Bhaktas are not ajnani

Expressions researched:
"bhaktas are not ajnani" |"even one is ajnani" |"if bhakta were ajnani" |"the foolish person says that bhakti's meant for ajnani, or less intelligent"

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

If someone says the bhaktas are ajñānī, that is rascaldom because Kṛṣṇa says, teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ, nāśayāmi. If Kṛṣṇa helps him to become jñānī, then how he's ajñānī? It is a, ignorance, they say bhaktas are not jñānīs. Without jñāna, there is no question of bhakta.

Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Devotee: One man is coming today.

Dr. Patel: Then let him start, right earnest, and I will be the student along with him. I want to replace my all Sanskrit knowledge.

Prabhupāda: No, Sanskrit knowledge, whatever you have got, that is sufficient for understanding. We don't require to be a Sanskrit scholar.

Dr. Patel: No, I don't want to be scholar. I want to learn all the ancient literatures. Bhakta does not want to learn even, but I am a little of that temperament. Whole day I pass my time in reading only, practically.

Prabhupāda: So bhakti is jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). When you will not try to become a jñānī, then you'll come to the stage of bhakti.

Dr. Patel: I don't mind but let me...

Prabhupāda: So long, so long you...

Dr. Patel: I don't want to remain a jñānī.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Bhaktas are not ajñānī.

Dr. Patel: Myself, I don't talk of others.

Prabhupāda: No, no, yourself also. A bhaktas, they're not ajñānī. That is rascaldom. If says the bhaktas are ajñānī, that is rascaldom because Kṛṣṇa says, teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ, nāśayāmi (BG 10.11). If Kṛṣṇa helps him to become jñānī, then how he's ajñānī? It is a, ignorance, they say bhaktas are not jñānīs. Without jñāna, there is no question of bhakta. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Bhakta means he's already qualified with jñāna and vairāgya. That is bhakta.

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

It is a mistaken idea, the bhaktas are not very advanced in knowledge.

Dr. Patel: Bhaktas are...

Prabhupāda: They have got real knowledge. They have got real knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). When they have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they are really jñānī.

Dr. Patel: But some of the absolutely ignorant people, they have become, but...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. We don't say, we don't speak of "some." This is the, yes, there are many...

Dr. Patel: Extremely scholastic they have become afterwards. Even though they have not gone to the school.

Prabhupāda: Just like Jīva Gosvāmī. Jīva Gosvāmī, there is no comparison of learned scholarship with him throughout the whole world. He's such a jñānī. Even great, great paṇḍitas said that "There will be no more such learned philosopher, neither there was, like Jīva Gosvāmī." Yes. We are also referring to Jīva Gosvāmī.

Dr. Patel: I, I, I... I also refer. I want to read, I want to read his books.

Prabhupāda: So in our Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-sampradāya there are so many learned scholars. Just like my Guru Mahārāja.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If any person without any knowledge, if he surrenders only to Kṛṣṇa, he acquires all the knowledge. He has surpassed all stages. He has surpassed all stages.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Prabhupāda: As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate... (BG 7.19). This mām means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So anyone who comes to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is in the highest perfection of knowledge. (break)

Indian: ...a man has plenty of spiritual knowledge and Vedic religion or a man has plenty of faith in heart.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is...

Indian: I mean, in other words, if bhakta were ajñānī.

Prabhupāda: No. It is just like... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated that bhakto 'si me priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My devotee, you are My most dear friend."

Indian: Why it is?

Prabhupāda: That is His option. That you ask Kṛṣṇa. He says.

Indian: But why it is?

Prabhupāda: Why? Kṛṣṇa says. You cannot say...

Indian: Because if we go wholeheartedly to God without proper understanding, there is also a flaw.

Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of understanding. Suppose this process... Just like Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of culture of knowledge, the person who has come to the highest point of knowledge, he surrenders unto Me." So similarly, if any person without any knowledge, if he surrenders only to Kṛṣṇa, he acquires all the knowledge. He has surpassed all stages. He has surpassed all stages. And that is also confirmed. If you say, "How he has gone, surpassed all stage?" That answer in Bhagavad-gītā you find,

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

(BG 10.11)

Teṣām: "Because he is a devotee, just to give, just to show him a special favor," teṣām evānukampārtham, "simply for showing a special favor, I Myself, from within, I light up the knowledge, I mean to say, searchlight, and he becomes..."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So bhakti means when one has attained real jñānam. Without real jñānam, nobody can become bhakta. The foolish person says that bhakti's meant for ajñānī, or less intelligent. No. Bhakti is meant for the most intelligent person.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). There are many īśvaras, or īśas. That is all right, but "Nobody is greater than Me." That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So this is jñāna. So as soon as one comes to this conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. I have got the same quality as Kṛṣṇa has got, but He is Prabhu, I am servant. He is master, and I am servant," this is perfect knowledge. Then jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yuktena (SB 3.25.18).

So bhakti means when one has attained real jñānam. Without real jñānam, nobody can become bhakta. The foolish person says that bhakti's meant for ajñānī, or less intelligent. No. Bhakti is meant for the most intelligent person. Because bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). You become experienced, very, very experienced, after many, many years. So it is not many, many years, but many, many births, one actually becomes jñānī. And what is that jñāna? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is jñānam. So long you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, or Vāsudeva, you should understand yourself that you are still fool. You may advertise yourself as very jñānī, but you are fool. That is the shastric conclusion. Because if you are actually jñānī, then you should have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa.

Even one is ajñānī... Sometimes we find a devotee not even literate, but when he speaks, he speaks exactly the truth. That is jñānī. How it is possible? It is possible because Kṛṣṇa is behind him, the all-powerful.

Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

And mokṣa-kāma, the jñānīs and yogis, they want liberation from this material world. After being karmī and jñānī, when they are disgusted, they become aspirant of becoming one with the Lord. So the śāstra says, "Any desire or no desire, you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then everything will be fulfilled, either devotee, jñānī, yogi." Because as soon as you become a devotee, the wonderful things you can perform by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. And... And ajñānī... Even one is ajñānī... Sometimes we find a devotee not even literate, but when he speaks, he speaks exactly the truth. That is jñānī. How it is possible? It is possible because Kṛṣṇa is behind him, the all-powerful.