In Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala ("A Garland of Vaisnava Truths"), Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that there are two kinds of knowledge:
self-evident knowledge (svatah-siddha-jnana), and knowledge that depends on the senses (indriya-paratantra jnana).Quotations from Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala:Self-evident knowledge is the natural truth that is inherently a feature of the pure spirit soul's original form.The Veda is present in every pure spirit soul's existence in the form of svatah-siddha-jnana. According to the different levels of different souls in the materially conditioned state, this Veda will spontaneously manifest itself to someone, or it may remain veiled to someone else.
Therefore, to help rewaken the forgetful conditioned souls to the eternally self-evident truths, the Veda has also incarnated in the form of written books which may be heard, recited and studied.That which is called svatah-siddha-jnana is another name for bhakti.
When speaking of topics relating to the supreme truth (para-tattva), some call it jnana and some call it bhakti.The types of jnana that are condemned in the bhakti-sastras are indriya-paratantra-jnana (knowledge based on sense-perception) and nirvisesa-jnana (impersonal non-distinct knowledge), the latter of which is merely the absence of the former.
Direct perception of Sri Krsna through self-evident knowledge is the goal of the Vedas. Progress along the Vedic path means the cleansing of indriya-paratantra-jnana (also called visesa- jnana, knowledge of material distinctions) and nirvisesa-jnana from our consciousness so that the svatah-siddha-jnana may shine forth from within the heart. Thus, whether one executes the karma, jnana or bhakti yoga systems, Krsna must be understood as the goal. Attaining that goal, one attains pure bhakti.
Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
No. There is no question of understanding. Suppose this process... Just like Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante: "After many, many births of culture of knowledge, the person who has come to the highest point of knowledge, he surrenders unto Me." So similarly, if any person without any knowledge, if he surrenders only to Krsna, he acquires all the knowledge. He has surpassed all stages. He has surpassed all stages. And that is also confirmed. If you say, "How he has gone, surpassed all stage?" That answer in Bhagavad- gita you find, tesam evanukampartham aham ajnana-jam tamah, nasayamy atma-bhavastho jnana-dipena bhasvata. Tesam: "Because he is a devotee, just to give, just to show him a special favor," tesam evanukampartham, "simply for showing a special favor, I Myself, from within, I light up the knowledge, I mean to say, searchlight, and he becomes..."
And you will be surprised that my guru maharaja's spiritual master was Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. He was completely illiterate. He did not know how to sign, and my spiritual master was the most learned man of his age. He accepted that guru who was completely illiterate. But when he would speak, that Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, he would speak with all Vedic references.
And you will find in the Veda that yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau, tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah. So the spiritual knowledge becomes revealed. It is not subjected to any material acquisition. It is not subjected to any material acquisition of knowledge. It becomes revealed. How? Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. One who has a staunch faith in the Supreme Lord and staunch faith in the personality of his spiritual master, bona fide, then he gets all the things revealed in himself.
Quando Sanatana Goswami estava a descrever a personalidade de Srila Haridas Thakur, ele explicou que não adianta ter muito conhecimento das escrituras devocionais se não desenvolvemos boas qualidades e que o contrário também é verdade.Ou seja, juntamente com o desenvolver de boas qualidades devemos buscar o conhecimento(Svatah Siddha Jnana) das escrituras devocionais.
Os Acaryas sempre nos dão o caminho do equilibrio.
Vosso servo
Prahladesh Dasa
