112 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 12

PURPORT

Factually speaking, even those who are situated in the material mode
of goodness cannot understand the position of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. What then is to be said of those who are situated in rajo-
guna and tamo-guna, the base qualities of material nature? How can we
even imagine the Supreme Personality of Godhead? There are so many
philosophers trying to understand the Absolute Truth, but since they are
situated in the base qualities of material nature and are addicted to so
many bad habits, like drinking, meat-eating, illicit sex and gambling,
how can they conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? For them
it is impossible. For the present day, the pdiicaratriki-vidhi as enunciated
by Narada Muni is the only hope. Srila Rapa Gosvami, therefore, has
quoted the following verse from the Brahma-yamala:

Sruti-smrti-puranddi-
paficaratra-vidhim vind

aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate

“Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic
literatures like the Upanisads, Purdnas and Ndrada-paficaratra is
simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” (Bhakti-rasémrta-
sindhu 1.2.101) Those who are very advanced in knowledge and are
situated in the mode of goodness follow the Vedic instructions of the sruti
and smrti and other religious scriptures, including the pdricaratriki-
vidhi. Without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead in
this way, one only creates a disturbance. In this age of Kali, so many
gurus have sprung up, and because they do not refer to the Ssruti-smrti-
purdnddi-pancaratrika-vidhi, they are creating a great disturbance in
the world in regard to understanding the Absolute Truth. However,
those who follow the pdricaratriki-vidhi under the guidance of a proper
spiritual master can understand the Absolute Truth. It is said,
paficaratrasya krtsnasya vakta tu bhagavan svayam: the paricaratra
system is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like
Bhagavad-gita. Vasudeva-sarand vidur afjasaiva: the truth can be
understood only by one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of
Vasudeva.
