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TEXT 34 tad viddhi pranipatena
SYNONYMS  tat--that
knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhi--try to understand; pranipatena--by
approaching a spiritual master; pariprasnena--by submissive inquiries;
sevaya--by the rendering of service; upadeksyanti--initiate;
te--unto you; jnanam--knowledge; jnaninah--the self-realized;
tattva--truth; darsinah--the seers.
TRANSLATION Just try
to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him
submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart
knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.
PURPORT The path of
spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises
us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession
from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without
following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original
spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the
message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually
realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish
pretenders. The Bhagavatam says: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam--the
path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental
speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life.
One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge.
Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should
serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige.
Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement
in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination
for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries
from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able
to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine
desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine
spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd
inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the
spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him,
in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is
by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is
submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of
knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.
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