>
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<div id="SB349_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="116" link="SB 3.4.9" link_text="SB 3.4.9">
<div class="heading">Maitreya was one of the disciples of Maharṣi Parāśara, the father of Vyāsadeva.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.4.9|SB 3.4.9, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">At that time, after traveling in many parts of the world, Maitreya, a great devotee of the Lord and a friend and well-wisher of the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa, reached that spot out of his own perfect accord.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>Maitreya was one of the disciples of Maharṣi Parāśara, the father of Vyāsadeva. Thus Vyāsadeva and Maitreya were friends and mutual well-wishers. By some fortunate accident, Maitreya reached the place where Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was resting. To meet the Lord is not an ordinary incident. Maitreya was a great sage and a learned scholar-philosopher but not a pure devotee of the Lord, and therefore his meeting with the Lord at that time may have been due to ajñāta-sukṛti, or some unknown devotional service. Pure devotees always engage in pure devotional activities, and therefore their meeting with the Lord is natural. But when those who are not up to that standard meet the Lord, it is due to the unforeseen fortune of accidental devotional service.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
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<div id="SB6431_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="170" link="SB 6.4.31" link_text="SB 6.4.31">
<div class="heading">The great authority Parāśara, the father of Vyāsadeva, explains the Supreme Personality of Godhead thus: The demoniac speculators cannot understand the transcendental qualities, form, pastimes, strength, knowledge and opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are all free from material contamination.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.4.31|SB 6.4.31, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The great authority Parāśara, the father of Vyāsadeva, explains the Supreme Personality of Godhead thus:</p>
:jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-
:vīrya-tejāṁsy aśeṣataḥ
:bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni
:vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ
<p>The demoniac speculators cannot understand the transcendental qualities, form, pastimes, strength, knowledge and opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are all free from material contamination (vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ). These speculators are envious of the existence of the Lord. Jagad āhur anīśvaram: their conclusion is that the entire cosmic manifestation has no controller, but is just working naturally. Thus they are kept in constant darkness, birth after birth, and cannot understand the real cause of all causes. This is the reason why there are so many schools of philosophical speculation.</p>
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<div id="SB_Cantos_1014_to_12_Translations_Only" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)"><h3>SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)</h3>
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<div id="SB1264849_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Cantos_10.14_to_12_(Translations_Only)" book="SB" index="4582" link="SB 12.6.48-49" link_text="SB 12.6.48-49">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 12.6.48-49|SB 12.6.48-49, Translation]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">O brāhmaṇa, in the present age of Vaivasvata Manu, the leaders of the universe, led by Brahmā and Śiva, requested the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the protector of all the worlds, to save the principles of religion. O most fortunate Śaunaka, the almighty Lord, exhibiting a divine spark of a portion of His plenary portion, then appeared in the womb of Satyavatī as the son of Parāśara. In this form, named Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, he divided the one Veda into four.</p>
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<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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<div id="CCMadhya857_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1463" link="CC Madhya 8.57" link_text="CC Madhya 8.57">
<div class="heading">A great saint, the father of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, has specifically mentioned that devotional service to the Lord can ultimately be awakened in human society by the discharge of duties in accordance with the varṇāśrama system.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 8.57|CC Madhya 8.57, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">A great saint, the father of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, has specifically mentioned that devotional service to the Lord can ultimately be awakened in human society by the discharge of duties in accordance with the varṇāśrama system. The Supreme Personality of Godhead instituted varṇāśrama-dharma to give human beings a chance to return home, back to Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is known in the Bhagavad-gītā as Puruṣottama—the greatest of all personalities—personally came and declared that the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma was founded by Him.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG232LondonSeptember21973_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="98" link="Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973" link_text="Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973">
<div class="heading">So here is one śāstra-vidhim from Parāśara-smṛti. Parāśara was the father of Vyāsadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They're also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parāśara-smṛti it is said: śastra-pāṇi, means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. "Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?" Immediately cut his hand, bas.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973|Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So śāstra-vidhim is required. So here is one śāstra-vidhim from Parāśara-smṛti. Parāśara was the father of Vyāsadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They're also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parāśara-smṛti it is said: kṣatriyo hi prajā rakṣan śastra, śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Śastra-pāṇi means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. "Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?" Immediately cut his hand, bas. This one example will stop millions of thieves not to commit stealing. Simply by cutting. Even a hundred years ago this system was prevalent in Kashmir. If a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, immediately king will cut off his two hands. Bas, finished. No court witness. And it will go for ten years to find out whether he has stolen. This is government. Therefore, the injunction is kṣatriya hi prajā rakṣan śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Always must be very strict. Nirjitya para-sainyādi dharmeṇa pālayet. This is dharma.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG71BombayJanuary131973_1" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="236" link="Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973" link_text="Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973">
<div class="heading">Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973|Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is definition of Bhagavān. Not that any rascal advertises himself Bhagavān and he becomes Bhagavān. No. Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence. Just like we have our practical experience. Anyone who is very rich, he's attractive. He becomes attractive. Many men go to him for some favor. One who is very influential, he becomes very attractive. One who is very famous, he becomes attractive. One who is very learned, wise, he becomes attractive. One who is very wise, he becomes attractive. And one who is in the renounced order of life Renounced order of life means one who possesses everything but renounces, does not use it for his personal benefit. Just like a person who is very charitably disposed, he gives everything to the public. He's also very attractive.</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB125NewVrindabanSeptember41972_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="28" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972">
<div class="heading">So he questioned, "Pārāśara." Vyāsadeva's father was Parāśara Muni. So he addressed him, "Pārāśara." "So why you are unhappy? You have studied everything. You have undergone all kinds of penances. You have performed all Vedic rituals. You have written so many books. Why you are unhappy?"
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Vyāsadeva summarized all the Vedic literature in the Vedānta-sūtra. Veda means knowledge; anta means end. There is... Everything, there is some summit or the ultimate goal. So about education, knowledge, the ultimate goal is Vedānta. Veda means knowledge; anta means ultimate. If you know Vedānta, then you have known everything. Kasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. So still, after compiling Vedānta-sūtra philosophy, Vyāsadeva was not satisfied. He was feeling some vacancy. He was sorry.</p>
<p>So his spiritual master, Nārada, appeared before his disciple Vyāsadeva. So Nārada could understand that Vyāsadeva was not happy even after compiling so many big, big volumes of literature, Vedic literature. So he questioned, "Pārāśara..." Vyāsadeva's father was Parāśara Muni. So he addressed him, "Pārāśara." "So why you are unhappy? You have studied everything. You have undergone all kinds of penances. You have performed all Vedic rituals. You have written so many books. Why you are unhappy?" He answered, "My dear lord, what you say, it is all right, that I am not happy. But you can find out the cause. Because you know everyone's heart, you can find out the cause." So Nārada Muni replied that—these things will be discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—that "You have considered so many things, but if..., you have not written anything absolutely for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without discussing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you cannot be happy."</p>
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<div id="LectureonSB127NewVrindabanSeptember51972_1" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="45" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972">
<div class="heading">The most beautiful. And the most wise, jñāna. Nobody can be wiser than God. These are the description given by Parasara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Kṛṣṇa here, you have got Kṛṣṇa's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always. An old man cannot become beautiful. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That is the description of Ādyaṁ Purāṇa, He is the original person, the oldest of all but he is nava-yauvanam, just like a beautiful boy, say sixteen or twenty years old. So that is beautiful, the most beautiful. And the most wise, jñāna. Nobody can be wiser than God. These are the description given by Parasara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya and at the same time renounced.</p>
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<div id="LectureonSB1514NewVrindabanMay221969_2" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="129" link="Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969">
<div class="heading">So when Vyāsadeva was morose, his spiritual master is addressing Vyāsadeva as pārāśarya mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga. Pārāśarya means Vyāsadeva is the son of Parāśara Muni, who was a great sage.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969|Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So when Vyāsadeva was morose, his spiritual master is addressing Vyāsadeva as pārāśarya mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga. Pārāśarya means Vyāsadeva is the son of Parāśara Muni, who was a great sage. His mother was Satyavatī. Actually Vyāsadeva was born... His mother was a fishergirl, fisherwoman. In Bengali we call māchaoyālī. So, but because the father was very great, Parāśara Muni, so there is no question of father and mother. Everyone comes in his own ability according to karma. Nobody is responsible for his birth. Everyone is responsible for his work. So Vyāsadeva became a great personality although he was son of a fisherwoman. Pārāśarya. He's addressing, "My dear son of Parāśara, mahā-bhāga." Mahā-bhāga means "You are very fortunate." Bhāga means fortune. Bhāgya. Mahā-bhāga. Pārāśarya mahā-bhāga bhavataḥ kaccid ātmanā parituṣyati. "Do you think that you'll be satisfied identifying yourself with this material body or mind? That is not possible."</p>
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<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Lectures" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures"><h3>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila6254LosAngelesJanuary81968_0" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="45" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968">
<div class="heading">Now Nārada is asking him, "My dear Pārāśarya." Pārāśarya means Vyāsadeva was the son of Parāśara. His father's name was Parāśara; therefore he's addressing him, pārāśarya mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga: "You are very fortunate. You have got the opportunity of doing the best service to the humanity by presenting such important literatures. Therefore you are mahā-bhāga."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">"My dear Vyāsadeva, I see that you are not very happy. But I am asking you question, whether a person becomes ever-happy who has accepted this body as self or the mind as self?" There are two classes of men in the material world—I mean to say intelligent class. I am not speaking of the ordinary class of men. Those who are interested in knowledge, in higher thoughts, in philosophy, in religion, ethics, morality... So many things there are. In science, in literature... So Vyāsadeva is everything in one person. And he has written so many books, as I have described. Now Nārada is asking him, "My dear Pārāśarya...," Pārāśarya means Vyāsadeva was the son of Parāśara. His father's name was Parāśara; therefore he's addressing him, pārāśarya mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga: "You are very fortunate. You have got the opportunity of doing the best service to the humanity by presenting such important literatures. Therefore you are mahā-bhāga."</p>
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<div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20154157NewYorkDecember71966_1" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="82" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966">
<div class="heading">There is definition of God in the Parāśara-sūtra. Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva, he was a great sage. So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has delivered the definition of God.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is definition of God in the Parāśara-sūtra. Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva, he was a great sage. So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has given his, delivered the definition of God. What is that? Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: full of six opulences. And what are those six opulences? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya: "He is the proprietor of all wealth, everything." So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: "He is the reservoir of all strength." Vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ: "And He is the supreme famous." Nobody can be more famous than Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Śriyaḥ means beauty. Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. And jñāna, knowledge. Nobody can be more knower and full of knowledge than Kṛṣṇa. And renunciation. And He is also, at the..., having so many opulences. He is renouncer of... He has nothing to do with all these things. He does not depend for His Godheadship on these qualifications. He is renouncer at the same time.</p>
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<div id="General_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Lectures" text="General Lectures"><h3>General Lectures</h3>
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<div id="SundayFeastLectureLosAngelesJanuary191969_0" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="36" link="Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969" link_text="Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969">
<div class="heading">So Vyāsadeva gave us this Vedic literature. His father, Parāśara Muni, gave us the definition, the understanding of God, what we mean by God. So he gave us this definition, that "God is He who is full with six kinds of opulences, of which there is nobody greater or nobody is equal. Then he is God."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969|Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Vyāsadeva gave us this Vedic literature. His father, Parāśara Muni, gave us the definition, the understanding of God, what we mean by God. So he gave us this definition, that "God is He who is full with six kinds of opulences, of which there is nobody greater or nobody is equal. Then he is God." You try to understand the six kinds of, I mean to say, opulences, and you try to find out a person who has no competitor, neither greater than him. Then you accept him as God. Otherwise reject. Don't accept.</p>
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<div id="LectureEngagementandPrasadaDistributionBostonApril261969_1" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="49" link="Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969" link_text="Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969">
<div class="heading">A great sage, the father of Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, he has very nicely defined what is meant by God.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969|Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So there is a definition of God also in the Vedic literature. A great sage, the father of Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, he has very nicely defined what is meant by God, and all the symptoms were visible in the person of Lord Kṛṣṇa.</p>
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<div id="LectureLosAngelesMay181972_2" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="115" link="Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972">
<div class="heading">And Parāśara Muni, a great saint, father of Vyāsadeva, who compiled all the Vedic literatures, He gave definition of God: By these six opulences, one can ascertain what is God.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972|Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You have seen Kṛṣṇa's picture. He is attractive to the animals, cows, calves, birds, bees, trees, plants, water, in Vṛndāvana. He's attractive to the cowherds boy. He's attractive to the gopīs, He's attractive to Nanda Mahārāja, He's attractive to the Pāṇḍavas. He's still attractive to the whole human society. Therefore, if any particular name can be given to God, that is Kṛṣṇa. And Parāśara Muni, a great saint, father of Vyāsadeva, who compiled all the Vedic literatures, his father, Parāśara Muni, He gave definition of God:</p>
:aiśvaryasya samagrasya
:vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
:jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
:ṣaḍ iti bhagaṁ ganā
:(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
<p>By these six opulences, one can ascertain what is God.</p>
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<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<div id="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1975 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1975 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="PressConferenceOctober21975Mauritius_0" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="197" link="Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius" link_text="Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius">
<div class="heading">The Sanskrit word bhagavān is explained by the great authority Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation is called Bhagavān.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius|Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The Sanskrit word bhagavān is explained by the great authority Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation is called Bhagavān. There are many persons who are very rich, very powerful, very beautiful, very famous, very learned, and very much detached, but no one can claim that he possesses all riches, all strength, etc., entirely. Only Kṛṣṇa can claim this because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No living entity, including Brahmā, Lord Śiva or Nārāyaṇa, can possess opulences as fully as Kṛṣṇa.</p>
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1971_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Correspondence" text="1971 Correspondence"><h3>1971 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSankarasanaStephenBridgeParasaraRonPulastaChrisPinkardLondon12August1971_0" class="quote" parent="1971_Correspondence" book="Let" index="353" link="Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971" link_text="Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971">
<div class="heading">Parasara was the father of Vyasadeva.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971|Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Parasara Das (Ron): Parasara was the father of Vyasadeva.</p>
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