It is stated plainly in the Bhagavad-gita.

[link to vedabase.net]



manushyanam sahasreshu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."



There are various grades of men, and out of many thousands, one may be sufficiently interested in transcendental realization to try to know what is the self, what is the body, and what is the Absolute Truth. Generally mankind is simply engaged in the animal propensities, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating, and hardly anyone is interested in transcendental knowledge. The first six chapters of the Gita are meant for those who are interested in transcendental knowledge, in understanding the self, the Superself and the process of realization by jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga and discrimination of the self from matter. However, Krishna can be known only by persons who are in Krishna consciousness. Other transcendentalists may achieve impersonal Brahman realization, for this is easier than understanding Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Person, but at the same time He is beyond the knowledge of Brahman and Paramatma. The yogis and jnanis are confused in their attempts to understand Krishna. Although the greatest of the impersonalists, Sripada Sankaracarya, has admitted in his Gita commentary that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his followers do not accept Krishna as such, for it is very difficult to know Krishna, even though one has transcendental realization of impersonal Brahman.

Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the primeval Lord Govinda. Isvarah paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah/ anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam. It is very difficult for the nondevotees to know Him. Although nondevotees declare that the path of bhakti, or devotional service, is very easy, they cannot practice it. If the path of bhakti is so easy, as the nondevotee class of men proclaim, then why do they take up the difficult path? Actually the path of bhakti is not easy. The so-called path of bhakti practiced by unauthorized persons without knowledge of bhakti may be easy, but when it is practiced factually according to the rules and regulations, the speculative scholars and philosophers fall away from the path. Srila Rupa Gosvami writes in his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.101):

sruti-smriti-puranadi-
pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanishads, Puranas and Narada-pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."


It is not possible for the Brahman-realized impersonalist or the Paramatma-realized yogi to understand Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the son of mother Yasoda or the charioteer of Arjuna. Even the great demigods are sometimes confused about Krishna (muhyanti yat surayah). Mam tu veda na kascana: "No one knows Me as I am," the Lord says. And if one does know Him, then sa mahatma su-durlabhah. "Such a great soul is very rare." Therefore unless one practices devotional service to the Lord, one cannot know Krishna as He is (tattvatah), even though one is a great scholar or philosopher. Only the pure devotees can know something of the inconceivable transcendental qualities in Krishna, in the cause of all causes, in His omnipotence and opulence, and in His wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, because Krishna is benevolently inclined to His devotees. He is the last word in Brahman realization, and the devotees alone can realize Him as He is. Therefore it is said:


atah sri-krishna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah


"No one can understand Krishna as He is by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him." (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.234)



It may sound complicated, but it is quite simple once we surrender ourselves to the fact that the Vedas ARE revealed knowledge.


How am I so knowledgeable of Vedic knowledge?

I could not tell you, it must be the mercy of the Lord somewhere. I am a 24 year old young man who has come in to contact with something that has changed my life, and awoken an inner fire for truth.

I have come into contact with great shining beacons of vedic knowledge, such as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Swami Prabhupada and I have absorbed his teachings within my heart.

I am a most fallen soul, but for some reason or another the Lord has decided to impart upon me this capability to understand Vedic knowledge without second guessing it.



Is it necessary to understand the Vedas? No. It is only necessary to understand yourself, and the Lord.

I grew up a large portion of my life NOT understanding the Vedas. I grew up a very average american child, except that I was a lacto-vegetarian. I played Video games, rode bicycles, watched football, went to the movies.


The last few years of my life has been a large awakening for me. What have I done differently? I have only put a sincere effort toward trying to understand the statements of the Vedas.


I accept the statements of the Vedas, that one can become perfect, by dovetailing himself with perfection. I do not possess any perfect qualities, but by associating with perfect knowledge, I make myself perfect.