True wisdom begins when the learned humbly surrender to the spiritual master, acknowledging their ignorance of eternal truth.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni grāmya-vyavahāre paṇòita, tāi satya māni [Cc Madhya 20.100] [I do not know what is beneficial for me or what is detrimental. Nonetheless, in ordinary dealings people consider me a learned scholar, and I am also thinking of myself as such.] kṛpā kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra āpana-kṛpāte kaha 'kartavya' āmāra [Cc Madhya 20.101] [Out of Your causeless mercy, You have delivered me from the materialistic path. Now, by the same causeless mercy, please tell me what my duty is.] Now, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he's ācārya in this disciplic succession from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Caitanya. He is the first disciple of Lord Caitanya, and from him, Sanātana Gosvāmī, six Gosvāmīs.
There were six, I mean, the first followers of Lord Caitanya. And then, from next step comes Raghunātha Gosvāmī, and then this author of this book, Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, and from him, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, and then from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa. In this way, this disciplic succession is coming from Lord Caitanya. So as ācārya... Ācārya means one who knows the principles of scriptures, properly being initiated by authority who knows things as they are, and they apply those things in their own life. They are called ācārya.
Acinoti śāstrāṇi: he must know all the principles from authorities, and he should apply in his life in those principles. Not that he knows but does not apply. He cannot be ācārya. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya. Lord Caitanya, He, although He is accepted as the, I mean to say, the personal, He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, still, He behaved in such a way that others can follow.
He also accepted Īśvara Purī. Īśvara..., Īśvara Purī was His spiritual master, Lord Caitanya's. This is the disciplic succession. Now, how to present himself before the spiritual master? He said that "Actually I am not learned, because I do not know my own position, what I am. But people say that 'You are paṇòita,' and I am puffed-up, and I think, 'Yes, I am paṇòita.
I am learned.' " This is the situation of the world. Everyone who has no spiritual knowledge, who does not know what he is, still, he is very much proud that he's very learned. So such kind of learning may be praised materially, but spiritually it has no value. Spiritually it has no value, because this is temporary. Temporary.
Just like by force, so many people is posted on the king's position, but after five years, ten years, again he's a common man. So similarly, all this material acquisition, they have no permanent value. Therefore those who are actually learned, they don't give any importance to this material acquisition. So Sanātana prabhu is, by his personal behavior, he's presenting himself that "People say that I am very learned, but actually I am not learned." This should be the position. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttama [SB 11.3.21]. [Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.] Now, "Because I am not learned, and very kindly You have delivered me from the māyā of illusion, kindly now let me know what is my duty." This is the position one should present himself to the spiritual master, not that... We have to first of all select spiritual master. The selection is required.
Because as soon as you accept one spiritual master, you cannot say that "I don't agree with you." No. That you cannot say. Then it is useless, simply waste of time. First of all you have to select a person who is actually representative, just like Sanātana Gosvāmī is representative of, I mean to say, Lord Caitanya. Just like Arjuna is representative of Kṛṣṇa.