- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa is speaking Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. Don't malinterpret. Simply hear as Arjuna heard it. Sometimes some rascals say that "Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna heard directly, but we do not find now Kṛṣṇa. So how we can hear?" His words are there. Kṛṣṇa is not different from His words. He's absolute.
If you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, through the disciplic succession, then you are as good as Arjuna, hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference. But if you ras . . . play rascaldom, "This word means this, this word means that, this word means . . ." This is rascaldom. If you play rascaldom, then you'll remain a rascal. You'll not improve. But if you hear exactly like Arjuna . . .
As Arjuna said, sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14): "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, that is all right, in toto. I don't misinterpret." Param . . . paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). This is understanding of . . . you understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is in devotion, bhakto 'si. Kṛṣṇa instructed Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. He said that this Bhagavad-gītā, this yoga system, is now lost. Yoga-naṣṭaḥ parantapa. "Now I shall again begin that yoga through you, because you are My devotee." Bhakto 'si. Kṛṣṇa did not go to find out a Vedāntist to teach, a so-called Vedāntist. "A Vedāntist" means he's devotee. Veda. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate.
So what is the ultimate knowledge? Ultimate knowledge is described: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That is ultimate knowledge. After speculating knowledge life after life, when one comes to the point to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, that is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Unless you come to the point of surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, your knowledge is defective. You may advertise yourself as very learned scholar, but we have got simple formula. Our position is very strong and simple. We . . . we take the words of Kṛṣṇa and corroborate with Kṛṣṇa's words.