Bg. 4.34

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥३४॥

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.—that knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviddhi

just try to understand; know; know it; know it well; knowing; knows; must be known; must know; one should know; please know; try to know; try to understand; understand; you may know; you must know; you should know.—try to understand; praṇipātenaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpraṇipātena

by approaching a spiritual master.—by approaching a spiritual master; paripraśnenaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparipraśnena

by submissive inquiries.—by submissive inquiries; sevayāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsevaya

by hearing; by service; by serving; by such service; by the rendering of service; by the service; by the service of; simply by devotional service.—by the rendering of service; upadekṣyantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupadekṣyanti

initiate.—initiate; teplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigte

all; all of them (the demigods and demons); all of them (the demigods and the demons); all of them; all of those; all the gopas; all the asuric ministers; all the demigods; all the demigods and demons; all the demons; all the great sages; all the Pracetās; all the sons; all the sons of Jamadagni; all the watchmen; all those; all those persons who arrived; also from you; as desired by you; by him; by them; by You; for you; for your; from you; in your possession; Lord Paraśurāma's mother and brothers; of the two divisions; of them; of you (mother Ganges); of You (O dear Lord); of you; of Your good self; of Your Lordship; of yourself; speaking to you; such; such as you; such austerity and knowledge; such household life; such persons; such pure devotees are fully satisfied; that; that is; the gopīs and gopas; the hotā, brahmā and other priests; the cowherd men and ladies; the demigods; the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); the demons; the Gandharvas; the great sages (the Kumāras); the husbands; the men of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Pracetās; the Pāṇḍavas; the sages; the sons of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Yakṣas; their; therefore; these; these sons (the Savalāśvas); they; they are; to you; unto you; with you; You; your; Your Lordship; your request; Your service; yours; yourself.—unto you; jñānamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnanam

knowledge.—knowledge; jñāninaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjñāninaḥ

of the knower; person in knowledge; persons advanced in knowledge; the self-realized; those advanced in knowledge.—the self-realized; tattvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtattva

Absolute Truth; basic principles; conclusions; in truth; knowledge; of the Absolute Truth; of the truth; of the ultimate principles; real nature; that truth; the Absolute Truth; the fundamental principles; the principle; the truth; to the truth; truth; truths.—truth; darśinaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdarśinaḥ

considering; seers of; the seers; who see.—the seers. ¶

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. ¶

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 Bhāgavatam says: dharmaṁ hi sākṣād-bhagavat-praṇītam—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. ¶