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THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
constantly to be praised” ( Śikṣāṣṭaka 3 ). Similarly, Madhvācārya quotes,  vede rāmāyaṇe caiva hariḥ sarvatra gīyate  [“Hari is sung about everywhere in the  Vedas  and  Rāmāyaṇa ”]. Similarly, in the  Bhagavad-gītā  [15.15] the Lord says,  vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ  [“By all the  Vedas , I am to be known”].
In this way we find all the scriptures aiming at the Supreme Person. In the  Rg Veda  [1.22.20] the mantra is  om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ  [“The demigods are always looking to that supreme abode of Viṣṇu”]. The whole Vedic process, therefore, is to understand Lord Viṣṇu, and any scripture is directly or indirectly chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu.
Regarding the  Bhagavad-gītā , verse 9.14,  kirtayantaḥ  certainly means glorifying, chanting, reciting, and talking, as you have said; but glorifying, chanting, or reciting about whom? It is certainly Kṛṣṇa. The word used in this connection is  mām  [“Me”]. Therefore, we do not disagree when a person glorifies Kṛṣṇa, as Śukadeva did in the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . This is also  kirtanam . The highest among all Vedic literatures is the proper place for such glorification of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, and this is to be well understood from the verse:
nigama-kalpataror galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ
“O expert and thoughtful men, relish  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Goswami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.” [ Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.3 ]
It is said that Mahārāja Parīkṣit attained salvation simply by hearing, and similarly Śukadeva Goswami attained salvation simply by chanting. In our devotional service there are nine different methods for achieving the same goal, love of Godhead, and the first process is hearing. This hearing process is called  śruti . The next process is chanting. The chanting process is  smṛti . We accept both  śruti  and  smṛti  simultaneously. We consider  śruti  the mother and  smṛti  the sister because a child hears from the mother and then again learns from the sister by description.
Śruti  and  smṛti  are two parallel lines. Śrīla Rūpa Goswami therefore says: