Everything emanates from Krishna; forgetting this, the soul falsely desires godhood and becomes ensnared by illusion.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.1–4 — May 22, 1969, New Vrindavan 690522SB-NEW VRINDAVAN [39:02 Minutes] SB-01.05.01–04_690522SB-NEW VRINDAVAN Prabhupāda: śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam [When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?] We shall speak something about the compilation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Vyāsadeva. [break] ...known as Vedavyāsa. Vedavyāsa, because he has compiled all the Vedic literatures, wonderful education. There are millions of verses in the Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Only Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam contains 18,000 verses. Mahābhārata contains about more than 100,000's of verses.
Similarly, there are other Purāṇas. Besides that, Upaniṣads. He is the editor and compiler of all these Vedic literatures. But he was not satisfied even after his presentation of the Vedānta-sūtra. He summarized all the Vedic knowledge in sūtra—sūtra means codes—so people may take advantage.
Just like there are business codes, Bentley's codes, Henry's codes. So one or two words will give impression of volumes of knowledge. Businessmen, they need it to save the expenditure on wiring, on telegraphing. Just like CIF. "Accept your offering.
CIF." CIF means "cost including freight." That means goods will be delivered at your door. So similarly, there are many codes in business matter. In military arts there are so many codes. So Vedānta-sūtra means codes of all Vedic knowledge.
Sūtra. Sūtra means codes. Just like athāto brahma jijñāsā. Atha, "now," ataḥ, "after this," brahma, "the Supreme Absolute Truth," jijñāsā, "one should inquire." Now you can explain in volumes of books athāto brahma jijñāsā. So there are different commentators, they have explained when brahma-jijñāsā should begin, when one should be prepared to inquire about the Supreme. Somebody says, "After karma-kāṇḍīya, after finishing all these sense-gratificatory processes," or "After this, after this." Because the word is atha, "now, hereinafter." "Therefore." "Therefore," that's atha. This word is very significant, atha.
Why "therefore"? Especially in your America—you are all American boys and girls—you should take note of this atha, "therefore." What is that "therefore"? "Therefore" means that "You have enjoyed your material life as luxuriantly as possible, but you are confused. You are not happy.
You have produced hippies, frustration. Therefore." You can take this word, "therefore." Because we have failed..., the Americans have failed to achieve the highest pleasure of life even by arranging all kinds of material facilities, therefore they should be eager to understand. At least, they should inquire what is the cause. [aside:] Don't bother about that. Here. So brahma-jijñāsā.