CH 4, Verse 34

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Chapter 4

Verse 34

 

Tad viddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa /

upadekshyanti te jnaanam jnaaninas tattva-darshinah //

 

Know that by prostration, by questionings, and by

service (to the Guru.) The wise who have realized the

Truth will impart to you that knowledge.

 

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA – 42

As taught by Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji

Compiled by: Swami Dattananda

Bhakti Mala, May 1996

 

“Know that by prostration, by questionings, and by

service (to the Guru.) The wise who have realized the

Truth will impart to you that knowledge.”

 

When a man has secured the knowledge of Brahman there

remains nothing at all to be known by him. Knowledge

of Brahman is the highest knowledge. This is to be

acquired from a competent Guru who has intuitively

experienced it and realized it. Such a teacher alone

can impart this knowledge effectively and not others.

 

The seeker after knowledge, after approaching the

Guru, should prostrate before Him in all humility.

This is obeisance and it should be done in a spirit of

surrender. Then he should try to understand the

subtle truths by putting questions such as these:

“How comes bondage? How is Moksha attained? What is

knowledge and what is ignorance? What is the purpose

of life and how can it be fulfilled?” When the

teachers who are knowers of Brahman are won over

through humility, they will instruct the divine

knowledge to their disciples.

 

The word knowledge is used here only in the sense of

the knowledge of the Self. This knowledge cannot be

imparted by any scholar or learned person who has no

realization of the Self. Therefore, only those

knowers who have realized the Self can give

instructions in matters relating to the knowledge of

the Self.

 

The seeker of God has to develop feelings of devotion

to his teacher. He should also be humble to the core.

If he leads a life characterized by a sense of his

own greatness and stiffness he cannot derive any

benefit. Hence he must be humble and full of devotion

to his teacher. Then alone the teacher will be

pleased to impart the real knowledge to him.

Therefore prostrations, questions which is all-sided

and service to the teacher in a whole-hearted manner

alone enable one to secure knowledge from the teacher.

 

 

 

 

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