Unknot the karma-bondage tightened by material desire through Krishna consciousness under a genuine spiritual master.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.15 — October 26, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721026SB-VRNDAVAN [35:47 Minutes] SB-01.02.15_721026SB-VRNDAVAN Prabhupāda: yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ karma-granthi-nibandhanam chindanti kovidās tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim [SB 1.2.15] In the previous verse it is said, tasmād ekena manasā bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca dhyeyaḥ pūjyaś ca nityadā [SB 1.2.14] These things we have discussed last morning, that we have to engage ourself fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by hearing... [aside:] Not like that. Don't sit like... Śrotavya, by hearing. In other words, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] These are the devotional process.
Hear. First of all, hearing. Hearing means the perfect knowledge, hearing from the authority. Because we are ignorant.
Just like we go to school, colleges, and hear from the teachers, from the professors, similarly, hearing means hearing from the authority, not from the rascals. That is hearing. Just like in the Vedas it is said, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12(1)]. To hear the right news, the perfect knowledge, you must approach the bona fide spiritual master.
Gurum eva abhigacchet. Must! It is not that "I can get knowledge at home. Why shall I go to guru?
I do not find any guru." These things are current very much. "It may be there is no guru." Not at all. You cannot say that. Just like there are imitation coin.
You have met with some imitation coins. That does not mean there is no real coin. You are unfortunate; you met with imitation coin. So don't make that calculation that "There is no real coin, all imitation." That is nonsense.
There is imitation coin, and there is real coin. It is up to you to find out which is the real and which is the imitation. So Bhāgavata gives you direction that "If you are actually serious about finding out a guru..." Guru... Who requires a guru? Who requires?