Who is Qualified to Recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Who is Qualified to Recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
One whose life and activities are based on the teachings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should serve Hari at every moment and with every breath of life. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is directly the Absolute Truth. One should not recite the Bhāgavatam as a business; the Bhāgavatam is worshipable. There¬fore a professional reciter or contractor cannot describe Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Before hearing a Bhāgavatam recital, one should try to see whether the reciter is serving the Bhāgavata twenty-four hours a day or not. One reciting for a stipend or on contract cannot explain the Bhāgavata. Re¬frain from approaching professional priests. See first whether they devote themselves fully to the Bhāgavata. Simply becoming an expert in the Purāṇas does not make one qualified to explain Śrīmad-Bhāga¬vatam. Śāstra establishes that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not understood by those possessing only an academic knowledge of scripture. To understand it requires devotion. A person who explains Śrī¬mad-Bhāgavatam must himself be a Bhāgavata. If one desires wealth or fame from his recitation of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then even though he becomes a renowned reciter, he will actually be far away from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hearing Śrī¬mad-Bhāgavatam from such a person, the people’s hearts will not become attracted toward the Abso¬lute, which is the goal of the Bhāgavatam.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not glorified when coming from the mouth of a person who is not a pure dev¬otee and who does not base his life on the Bhāgav¬atam’s teachings. Such a person cheats himself and cheats others by making a show of his recitation.
The relationship between the Śrīmad-Bhāgava¬tam reciter and the audience is not like the rela¬tionship between a professor and his students. A professor who can nicely explain a lesson to his student is considered the best professor. It does not matter whether his lifestyle or character are exemplary. However, a Bhāgavatam reciter must follow the Bhāgavatam’s teachings before he will be able to preach. Caitanya-caritāmṛta states that unless one practices, he cannot teach religious principles to other.
One of loose character, who is lusty, full of ma¬terial desires, and who wants wealth and fame can never explain Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Such a person simply gratifies his senses on the pretext of reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
– Amṛta Vāṇī: Nectar of Instructions of Immortality of His Divine Grace Bahk¬tisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada; Compiled by Sripada Bahkti Mayukha Bhāgavat Maharaja; Adapted and Published by Isvara dasa; Touchstone Media.