“Srimad-Bhagavatam is the real bhasya of Brahma-sutra”

Prabhupada, Bombay, September 30, 1973: […] So far we are concerned, Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, our acaryas, they took it, Srimad-Bhagavatam, as the right commentary on Brahma-sutra. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam vedartha-paribrmhitam. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the real bhasya of Brahma-sutra. So the Gaudiya Sampradaya did not make any commentary on the Brahma-sutra because they took it, Caitanya Mahaprabhu took it as, Srimad-Bhagavatam, as a natural commentary, because Srimad- Bhagavatam is also made by Vyasadeva and Vyasadeva is the original author of Brahma-sutra. So author made his own commentary; so there was no need of another commentary. This is the Gaudiya-siddhanta, Gaudiya-vaisnava-siddhanta.

But sometimes back, in Jaipur, there was a challenge that “The Gaudiya Sampradaya has no commentary on the Vedanta-sutra.” So at that time Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was requested… Because he was grand scholar, grand old man scholar, at that time living in Vrndavana… So he was very old at that time; so he authorized Baladeva Vidyabhusana, that, “You do it.” There was no need, but people are demanding, “Where is your commentary on the Vedanta-sutra?” So Baladeva Vidyabhusana, with the order of Govindaji at Jaipur, he wrote the commentary on Brahma-sutra. That name is Govinda-bhasya. So the Gaudiya-Brahma Sampradaya, they have got also commentary on Brahma-sutra. That is required.

So Krishna has explicitly explained that brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir. Hetumadbhir viniscitam. The Brahma-sutra is called therefore nyaya-prasthana, with logic and reason, hetumadbhir, cause and effect, Everything. Because people like to understand on the basis of philosophy and reasoning everything. Yes, that is required.

Any understanding without philosophy, that is sentiment. And philosophy without religious conception is mental speculation. These two things are going on, not combined. All over the world there are many so-called religious systems, but there is no philosophy. Therefore the so-called religious system does not appeal to the modern educated persons. They are giving up religion, either Christian, Muslim, Hindu. Simply formalities, rituals, they do not like. They want to know everything on the basis of philosophy. That is Bhagavad-gita.

Bhagavad-gita is based on philosophy, this system, Krishna-bhakti. Bhagavad-gita means Krishna-bhakti, devotion to Krishna, Krishna consciousness. That is Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita, the teaching is man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is Bhagavad-gita. “Always think of Me.” Krishna conscious, pure and simple. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Everywhere Krishna stressed on His personality. Aham adir hi devanam: “I am the origin of all the devatas.” Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7].

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8]

Everything is there.

So sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66], mam, aham, “Me.” So in every verse, every chapter, Krishna… Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Mayy asakta, “One who is attached to Me,” asakta-manah, “mind attached to Me, that is yoga.”