112 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 2
PURPORT

In the Bhagavad-gita (Bg. 7.3) it is said that out of many thousands of
ordinary men, one fortunate man endeavors for perfection of life. Mostly
they are conducted by the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus they
are engaged always in lust, desire. hankerings, ignorance and sleep. Out of
many such manlike animals, there is actually a man who knows the
responsibility of human life and thus tries to make life perfect by following
the prescribed duties. And out of such many thousands of persons who
have thus attained success in human life, one may know scientifically
about the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. In the same Bhagavad-gita
(Bg. 18.55) it is also said that scientific knowledge of Sri Krsna is under-
stood only by the process of devotional service (bhak ti-y oga).

The very same thing is confirmed herein in the above words. No ordinary
man, or even one who has attained success in human life. can know
scientifically or perfectly the Personality of Godhead. Perfection of human
life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of
matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has
nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and
becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is
possible when one is above the modes of passion and ignorance, or. in
other words. when one is actually a brahmana by qualification. Brahmana
is the svmbol of sattva-guna. or the mode of goodness. And others, who
are not in the mode of goodness. are either ksatriya, vaisya, sidra or less
than the sidras. The brahminical stage is the highest stage of human life
because of its good qualities. So one cannot be a devotee unless one at
least qualifies as a brahmana. The devotee is already a brahmana by action.
But that is not the end of it. As referred to above, such a brahmana has to
become a Vaisnava in fact to be actually in the transcendental stage. A
pure Vaisnava is a liberated soul and is transcendental to the position of a
brahmana even. In the material stage even a brahmana is also a conditioned
soul because in the brahminical stage the conception of Brahman or
transcendence is realized. but in that stage scientific knowledge of the
Supreme Lord is lacking. One has to surpass the brahminical
stage and reach the Vasudeva stage to understand the Personality of
Godhead Krsna. The science of the Personality of Godhead is the subject
matter for study by the postgraduate students in the spiritual line. Fool-
ish men, or men with a poor fund of knowledge, do not understand the
Supreme Lord, and they interpret Krsna according to their respective
whims. The fact is, however, that one cannot understand the
