Verse 1.2.67

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.2.67:

যেবা ভট্টাচার্য, চক্রবর্তী, মিশ্র সব তাহারাও না জানে সব গ্রন্থ-অনুভব ॥ ৬৭ ॥

येबा भट्टाचार्य, चक्रवर्ती, मिश्र सब ताहाराओ ना जाने सब ग्रन्थ-अनुभव ॥ ६७ ॥

yebā bhaṭṭācārya, cakravartī, miśra saba tāhārāo nā jāne saba grantha-anubhava || 67 ||

yeba bhattacarya, cakravarti, misra saba taharao na jane saba grantha-anubhava (67)

English translation:

(67) Even the so-called scholars—the Bhaṭṭācāryas, Cakravartīs, and Miśras—did not know the real purport of the scriptures.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

The words grantha-anubhava mean “summary” or “purport.” It is stated in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.2.28-29): “In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.

The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him

only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him.

He is the supreme goal of life.” In his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā (2.45), Śrī Madhvācārya quotes the following verses: “In the Vedic literature, including the Rāmāyaṇa, Purāṇas, and Mahābhārata, from the very beginning (ādau) to the end (ante ca), as well as within the middle (madhye ca), only Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is explained,” and “All Vedic knowledge is searching after the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.15) “The source of dharma, or religious principles, is the Vedas, the smṛtis, their commentaries, the conduct of sadhus, and the satisfaction of the soul.” (Manu-saṃhitā 2.6) “That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma, the religious principles, and the opposite of that is irreligion.” (Bhāg. 6.1.40) Thus the Vedas are primarily concerned with declaring the supremacy of Viṣṇu. In his commentary on Mahābhārata (32-34), Śrī Madhvācārya states: “The Vaiṣṇava Purāṇas are all factual evidence, being the same as the Pañcarātra. All the original smṛtis are also evidence, being supportive. In all of these works, only the supremacy of Viṣṇu is proclaimed, nothing else. This alone is the final analysis. Other scriptures have been written on the order of Lord Hari for the purpose of bewildering the demons. The statements of these scriptures should not be accepted, as they are meant for the asuras and lead one to the darkness of ignorance.” In his commentary on the Vedānta-sūtras (1.2.26) Śrī Madhvācārya quotes the following verse from the Padma Purāṇa: “Just as the Puruṣa-sūkta continually glorifies Viṣṇu, my mind continually glorifies Viṣṇu.” In his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrī Madhvācārya quotes from the Nāradīya Purāṇa as follows: “It is proclaimed that the Vaiṣṇava scriptures consist of the Pañcarātra, the Mahābhārata, the original Rāmāyaṇa, the Purāṇas and the Bhāgavatam. The Purāṇas glorifying Lord Śiva should be adjusted so their statements do not conflict with the Vaiṣṇava literatures. Those who dishonor the Vedas by taking shelter of philosophies like Gautama’s Nyāya, Kaṇāda’s

Vaiśeṣika, [the atheist] Kapila’s Sāṅkhya, Patañjali’s Yoga, and that found in Śaivite Purāṇas are of low intelligence.”

The Bhaṭṭācāryas, who were expert in teaching, the Cakravartīs, who were expert in fruitive rituals, and the Miśras, who were learned scholars, were simply engaged in scriptural debate, therefore they were unable to understand the purport of the śāstras and essence of the Vedas. They were simply engaged in the path of useless fruitive activities and mental speculation. They could not understand that the only purpose of all activities of the living entities and the only goal of all scriptures is devotional service for the pleasure of Lord Hari.