Synonyms janma-ādi—creation plus sustenance and annihilation; asya—of the manifested universes; yataḥ—from whom; anvayāt—directly; itarataḥ—indirectly; ca—and; artheṣu—in all affairs; abhijñaḥ—perfectly cognizant; sva-rāṭ—fully independent; tene—imparted; brahma—the Vedic knowledge; hṛdā—consciousness of the heart; yaḥ—one who; ādi-kavaye—unto the original created being; muhyanti—are bewildered; yat—in whom; sūrayaḥ—great sages; tejaḥ—fire; vāri—water; mṛdām—earth; yathā—as; vinimayaḥ—action and reaction; yatra—in whom; tri-sargaḥ—three modes of creation; amṛṣā—factual; dhāmnā—along with the spiritual effulgence; svena—self-sufficient; sadā—always; nirasta—negation; kuhakam—illusion; satyam—truth; param—absolute; dhīmahi—I do meditate upon. janmādy asya yato

Translation O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods like Brahmā are placed in illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire or land seen in water. Only because of Him does the material universe, which is a conglomeration of three modes, appear factual, although it is unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.

Synonyms dharmaḥ—religiosity; projjhita—completely rejected; kaitavaḥ—covering; atra—herein; paramaḥ—the supreme; nirmatsarāṇām—of the one-hundred-percent pure in heart; satām—devotees; vedyam—understandable; vāstavam—real; atra—herein; vastu—substance; śivadam—beneficial; tāpa-traya—threefold miseries; unmūlanam—causes uprooting of; śrīmat—beautiful; bhāgavate—the Bhāgavata Purāṇa; mahā-muni-kṛte—compiled by the great sage Vyāsa; kim vā—what else; paraiḥ—by others; īśvaraḥ—the Supreme Lord; sadyaḥ—at once; hṛdi—within the heart; avarudhyate—become compact; atra—herein; kṛtibhiḥ—by the pious who have done good works; śuśrūṣubhiḥ—by those who are eager to hear; tat-kṣaṇāt—within the very second.

Translation This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and is therefore nondifferent from Him. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be worshiped as respectfully as we worship the Lord. Thereby we can have the same benefit as Arjuna had by the personal association with the Lord, and we can have the benefit of hearing the Lord’s pastimes and activities. There is no need, therefore, to worship the demigods. The Supreme Lord is the original cause of all causes, and the complete spiritual science is given in this great literature.

Synonyms nigama—the Vedic literatures; kalpa-taroh—of the desire tree; galitam—fully matured; phalam—fruit; śuka-mukhāt—from the transcendental mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī; amṛta—nectar; drava—liquid; saṁyutam—full of; pibata—just drink; bhāgavatam—the book dealing in the science of the Supreme; rasam—juice; ālayam—until liberation; muhuḥ—always; aho—O; rasikāḥ—those who are full of taste for rasa; bhuvi—on the earth; bhāvukāḥ—expert and thoughtful.

Translation O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the mature fruit of the tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.

Synonyms prayena—almost always; alpa—meager; āyuṣaḥ—duration of life; sabhya—O learned one; kalau—in this age of Kali; asmin—this; yuge—age; janāḥ—the public; mandāḥ—lazy; sumanda-matayaḥ—wrongly directed; manda-bhāgyāḥ—unlucky; hi—although; upadrutāḥ—disturbed.

Translation O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.

Synonyms (Note: This verse is actually part of a longer context; the standard verse 1.1.14 is:) tasmād ekena manasā
bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca
dhyeyaḥ pūjyaś ca nityadā

Translation Therefore, with one-pointed attention one should constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the Personality of Godhead, who is the protector of the devotees.

Synonyms yat-pāda—the lotus feet of the Lord; saṁśrayāḥ—those who have taken shelter of; sūta—O Sūta Gosvāmī; munayaḥ—great sages; praśamāyanāḥ—who are absorbed; sadyaḥ—at once; punanti—purify; upasṛṣṭam—the distressed; sva-kṛtena—by their own activities; hi—certainly; ataḥ param—beyond this.

Translation O Sūta Gosvāmī, we are eager to learn from you about that very Personality of Godhead whose activities are wonderful and who is the shelter of all great sages. Those who take shelter of His lotus feet at once become purified of all material contamination.

Synonyms vayam—we; tu—but; na—not; vitṛpyāmaḥ—become satisfied; uttama-śloka—of the Supreme Lord; vikrame—activities; yat—for whom; spṛhayā—with great desire; śrutām—by hearing; gītiḥ—songs; martyaiḥ—by the mortals; ātma-varam—the highest spiritual realization; gatāḥ—attained.

Translation We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by hymns and songs. Those songs and hymns are full of nectar and enliven the heart of the pure devotee.

Synonyms tvam—You; ādyaḥ—original; puruṣaḥ—enjoyer; sākṣāt—directly; īśvaraḥ—the supreme controller; prakṛteḥ—of material nature; paraḥ—transcendental; māyām—the illusory energy; vyudasya—giving up; cit-śaktiḥ—with spiritual potency; kaivalye—in pure knowledge; sthitaḥ—situated; ātmani—in Your own self.

Translation You are the original Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller of material nature. You are therefore transcendental to the material energy. You are the supreme spiritual potency, situated in pure knowledge and always free from material contamination.