276
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 5]
TRANSLATION
Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who has no material form.
PURPORT
Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are imperfect to realize the transcendental form of Lord Viṣṇu. He is therefore worshiped by sound representation via the transcendental method of chanting. Anything which is beyond the scope of experience by our imperfect senses can be realized fully by the sound representation. A person transmitting sound from a far distant place can be factually experienced. If this is materially possible, why not spiritually? This experience is not a vague impersonal experience. But it is actually an experience of the transcendental Personality of Godhead who possesses the pure form of eternity, bliss and knowledge. In the  Amarakośa  Sanskrit dictionary the word  mūrti  carries import in twofold meanings, namely, form and difficulty.
Therefore  amūrtikam  is explained by Ācārya Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākur as meaning without difficulty. The transcendental form of eternal bliss and knowledge can be experienced by our original spiritual senses which can be revived by chanting of the holy  mantras  or transcendental sound representations. Such sound should be received from the transparent agency of the bona fide spiritual master, and the chanting may be practiced by the direction of the spiritual master. That will gradually lead us nearer to the Lord. This method of worship is recommended in the  Pañcarātrika  system, which is both recognized and authorized. The  Pañcarātrika  system has the most authorized codes for transcendental devotional service. Without the help of such codes, one cannot approach the Lord, certainly not by dry philosophical speculation. The  Pañcarātrika  system is both practical and suitable for this age of quarrel. The  Pañcarātra  is more important than the  Vedānta  for this modern age.
TEXT 39
इमं स्वनिगमं ब्रह्मन्नवेत्य मदनुष्ठितम् । अदान्मे ज्ञानमैश्वर्यं स्वसिन् भावं च केशवः ॥३९॥