Srila Prabhupada – So this eagerness to have Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā-matiḥ, that eagerness is even impossible—janma-koṭi-sukṛtibhiḥ. It is simply happened by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee ….

So to understand Kṛṣṇa, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). But it can be done through the mercy of devotee. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (BS 5.33). Adurlabha. If you satisfy a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can give you Kṛṣṇa like this, “Take it .” …Bhakta can do that. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). You come through bhakta or come through bhakti.

 So bhakti means unless you become an apprentice of a bhakta, how you can attain bhakti? That is not possible.

 (Lecture, 22 Nov 1976, Vrindavana)