If you want to learn by studying scriptures, Vedic literature, you will find different scriptures, - Sama, Yajur, Rg, Atharva, then different Puranas. There are eighteen Puranas, Mahabharata. That is also impossible; means you cannot understand

Expressions researched:
"If you want to learn by studying scriptures, Vedic literature, you will find different scriptures," Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, then different Purāṇas. There are eighteen Purāṇas, Mahābhārata. That is also impossible; means you cannot understand"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The śāstra says, tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ, "If you simply want to know what is self-realization, what is religion, simply by argument, logic, it is not possible." Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ: "If you want to learn by studying scriptures, Vedic literature, you will find different scriptures," Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, then different Purāṇas. There are eighteen Purāṇas, Mahābhārata. That is also impossible; means you cannot understand. Śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. But if you philosophize, following some philosopher . . . there are six kinds of philosophers in India. So philosopher means he must decry another philosopher, that he must give a new theory. So nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam (Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117). That will also not help.

740404 - Lecture BG 04.15 - Bombay

The śāstra says, tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ, "If you simply want to know what is self-realization, what is religion, simply by argument, logic, it is not possible." Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ: "If you want to learn by studying scriptures, Vedic literature, you will find different scriptures," Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, then different Purāṇas. There are eighteen Purāṇas, Mahābhārata. That is also impossible; means you cannot understand. Śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. But if you philosophize, following some philosopher . . . there are six kinds of philosophers in India. So philosopher means he must decry another philosopher, that he must give a new theory. So nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam (Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117). That will also not help. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. It is very confidential subject matter. Mahājano yena gataḥ so panthāḥ. Then you accept the mahājana. Mahājana means following the paramparā system.

According to Vedic system, there are twelve mahājanas: svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ, janako bhīṣmaḥ and vaiyāsakir vayam (SB 6.3.20), like that. I am just now forgetting. Excuse me. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilo kumāraḥ manuḥ, prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ. Prahlāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja, this gṛhastha. Amongst these mahājanas, there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, and there are gṛhasthas also. So it does not mean only the sannyāsī and brahmacārī can become mahājana. There are gṛhasthas also, just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is gṛhastha. Brahmā is gṛhastha. Svayambhū. Svayambhū. Nārada is brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhu. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is also gṛhastha. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ kumāraḥ, brahmacārī, four Kumāras, from the birth, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Kapila, Kapila is also brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. Manu is gṛhastha. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Prahlādo janakaḥ. Janaka Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Bhīṣma, brahmacārī. Bhīṣma. Bali, Bali Mahārāja, gṛhastha. Vaiyāsaki, a brahmacārī. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacārī, sannyāsī or gṛhastha, he must know the science.