Path of Spiritual Advancement
Pure devotional service is for intelligent people; others, who worship the demigods, are not so intelligent. The Vedas describe different types of worship for different classes of people. The real purpose of the Vedas is not that anyone must be satisfied with some material gain through the worship of demigods or sacrifice. The less intelligent people are advised to worship specific demigods and are gradually brought to the level of understanding that they have to be sanctioned by the master of all demigods, Lord Vishnu.
A reminder is always given when someone dies or when one realizes that material benefits are temporary. Krishna summarises the entire Vedic knowledge and gives the essence of it. The bulk of the Vedas is called the karma kanda portion because most people in the world are interested only in material enjoyment, so that at least through performing sacrifices or worshiping demigods, even without their knowledge, they come in contact with the Supreme Lord. Nonetheless, even indirect contact with the Supreme Lord elevates a person to a higher status and his intelligence gets broadened. This is the real spiritual advancement of knowledge.
A human being has developed the intelligence to recognize that relative truth is not truth because he sees that it is not true for all time. Therefore he gives up this relative truth and wants to progress to the realm of Absolute Truth. One comes to the platform of knowledge beyond simply desiring some material gain. Prabhupada says dharmartha uttama slokam – one should worship Lord Vishnu or His devotee for spiritual advancement in knowledge.
Krishna says the body is temporary but you are not the body. You are a spirit soul. Krishna systematically takes us through all these different realisations on the path of spiritual advancement and summarises the whole range of Vedic instructions.
Especially in Kali Yuga, it is not possible for people to actually take advantage of the human form of life by gradual elevation by following the Vedic directions. That’s why the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam are meant for people in Kali Yuga. Bhagavad Gita is described as the preliminary study of Bhagavatam. Simply by hearing the Bhagavatam, one is able to satisfy all his desires, even for material enjoyment, and it also purifies the heart. Spiritual advancement of knowledge means there has to be a change of heart, becoming more intelligent. One’s enquiry is not simply how one can elevate one’s self through different levels of material advancement, but how one can come to the point of enquiring about the Absolute Truth.
This is made possible by taking to worship of Krishna or through pure devotional service. Direct contact with Krishna means one is able to make quick progress on the path of spiritual advancement; which means one becomes wise by surrendering to Krishna and become His devotee. One gives up all pursuits of material desires including the desire for liberation — moksa kama, sarva kamo. This is really broadening one’s intelligence udara dhih, the benefit of pure devotional service.
Therefore even though Sukadev Goswami says in the beginning that one may worship the virat rupa of the Lord or one may worship the form of the Lord in the heart — , but ultimately he concludes by saying — it is best that one worships directly the Supreme Personality of the godhead in his feature as Bhagavan.