# The Source of Perfect Knowledge Perfect knowledge, Vedic knowledge, and transcendental perception all come through the spiritual master. One cannot manufacture spiritual knowledge independently or understand transcendental subjects through speculation. --- ## For Perfect Knowledge, Approach a Guru **For perfect knowledge, one must approach a spiritual master:** ![[bg/4/34|Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth]] —Bg. [[bg/4/34|4.34]] ![[bg/4/34#purport|The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult...No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders...One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge]] —Bg. [[bg/4/34|4.34]] Purport --- **The light of knowledge is given by the guru:** This world is full of darkness and ignorance, but Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to this material world. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no darkness but simply light. **The *śāstras* enjoin that we leave this darkness and come to light. This light is given by the guru.** > oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya > jñānāñjana-śalākayā > cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena > tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ "I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him." **It is the guru's business to give light by knowledge.** The guru has completely assimilated the Vedic essence of life. —*Teachings of Lord Caitanya* --- ## Knowledge from a Dhīra **Knowledge must be acquired from one who is dhīra (undisturbed by material illusion):** The instructions of *vidyā* (knowledge) must be acquired from a *dhīra.* A *dhīra* is one who is not disturbed by material illusion. No one can be undisturbed unless he is perfectly spiritually realized... **To follow the regulative principles, one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.** The transcendental message and regulative principles come down from the spiritual master to the disciple. Such knowledge does not come in the hazardous way of nescient education. **One can become a dhīra only by submissively hearing the messages of the Personality of Godhead.** —Śrī Īśopaniṣad Mantra 10 --- ## Understanding the Soul and Spirit **Without being trained by a spiritual master, one cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body:** ![[sb/7/7/21#purport|unless one has been trained by a spiritual master, he cannot understand what is spirit and what is matter]] —SB [[sb/7/7/21|7.7.21]] Purport Foolish rascals, including so-called *jñānīs*, philosophers and scientists, cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body because they are lacking in spiritual knowledge. **The Vedas enjoin, *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet:* to understand spiritual knowledge, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master.** --- ## Vedic Knowledge Through Guru **Kṛṣṇa taught, by example, that everyone must learn the Vedas from an authorized teacher:** ![[sb/3/3/2|The Lord is constitutionally well versed in all the Vedas, and yet to teach by example that everyone must go to learn the Vedas from an authorized teacher and must satisfy the teacher by service and reward, He Himself adopted this system]] —SB [[sb/3/3/2|3.3.2]] --- **Scriptural study without contact of a realized spiritual master is ineffectual:** ![[sb/2/3/1#purport|in spite of reading and hearing such scriptures, unless one is in touch with a realized spiritual master, he cannot actually realize the real nature of self]] —SB [[sb/2/3/1|2.3.1]] Purport --- **To understand the mystery of revealed scriptures, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master:** One who is not taught by a bona fide spiritual master cannot understand the Vedic literature... It is to be concluded, therefore, that **one who wants to understand the mystery of revealed scriptures must approach a bona fide spiritual master, hear from him very submissively and render service to him.** Then the import of the scriptures will be revealed. It is stated in the *Vedas:* > yasya deve parā bhaktir > yathā deve tathā gurau > tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ > prakāśante mahātmanaḥ **"The real import of the scriptures is revealed to one who has unflinching faith in both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master."** —Cc. Ādi 7.48 --- ## Beyond Material Conception **Knowledge of the absolute region comes only by surrendering to and hearing from the guru:** Gentlemen, our knowledge is so poor, our senses are so imperfect, and our sources are so limited that it is not possible for us to have even the slightest knowledge of the absolute region without surrendering ourselves at the lotus feet of Śrī Vyāsadeva or his bona fide representative. **Every moment we are being deceived by the knowledge of our direct perception.** It is all the creation or concoction of the mind, which is always deceiving, changing, and flickering. We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of observation and experiment. **But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Śrī Gurudeva.** —*The Science of Self-Realization* --- **To understand things beyond material conception, one must hear from a bona fide ācārya:** *Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet.* We should not try to understand things beyond our material conception by argument and counter argument. *Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ:* we have to follow in the footsteps of great authorities coming down in the *paramparā* system. **If we approach a bona fide ācārya and keep faith in his words, spiritual realization will be easy.** —Cc. Madhya 9.195 --- **[← Back to Spiritual Master and Disciple](wiki/compile/spiritual-master-disciple)**