Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Madhya-līlā | Chapter 6: The Liberation of Sārvabhauma Bhattācārya |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita Madhya 6.87
tomāra nāhika dosha, śāstre ei kahe
pāndityādye īśvara-tattva-jñāna kabhu nahe'
SYNONYMS
tomāra — your; nāhika — there is not; dosha — fault; śāstre — the scriptures; ei — this; kahe — mention; pānditya-ādye — simply by scholarship, etc.; īśvara-tattva-jñāna — 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-gītā. Reading the Bhagavad-gītā means understanding Krishna, yet we actually see many scholars making blunders in trying to understand Krishna. Gopīnātha Ācārya'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 ātmā vivrinute tanūm svām
It is also stated in Katha Upanishad (1.2.9):
naishā tarkena matir āpaneyā
proktānyenaiva sujñānāya preshtha
yām tvam āpah satya-dhritir batāsi
tvādriń no bhūyān naciketah prashtā
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 © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness