Many scholarly, learned scholars, Sanskrit scholars, they cannot understand Bhagavatam. I have seen many scholars, they cannot understand Bhagavata. Sanskrit scholars, they will read, but they will not be able to understand. Similarly, Bhagavad-gita also. If anyone studies Bhagavad-gita from scholarly point of view, a-b-c-d, he'll not understand. Krsna therefore says that "Arjuna, I shall speak the lessons of Bhagavata unto you because you are My very dear friend and you are My devotee." Krsna did not want to speak Bhagavad-gita to a scholarly student. No. These books are not to be understood by mundane scholarship. That is not possible.

From Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.23 — June 20, 1972, Los Angeles