If one is engaged in the service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, this knowledge also comes. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births, if one is actually jñānī, seeking after knowledge, then he comes to this conclusion. What is this? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). This is mahātmā, not anyone who is defying Kṛṣṇa and he's trying to become Kṛṣṇa. He's not mahātmā; he's durātmā. Mahātmā means vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. And knowing this, māṁ prapadyate. That is mahātmā. Don't mistake mahātmā, who is mahātmā.
What is the symptom of mahātmā?
- mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
- daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
- bhajanty ananya-manaso
- jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
- (BG 9.13)
He's mahātmā. You cannot manufacture mahātmā. This is the qualification of mahātmā: vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), who knows that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He is mahātmā. And his business is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīm . . . He is under the daivī-prakṛti. There are two kinds of prakṛtis: parā-prakṛti and aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti means this material world, and daivī-prakṛti is the spiritual world. So immediately, as soon as he understands this philosophy of life that, "I am uselessly serving this material world or the society, friendship, country and so on, so on, without serving Kṛṣṇa," that is called jñāna, knowledge. And as soon as one comes to this knowledge, that knowledge is . . . that position is called brahma-bhūta stage. Brahman realization.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). As soon as one comes to this platform of knowledge, then he becomes prasannātmā. "Oh, why I am serving these nonsense? I forgot that I am a spirit soul, minute particle of Kṛṣṇa. My business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." Just like . . . I have already explained: part and parcel means serving the whole. That is called part and parcel. Any example you can take. In office there are so many worker, but they are working for satisfaction of the whole. Similarly, the whole is Kṛṣṇa. Anything, we individually or anything, they are meant for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Upaniṣads. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. Anyone who has understood that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, Īśa . . . īśa means Kṛṣṇa. Īśa or īśvara. There are so many īśvaras or īśa, but īśvara, real īśvara, is Kṛṣṇa. 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.
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 śāstric conclusion. Because if you are actually jñānī, then you should have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. That is also stated in another place in the Bhagavad . . . māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ.