श्रीशौनक उवाच अथेममर्थं पृच्छामो भवन्तं बहुवित्तमम् । समस्ततन्त्रराद्धान्ते भवान् भागवत तत्त्ववित् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śaunaka uvāca athemam arthaṁ pṛcchāmo bhavantaṁ bahu-vittamam samasta-tantra-rāddhānte bhavān bhāgavata tattva-vit
- śrī-śaunakaḥ uvāca
- Śrī Śaunaka said
- atha
- now
- imam
- this
- artham
- matter
- pṛcchāmaḥ
- we are inquiring about
- bhavantam
- from you
- bahu-vit-tamam
- the possessor of the broadest knowledge
- samasta
- of all
- tantra
- the scriptures prescribing practical methods of worship
- rāddha-ante
- in the definitive conclusions
- bhavān
- you
- bhāgavata
- O great devotee of the Supreme Lord
- tattva-vit
- the knower of the essential facts
Śrī Śaunaka said: O Sūta, you are the best of learned men and a great devotee of the Supreme Lord. Therefore we now inquire from you about the definitive conclusion of all tantra scriptures.