All Vedic knowledge and spiritual practice must ultimately lead to Krishna consciousness and service to Vasudeva.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.28–29 — November 8, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721108SB-VRNDAVAN [42:51 Minutes] SB-01.02.28–29_721108SB-VRNDAVAN Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ vāsudeva-parā yogā vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ vāsudeva-paro dharmo vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ [SB 1.2.28-29] [break] [leads chanting of synonyms]
Prabhupāda: Hmm. vāsudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ—ultimate goal; vedāḥ—revealed scriptures; vāsudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ—for worshiping; makhāḥ—sacrifices; vāsudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ—means of attaining; yogāḥ—mystic paraphernalia; vāsudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ—under His control; kriyāḥ—fruitive activities; vāsudeva—Personality of Godhead; param—supreme; jñānam—knowledge; vāsudeva—Personality of Godhead; param—best; tapaḥ—austerity; vāsudeva—Personality of Godhead; paraḥ—superior quality; dharmaḥ—religion; vāsudeva—Personality of Godhead; parāḥ—ultimate; gatiḥ—goal of life. [04:37] Translation: "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, or dharma, is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life." Prabhupāda: Hm. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19].
The same verse, in the Bhagavad-gītā, is explained here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19] There are many mahātmās, many yogī, jñānī, karmī. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life—means approaching Vāsudeva—then śrama eva hi kevalam. dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed ratiṁ yadi śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8] You can execute your religious principles, you can execute dharma-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ, charity.
Dharma, dāna. You can execute severe austerities, penances. But if you do not approach Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then the śāstra says, śrama eva hi kevalam. In another place it is said, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim [Nārada Pañcarātra]. If you can approach Vāsudeva, Hari...
Vāsudeva, Hari, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—the same—Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha... Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs. 5.33]. Vāsudeva has got ananta-rūpam. Ananta-rūpam means—this is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—just like if you sit down by the side of a river and the, the waves are flowing, you cannot count how many waves are going on in your front, similarly, how many forms are there of Vāsudeva, that is very difficult to count. advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.33] Absolute Truth is one, advaita. Advaita is one.
Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized in three phases: Brahman, impersonal Brahman; localized Paramātmā; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are one. vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11] The Absolute Truth is one. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he knows that Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same objective, but they are realized by different devotees or different knower in different features. The example is given in this connection: Just like if you see from a very distant place one hill, you'll find just like a cloud, hazy cloud.