There are two kinds of bhagavata. One is grantha-bhagavata and one is person bhagavata.

For Srila Prabhupada's walk this morning we drove for almost half an hour to the other side of the island. Stopping in the Kailua Beach Park area we walked along a secluded beach but it rained and it was too windy so Prabhupada suggested we stick with Magic Island. Srila Prabhupada is continuing to lead the repetitive chanting of the Sanskrit at the start of class himself. Skipping slokas 3-5, he read out this morning's verse, 6.1.6, which described Sukadeva Gosvami as maha-bhaga. "So here Sukadeva Gosvami is addressed as maha-bhaga. Maha means great, and bhaga means fortunate. Because he is very fortunate, he is describing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Again Bhagavatam, the same word bhaga comes. Bhaga-vat. Vat, this word, is used when the meaning is possessing. Asty-arthe vatup. Bhagavan, bhagyavan and bhagavata. Bhagavata means one who has power to possess the Supreme Lord. He is called bhagavata. There are two kinds of bhagavata. One is grantha-bhagavata and one is person bhagavata. A devotee, he is called bhagavata, and the book in which the pastimes or characteristics of Bhagavan is described, that is called Bhagavata. So this Srimad-Bhagavat. Sri means beauty. Again vat. Bhagavat, srivat. Sri means very beautiful. So every sloka you'll find very, very beautiful. Five thousand years ago these verses were written. There is no comparison. Nobody can write such verses even up to date. It was written by Vyasadeva, Veda-vyasa." As we sat in the small, but crowded, temple room listening attentively to his potent lecture it made me realize that as a maha-bhagavata devotee Srila Prabhupada is also incomparable. No one is able to give such astute insights into everyday life and such lucid explications of the Vedic literature as he. He is truly the representative of Srila Vyasadeva and we neophytes are maha-bhaga to be daily sitting at his feet.