1374 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 29

living entities cannot realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
material names, activities or qualities, He remains everlastingly unknown
to the conditioned soul.

PURPORT

Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unknown to the con-
ditioned soul, He is sometimes described in Vedic literatures as nirakdra,
avijfidta, or ava@timanasa-gocara. Actually it is a fact that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead cannot be perceived by material senses as far as
His form, name, quality, pastimes or paraphernalia are concerned. However,
when one is spiritually advanced, one can understand the name, form,
qualities, pastimes and paraphernalia of the Supreme Lord. This is con-
firmed in Bhagavad-gita:

bhaktya mam abhijanati
ydvan yas cdsmi tattvatah

tato mam tattvato jriatva
viSate tad-anantaram

“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.” (Bg. 18.55)

One can understand in truth the Supreme Personality of Godhead only
when one is engaged in devotional service. Ordinary persons engaged in
pious and impious activities cannot understand the form, name and
activities of the Lord. The devotee, however, can know the Personality of
Godhead in many respects. He can understand that Krsna is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, that His address is Goloka Vrndavana and that
His activities are all spiritual. Because the Lord’s form and activities
cannot be understood by materialistic people, He is described by the
§astras as nirdkdra, that is, one whose form cannot be ascertained by a
materialistic person. This does not mean that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead has no form; it means that it is not understood by the karmis or
fruitive actors. His form is described in Brahma-sarthitd as sac-cid-dnanda
vigraha. As confirmed by the Padma Purana:

atah Sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
