Bhagavad Gita 7.15
Purport
The next class of duskrtī is called māyayāpahrta-jñānāh, or those persons whose erudite knowledge has been nullified by the influence of illusory material energy. They are mostly very learned fellows — great philosophers, poets, literati, scientists, etc. — but the illusory energy misguides them, and therefore they disobey the Supreme Lord.
There are a great number of māyayāpahrta-jñānāh at the present moment, even amongst the scholars of the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Gītā, in plain and simple language, it is stated that Śrī Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is none equal to or greater than Him. He is mentioned as the father of Brahmā, the original father of all human beings. In fact, Śrī Krsna is said to be not only the father of Brahmā but also the father of all species of life. He is the root of the impersonal Brahman and Paramātmā; the Supersoul in every entity is His plenary portion. He is the fountainhead of everything, and everyone is advised to surrender unto His lotus feet. Despite all these clear statements, the māyayāpahrta-jñānāh deride the personality of the Supreme Lord and consider Him merely another human being. They do not know that the blessed form of human life is designed after the eternal and transcendental feature of the Supreme Lord.
All the unauthorized interpretations of the Gītā by the class of māyayāpahrta-jñānāh, outside the purview of the paramparā system, are so many stumbling blocks on the path of spiritual understanding. The deluded interpreters do not surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Krsna, nor do they teach others to follow this principle.
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrta Ādi 17.257
prabhura nindāya sabāra buddhi haila nāśa
supathita vidyā kārao nā haya prakāśa
TRANSLATION
When all the students thus resolved, criticizing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, their intelligence was spoiled. Thus although they were learned scholars, because of this offense the essence of knowledge was not manifested in them.
PURPORT
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, māyayāpahrta-jñānā āsuram bhāvam āśritāh: when one becomes inimical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, adopting an atheistic attitude (āsuram bhāvam), even if one is a learned scholar the essence of knowledge does not become manifested in him; in other words, the essence of his knowledge is stolen by the illusory energy of the Lord. In this connection Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura quotes a mantra from the Śvetāśvatara Upanisad (6.23):
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāh prakāśante mahātmanah
[ŚU 6.23]
The purport of this verse is that one who is unflinchingly devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, and similarly devoted to the spiritual master, with no ulterior motive, becomes a master of all knowledge. In the heart of such a devotee, the real essence of the Vedic knowledge becomes manifested.
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrta Antya 7.134
śrīdhara-upare garve ye kichu likhibe
'artha-vyasta' likhana sei, loke nā mānibe
TRANSLATION
"Whatever you might write due to false pride, trying to surpass Śrīdhara Svāmī, would carry a contrary purport. Therefore no one would pay attention to it.
PURPORT
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has many tīkās, or commentaries, following the paramparā system, but Śrīdhara Svāmī's is first. The commentaries of all the other ācāryas follow his. The paramparā system does not allow one to deviate from the commentaries of the previous ācāryas. By depending upon the previous ācāryas, one can write beautiful commentaries. However, one cannot defy the previous ācāryas. The false pride that makes one think that he can write better than the previous ācāryas will make one's comments faulty. At the present moment it has become fashionable for everyone to write in his own way, but such writing is never accepted by serious devotees. Because of false pride, every scholar and philosopher wants to exhibit his learning by interpreting the śāstras, especially the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in his own way. This system of commenting in one's own way is fully condemned by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore He says, 'artha-vyasta' likhana sei. Commentaries written according to one's own philosophical way are never accepted; no one will appreciate such commentaries on the revealed scriptures.
