True knowledge remains eternally valid; solving the real problem of birth and death requires following great spiritual authorities.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.44 — December 22, 1973, Los Angeles 731222SB-LOS ANGELES [38:59 Minutes] SB-01.15.44_731222SB-LOS ANGELES Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] udīcīṁ praviveśāśāṁ gata-pūrvāṁ mahātmabhiḥ hṛdi brahma paraṁ dhyāyan nāvarteta yato gataḥ [SB 1.15.44] [break] udīcīm—the northern side; praviveśa-āśām—those who wanted to enter there; gata-pūrvām—the path accepted by his forefathers; mahā-ātmabhiḥ—by the broad-minded; hṛdi—within the heart; brahma—the Supreme; param—Godhead; dhyāyan—constantly thinking of; na āvarteta—passed his days; yataḥ—wherever; gataḥ—went. [03:07] Translation: "He then started towards the north, treading the path which was accepted by his forefathers and great men, to devote himself completely to the thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And he lived in that way wherever he went." Prabhupāda: Udīcīṁ praviveśa. So one who goes to the northern side, it is to be understood he never comes back. Northern side means the Arctic zone, covered with snow. So this was known in Bhāgavata age.
Not only in Bhāgavata age; some, about thousand years ago also, there is Kālidāsa's book, Kumāra-sambhava. Kumāra-sambhava, "The Birth of Kārttikeya." So in that book, the beginning is, asty uttarasyaṁ diśi himālayo nāma nagadhirājaḥ. Uttarasyaṁ diśi, in the northern side, there is mountain which is covered with snow, Himalaya. Hima means ice.
Hima. Asty uttarasyaṁ diśi himālayo nāma nagadhirājaḥ: "In the northern side, there is a hill, or a mountain, which is always covered by snow." Although the..., at the present moment, Himalaya, there is one mountain that is also called Himalaya, Mount Everest, but I think this Arctic zone was referred. Because it is said there that "touching both sides water." Asty uttarasyaṁ diśi himālayo nāma nagadhirājaḥ, toya-nidhi avagāhya. Toya-nidhi. Toya-nidhi means oceans, both side ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
Avagāhya, touching. So the Arctic zone was referred in many books, Vedic literature. It is not that it was unknown. Everything was known.
The modern historians, they say like that. They say the Bhāgavata was written about 1,500 years ago. No. Five thousand years ago.
They bring everything within the Christian era. Before that, there was no history, according to them. But that is not the fact. Anyway, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira went to the northern side. Gata-pūrvāṁ mahātmabhiḥ.