[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on July 10th, 1997, in Holland, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 21]
Devotee: Gurudeva, Svami Maharaja Srila Prabhupada had compiled the Bhagavatam for the benefit of the whole world in English and many different languages. We were thinking, what is the possibility that perhaps Navadvipa Prabhu and your Divine Grace can come up with another edition, a translation of Bhagavatam from where Srila Prabhupada left off? A translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam's tenth, eleventh and twelfth canto?
Srila Gurudeva: Sometimes I explain any sloka and that explanation has not been given before. But I used to take everything, all the essence of the writings of Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and all. But what I am explaining is not in what Srila Prabhupada wrote. If Vyasa wrote Srimad-Bhagavatam, then what was the use of explaining it? About lakhs of devotees have explained it in their own way. Why? Why was Caitanya-caritamrta made? It is also an explanation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. But yet they have done. So again, if you will do, I will do, again anyone will come and write more explanation. New new new new new, no harm. Why did Svamiji write so many books? All were explained before by the great acaryas. Why did he do so? Why? Why did he write new things? Because it has been explained according to time and circumstance. Outwardly, this world will change. So in their atmosphere, in their new environment, he will have to explain something, to give specific answers in their explanation.
Devotee: But Srila Prabhupada did not complete the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Srila Gurudeva: Anyone cannot complete the Srimad-Bhagavatam, never. Vyasadeva has written it, but it is not complete. Sukadeva Gosvami has explained it, but it is not completed. Krsna can come and He can explain, but not fully. Krsna is always full, so taking anything from that, it remains full and is always full. So anyone cannot explain anything of Krsna in full. Understand what I am saying? Sukadeva Gosvami has explained Srimad-Bhagavatam, so there was no use of explaining it again. But for time and circumstance, when time was changed changed changed and new new new problems were coming, new new questions were coming, new new atheism came, to answer that they explained something more. In the same way, he has done more explanation of Bhagavatam. So, it is essential. It will be done in the future also, so many more times. According to time and circumstance and according to the advancement of bhakti. In Dvapara-yuga, there were explanations, but not like the explanations that Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, and Jiva Gosvami have done, not like that. The explanations of Caitanya Mahaprabhu had given a new light to Bhagavatam. You are seeing me? What is the meaning of to see? What is the meaning?
Devotee: To see the svarupa of the person, to really see them.
Srila Gurudeva: This is seeing. To see the heart, to see the soul, to see Radha-Krsna in the soul, and in Radha-Krsna, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, all these things, like this. You are hungry. What is the meaning? You are hungry? Sometimes hungry means eating anything. Or it may mean, “I am hungry to see her.” I am hungry for Krsna’s love. I am hungry for Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are so many meanings of hungry.