Hare Krsna,
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna cannot be understood by one’s material endeavor. Srila Prabhupada loves to quote that there are some froggish philosophers who want to know the Supreme Soul by means of philosophy and mental speculation. These philosophers, like the frog in the well who tried to estimate the measurement of the Pacific Ocean, like to take trouble over fruitless mental speculation instead of taking instructions from devotees like the original poet, namely Brahmā. Lord Brahmā underwent a severe type of meditation for one thousand celestial years, yet he said that the glories of the Lord are inconceivable.
On the other hand, the devotees do not waste time in such vain searching after knowledge of the Supreme, but they submissively hear the glories of the Lord from bona fide devotees. Thus they transcendentally enjoy the process of hearing and chanting.
In the sixth chapter, we have studied that the pure devotees of the Lord take shelter of the parā prakṛti, the internal potency of the Lord called Lakṣmīdevī, Sītādevī, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Śrīmatī Rukmiṇīdevī, and thus they become actual mahātmās, or great souls. Mahātmās are not fond of indulging in mental speculations, but they actually take to the devotional service of the Lord, without the slightest deviation. Devotional service is manifested by the primary process of hearing and chanting about the activities of the Lord. This transcendental method practiced by the mahātmās gives them sufficient knowledge of the Lord because if the Lord can at all be known to some extent, it is only through the means of devotional service and no other way.
In a verse right before the Catuh sloki verses (Canto 2 Chapter 9), the Supreme Lord said to Brahma:
“Knowledge about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by Me. You may take it up carefully.”
Right here the Supreme Lord revealed how He can be realized and understood – the process is devotional service. Lord Krsna also revealed the same message to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita (18.55) – bhaktya mam abhijanati.
“One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.”
I personally have realized that by the simple process of hearing and chanting, my understanding of the Supreme Lord increases day by day. I am not even at the stage of pure chanter. Imagine how much revelation there would be when I would be able to chant the Holy Name offenselessly and hear about the Lord in rapt attention. This is the most confidential formula. Why would anyone want to waste time in useless mental speculation like the froggish philosophers? The Supreme Lord is a person and exists within everyone of us. He has given us scriptures that describes everything about Him. He sends us His pure devotees and bonafide representatives from time to time to reveal about Him. What is the need to go elsewhere to understand the Supreme Lord?
When the Lord sees that we are eager to know Him and engage sincerely in His devotional service, the Lord Himself enlightens us.
BG 10.10 – 11
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”
teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”
In conclusion, devotional service to the Lord through the process of hearing and chanting is the only process to attain ultimate realization of the Supreme Lord.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 