272
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 5]
One may ask why highly educated persons do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The reason is explained in this verse. Unless one takes shelter of a bona fide, fully Kṛṣṇa conscious spiritual master, there is no chance of understanding Kṛṣṇa. The educators, scholars and big political leaders worshiped by millions of people cannot understand the goal of life and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for they have not accepted a bona fide spiritual master and the  Vedas . Therefore in the  Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad  (3.2.3) it is said,  nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena : one cannot become self-realized simply by having an academic education, by presenting lectures in an erudite way ( pravacanena labhyaḥ ), or by being an intelligent scientist who discovers many wonderful things. One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa unless one is graced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only one who has surrendered to a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and taken the dust of his lotus feet can understand Kṛṣṇa. First one must understand how to get out of the clutches of  māyā . The only means is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And to become Kṛṣṇa conscious very easily, one must take shelter of a realized soul—a  mahat , or  mahātmā —whose only interest is to engage in the service of the Supreme Lord. As the Lord says in  Bhagavad-gītā  (9.13):
mahātmānas tu mām pārtha daivīm prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.” Therefore, to end the unwanted miseries of life, one must become a devotee.
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
“One who has unflinching devotional faith in Kṛṣṇa consistently manifests all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa and the demigods.” ( Bhāg.  5.18.12)