Suta Goswami

When Sukadeva goswami gave his lecture there in the audience was  Suta Goswami a very sharp hearing man, srutidhara. Srutidhara is one who having only once heard something keeps it in his memory, and Suta, having those qualities, was present in that meeting. The fourth sitting was in Naimisaranya where the rsis, apprehending the manifestation, of Kali-yuga, commenced and engaged themselves in a one thousand year campaign, yajna. Finding Suta Goswami they said, "We have got a good opportunity in the evening to hear about the Absolute and we heard that you, Suta, were present in that mysterious and famous assembly where Sukadeva gave his lecture about Bhagavatam and you memorized it all perfectly. We now humbly request that you deliver by way of lecture to us that Bhagavatam." Suta Goswami accepted their proposal and that was the last sitting in the form of regular evening lectures. Sixty thousand or so rsis, the scholars and performers of sacrifices, assembled to hear from him. It was after this sitting that Vyasadeva took the whole thing and compiled it in book form and made it public.

Thousands of sages were amalgamated at the holy place Naimisaranya to perform a sacrifice. Fortunately the great sage Suta Goswami arrived there along with his disciples. The sages present there became very happy upon seeing him. They all stood up immediately from their sitting place to pay respect to the great sage. They offered a very nice Vyasasana to Suta Goswami and respected him with folded hands to be seated on his vyasasana. The sages of Naimisaranya said to Suta Goswami with folded hands O Sutaji! all of us request you please tell us some thing about the wonderful activities and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many thousands of stories but we want to listen to the most perfect one, by following which we all can be delivered from this material ocean of repeated birth and death and return back to Godhead.

By listening to all these requests made by the sages headed by Saunaka risi, Suta Goswami spoke: "O sages please listen to me, at first I went to Puskara Tirtha then after visiting thousands of other holy places I reached Hastinapur. There I saw at the bank of Ganges thousands of sages sitting together with Parikshit Maharaj, then the great sage Sukadev Goswami appeared. There all the sages present paid proper respect to him with folded hands. All the sages, unanimously offered a lotus vyasasan to Sukadev Goswami which was meant for him so he could speak Krishna katha to Parikshit Maharaj.

" Suta Goswami said: "O sages I have just come from that place Hastinapur after listening to Srimad Bhagavatam from the Lotus mouth of Sukadev Goswami.

Now I am going to tell you the most interesting activities and pastimes of the Lord.

Once, long ago Narada Muni reached Badrika Ashram the residence of Lord Narayan risi. The River Alakananda was flowing down from His lotus feet. So Narada paid his obeisance to Narayan and started praying . O' Lord of demigods, O' ocean of mercy ! O master of creation you are all truthful, trisatya, essence of all truths. So I am paying my obeisance unto you." O' Lord ! in this material world all the living entities are busy in sense gratification. They have forgotten the ultimate aim of their life. So please explain to me some thing which will be helpful both for the householders and sages in renounced order like me, to attain self realization and return back to Godhead.

Listing to such sweet words of Narada, Lord Narayan smiled and said, O' Narada please listen about the pious past times and activities of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna which will diminish all the sinful reactions of past Karmas. O' Narada you already know all the activities of the Supreme Lord, but for the benefit of others you are asking again.

Please read Srimad Bhagavatam in the association of pure devotees.
Good advice from Suta Goswami mentioned in the Garuda Purana.