Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Madhya-lila | Chapter 6: The Liberation of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 6.87
tomara nahika dosha, sastre ei kahe
pandityadye isvara-tattva-jnana kabhu nahe'
SYNONYMS
tomara -- your; nahika -- there is not; dosha -- fault; sastre -- the scriptures; ei -- this; kahe -- mention; panditya-adye -- simply by scholarship, etc.; isvara-tattva-jnana -- knowledge of the principles of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kabhu -- ever; nahe -- there is not.
TRANSLATION
"It is not your fault; it is the verdict of the scriptures. You cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by scholarship."
PURPORT
This is a very important verse. Even big scholars cannot understand Krishna, yet they dare comment on the Bhagavad-gita. Reading the Bhagavad-gita means understanding Krishna, yet we actually see many scholars making blunders in trying to understand Krishna. Gopinatha Acarya's statement is confirmed in many places in the Vedic literature. In the Katha Upanishad (1.2.23) it is stated:
yam evaisha vrinute tena labhyas
tasyaisha atma vivrinute tanum svam
It is also stated in Katha Upanishad (1.2.9):
naisha tarkena matir apaneya
proktanyenaiva sujnanaya preshtha
yam tvam apah satya-dhritir batasi
tvadrin no bhuyan naciketah prashta
The fact is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, cannot be attained simply by explanations, logic and erudite scholarship. One cannot understand Him simply by one's brain substance. Even by studying all the Vedic literatures, one cannot understand the Supreme Lord. However, if one is slightly favored by the mercy of the Lord, if the Lord is pleased, one can understand Him. But who are the candidates eligible to receive the mercy of the Lord? Only the devotees. They alone can understand what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord reveals Himself to the sincere devotee when He is pleased with his service: svayam eva sphuraty adah. One should not try to understand the Lord simply from the statements of the Vedas, nor should one uselessly attempt to decry these statements through reasoning and logic.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness