SB 2.4.10

The expansion of different forms of the Lord, as from Krsna to Baladeva to Saṅkarsana, from Saṅkarsana to Vasudeva, from Vasudeva to Aniruddha, from Aniruddha to Pradyumna and then again to second Saṅkarsana and from Him to the Narayana-Purusavataras, and innumerable other forms, which are compared to the constant flowing of the uncountable waves of a river, are all one and the same. They are like lamps of equal power which kindle from one lamp to another. That is the transcendental potency of the Lord. The Vedas say that He is so complete that even though the whole complete identity is emanated from Him, He still remains the same complete whole (purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate). As such, there is no validity in a material conception of the Lord by the mental speculators. Thus He remains always a mystery for the mundane scholar, even if he is vastly learned in the Vedic literatures (vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau). Therefore, the Lord is beyond the limit of conception for mundane learned scholars, philosophers or scientists. He is easily understandable by the pure devotee because the Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gita that after surpassing the stage of knowledge, when one is able to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, then only can one know the true nature of the Lord (Bg. 18.54). No one can have any clear conception of the Lord or His holy name, form, attributes, pastimes, etc., unless one is engaged in His transcendental loving service. The statement of the Bhagavad-gita that one must first of all surrender unto the Lord, being freed from all other engagements, means that one must become a pure unconditional devotee of the Lord. Only then can one know Him by the strength of devotional service.

Maharaja Pariksit admitted in the previous verse that the Lord is inconceivable even for the greatest learned scholars. Why then should he again request Sukadeva Gosvami to clarify his insufficient knowledge about the Lord? The reason is clear. Sukadeva Gosvami was not only vastly learned in the Vedic literatures, but he was also a great self-realized soul and a powerful devotee of the Lord. A powerful devotee of the Lord is, by the grace of the Lord, more than the Lord Himself. The Personality of Godhead Sri Ramacandra attempted to bridge the Indian Ocean to reach the island of Laṅka, but Sri Hanumanji, the unalloyed devotee of the Personality of Godhead, could cross the ocean simply by jumping over it. The Lord is so merciful upon His pure devotee that He presents His beloved devotee as more powerful than Himself. The Lord expressed Himself to be unable to save Durvasa Muni, although the Muni was so powerful that he could reach the Lord directly in these material conditions. But Durvasa Muni was saved by Maharaja Ambarisa, a devotee of the Lord. Therefore, a devotee of the Lord is not only more powerful than the Lord, but also worship of the devotee is considered more effective than direct worship of the Lord (mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika).

The conclusion is, therefore, that a serious devotee must first approach a spiritual master who is not only well versed in the Vedic literatures but is also a great devotee with factual realization of the Lord and His different energies. Without the help of such a devotee spiritual master, no one can make progress in the transcendental science of the Lord. And a bona fide spiritual master like Sukadeva Gosvami does not speak about the Lord only in the matter of His internal potencies, but also explains how He associates with His external potencies.

The Lord's pastimes, in the internal potency, are displayed in His activities in Vrndavana, but His external potential works are directed in His features of Karanarnavasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti offers his good counsel to the interested Vaisnavas when he says that they should not only be interested to hear about the Lord's activities (like rasa-lila, etc.), but that they must be keenly interested in His pastimes in His features of the Purusavataras in connection with srsti-tattva, creational functions, following the examples of Maharaja Pariksit, the ideal disciple, and Sukadeva Gosvami, the ideal spiritual master.