Explicit in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam - The Clear Science of God
The Vedic literatures are vast and multifaceted, sometimes leading less intelligent readers to confusing or contradictory conclusions. To cut through this confusion, Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled his own natural commentary on all Vedic knowledge: the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that this masterwork leaves no room for mental speculation; it presents the ultimate spiritual reality in the most explicit, unambiguous terms possible.
From Preliminary Synopsis to Explicit Science
To properly understand the Absolute Truth, one must follow a graded syllabus. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study—a brilliant synopsis of the science of God. However, for those who want to fully comprehend the Supreme Lord's nature, potencies, and pastimes, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam provides the explicit, detailed explanations.
- Bhagavad-gita is only a synopsis of the science of God, and it is more explicitly given in the Srimad-Bhagavata. But after all, it is a great science.
- The answer is to search the Absolute Truth, Who is the Source of all emanation. This Absolute Source of emanation is explained preliminarily in the Bhagavad-gita, and explicitly in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
- Obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, directly indicate Lord Sri Krsna, who is the divine son of Vasudeva and Devaki. This fact will be more explicitly explained in the text of this work.
- The import of the Vedas is still more explicitly explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The conclusion of the Vedic literatures is that Lord Sri Krsna is the primeval Lord and the cause of all causes.
Philosophy of Simultaneous Oneness and Difference
A major philosophical debate exists between monists (who believe everything is one) and dualists (who believe God and the living entities are forever separate). Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explicitly resolves this through the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. It clearly explains that God's energies are not apart from His substance, yet they maintain their distinct, individual existence.
- Nothing is apart from the substance, but at the same time the energies are different from the substance. This conception is not contradictory. Srimad-Bhagavatam explicitly promulgates this simultaneously-one-and-different philosophy of the Vedanta-sutra.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam explicitly deals with this aspect of simultaneous oneness and difference. This philosophy is also found in the Vedanta-sutra beginning with the janmady asya sutra.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam explicitly promulgates this simultaneously-one-and-different philosophy of the Vedanta-sutra, which begins with the "janmady asya" sutra.
- The Lord’s transcendental form, which is eternally blissful and full of knowledge, is unknown to Mayavadi philosophers. Although the term “Bhagavan” is explicitly described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, they cannot understand it.
Absolute Necessity of Devotional Service
The Bhāgavatam does not beat around the bush when prescribing the method for liberation. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that the text explicitly states the futility of dry knowledge (jñāna) and renunciation (vairāgya) if they are devoid of bhakti (devotional service). Furthermore, it explicitly guarantees that by simply satisfying the Supreme Lord, all other obligations to demigods and living entities are automatically fulfilled.
- That knowledge and renunciation are never perfect unless joined by devotional service is explicitly explained here - in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.19.
- It is explicitly stated herein that simply by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one satisfies the demigods and all other living entities without differentiation.
- Besides Srimad-Bhagavatam, there are commentaries on the Vedanta-sutra composed by all the major Vaisnava acaryas, and in each of them devotional service to the Lord is described very explicitly.
Explicit Directions for the Age of Kali
Beyond philosophical frameworks, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam serves as a direct, practical manual for the current age. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that the scripture explicitly predicts the appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and provides the exact yajña (sacrifice) required to achieve perfection in the troubled age of Kali: the congregational chanting of the holy names.
- In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, it is explicitly directed that one should perform sankirtana-yajna to please the Lord's incarnation as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This should be rigidly followed in order to achieve the result of yajna performance.
- This incarnation of the Lord in the Kali-yuga is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are many other places, both in the Bhagavatam and in other scriptures, in which the incarnation of the Lord as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explicitly mentioned.
Conclusion
While less intelligent persons may try to twist Vedic literature to support their own mundane or impersonal theories, Śrīla Prabhupāda proves that the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam stands as an impenetrable fortress of truth. By explicitly establishing Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and bhakti-yoga as the ultimate path, the Bhāgavatam clears away all confusion and shines the brightest light on the path back to Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Explicit in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.