Śaunaka asked Sūta what Vyāsadeva did after Nārada left having heard everything from Nārada. Before commencing Bhāgavatam, Vyāsa realized the whole truth by trance in meditation. Sūta said that on the western bank of the river Sarasvatī, there was a cottage for meditation at Śamyāprāsa, which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages. For spiritual advancement of knowledge a suitable place and atmosphere are required. An āśrama is a place where spiritual culture is fostered. The whole varṇāśrama system is so designed that each and every status of life is called an āśrama.
Śaunaka asked Sūta what Vyāsadeva did after Nārada left having heard everything from Nārada. Before commencing Bhāgavatam, Vyāsa realized the whole truth by trance in meditation. Sūta said that on the western bank of the river Sarasvatī, there was a cottage for meditation at Śamyāprāsa, which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages. For spiritual advancement of knowledge a suitable place and atmosphere are required. An āśrama is a place where spiritual culture is fostered. The whole varṇāśrama system is so designed that each and every status of life is called an āśrama. This means that spiritual culture is the common factor for all.
After touching water for purification, Vyāsa sat down to meditate as Nārada had directed. Nārada had instructed Vyāsa to think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of people. Fixing his mind in bhakti yoga (bhakti yogena manasi), Vyāsadeva saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead (pūrṇaṁ puruṣaṁ), Kṛṣṇa, with His external energy (māyā), which was under His full control (tad-apāśrayam). The form Nārada saw was that of Kṛṣṇa as it will later be said kṛṣṇe parama-puruṣe (SB 1.7.7). The word pūrṇam indicates the cit-śakti arising from His svarūpa and all His aṁśas and kalās. It is also confirmed in SB 2.7.47 that māyā flees from the Lord’s presence due to shame. Perfect vision of the Lord is possible only by bhakti yoga, as also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. When the curtain of the veil of impersonal Brahman, which is the golden effulgence covering His form, is removed by the mercy of the Lord, the real face of the Absolute Truth is seen. This is the form that Vyāsa saw. The māyā, which Vyāsa saw is the external energy of the Lord, as will be clear from the statement of her activities. The internal potency of the Lord is called māyā and is exhibited in the absolute realm. The ātmārāmas take shelter of this māyā. Devotional service is the function of the internal energy.