View source for Reading the Bhagavad-gita means

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[[Category:Reading the Bhagavad-gita|3]]
[[Category:Vaniquotes English Dictionary A to Z]]
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[[Category:Vaniquotes Sanskrit Dictionary A to Z]]
[[Category:Vaniquotes Sanskrit Dictionary A-B-C]]
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<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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<div id="CCMadhya687_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1057" link="CC Madhya 6.87" link_text="CC Madhya 6.87">
<div class="heading">Reading the Bhagavad-gītā means understanding Kṛṣṇa, yet we actually see many scholars making blunders in trying to understand Kṛṣṇa.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 6.87|CC Madhya 6.87, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">"It is not your fault; it is the verdict of the scriptures. You cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by scholarship."</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>This is a very important verse. Even big scholars cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, yet they dare comment on the Bhagavad-gītā. Reading the Bhagavad-gītā means understanding Kṛṣṇa, yet we actually see many scholars making blunders in trying to understand Kṛṣṇa. Gopīnātha Ācārya's statement is confirmed in many places in the Vedic literature. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.23) it is stated:</p>
:nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
:na medhayā na bahunā śrutena
:yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
:tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām
<p>It is also stated in Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.9):</p>
:naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā
:proktānyenaiva sujñānāya preṣṭha
:yāṁ tvam āpaḥ satya-dhṛtir batāsi
:tvādṛṅ no bhūyān naciketaḥ praṣṭā
<p>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 adaḥ. 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.</p>
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<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<div id="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1975 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1975 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="RoomConversationwithReporterMarch91975London_0" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="25" link="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London">
<div class="heading">Reading Bhagavad-gītā is also taking lesson from the teacher. Teacher—Kṛṣṇa is personally the teacher, and you read Bhagavad-gītā means you take lessons from teacher, the supreme teacher.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London|Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Reporter: Is the teacher always necessary? I mean, many meditation groups or yoga groups say that...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Why you are asking? Anything you want to learn, you must go to a teacher. How you can learn independently?</p>
<p>Reporter: I mean just, say, by reading the Bhagavad-gītā.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Reading Bhagavad-gītā is also taking lesson from the teacher. Teacher—Kṛṣṇa is personally the teacher, and you read Bhagavad-gītā means you take lessons from teacher, the supreme teacher.</p>
<p>Reporter: I read a news report recently that you had said in Paris that you no longer taught your followers to chant simply the name of, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, because the name of God could be chanted in any form. Is that so?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Chanting of the holy name... We are broadcasting that you, in this age, you begin for God realization. Chant His holy name. Very simple thing.</p>
<p>Reporter: So this holy name can be in different forms for a Christian or a Hindu.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Different form means that the... Just like water. Water, somebody says, "Water," and India, somebody says, jal, or pani, but the substance is the same. If your name means the same thing, then it is right. And if your name suggests something else, then it is wrong.</p>
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