Guru is therefore external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa because he acts as representative of Kṛṣṇa. So what is the qualification of that guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). You must go and surrender to guru. In the Vedas also it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. For whom guru is required? Not for all. But tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should go to guru to understand tad-vijñāna. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental science. They require guru. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "You should go and search out a guru and surrender unto him." Why? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If you are jijñāsuḥ..., athāto brahma jijñāsā—Vedānta-sūtra—if you are actually searching after the Absolute Truth.
Tad-vijnana means
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Therefore by studying Vedic literature, we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one must seek for a Vedic teacher. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Not that "At home, by speculation, I can understand what is God." That is not produce.(?) Vedas says... Just like if you want to be educated, you must accept some school. It doesn't matter whether the school is perfect or not perfect, but you cannot avoid school going. That is not possible. If you think that "Without going to school, I shall learn everything," that is not possible. Vedas says that if you want knowledge actually... Tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge... There is material knowledge also. Just like Āyur Veda, Dhanur Veda, and Jyotir Veda. Veda, veda means knowledge. There are all different types of knowledge. But real knowledge is brahma-vidyā, to understand the Absolute Truth. That is real knowledge. Other knowledge, they are temporary. We require medicine; therefore there is Āyur Veda. We require sometimes to fight; there is Dhanur Veda. And... So that is also required. Because the body is there. But real requirement is to know the Absolute Truth, Absolute Person. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That is our self-interest. That is our self-interest. If we want to become perfect, then we must see what is the ultimate Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the instruction of Vedānta.
So aindriya sukham, sense pleasure, that is available everywhere. Even cats and dogs, they have got sense pleasure. But human life is not meant for that purpose. Human life is meant for, this is the idea: yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam. This is required. They do not know it. Prahlāda Mahārāja another place said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Generally, those who are not trained up by guru, they do not know the svartha-gatim is Viṣṇu. Durāśayā. They are trying to be happy with this external energy. Bahir-artha, bahir, bahir-aṅga-śakti. Bahir-aṅga-śakti means this material world. So one who does not know what is the goal of life, they are interested in this bahir-aṅga-śakti, external energy. Therefore guru required. how to get him delivered from the clutches of external energy. Therefore guru required. One who is interested to get out of these activities of external energy, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), for him, guru is required. Don't make a guru as a fashion. That is useless. Then you get some guru who can manufacture gold, and you are interested in gold, so that kind of guru will be... No. Here it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapad..., tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñāna means spiritual science. For that purpose, one requires a guru. Not for any other purpose.
General Lectures
It is Vedic injunction. Somebody was asking whether guru is absolutely necessary. Yes, absolutely necessary. That is the Vedic injunction. The Vedas say, tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñāna means spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge; for acquiring spiritual knowledge. Tad-vijñānārtham. Sa—one; gurum eva—eva means must; gurum—to a guru. Must go to guru. Not "a" guru; "the" guru. Guru is one. Because as it is explained by our Revatīnandana Mahārāja, guru is coming from the disciplic succession. What five thousand years ago Vyāsadeva instructed or Kṛṣṇa instructed, the same thing we are also instructing. Therefore there is no difference between instruction. Therefore guru is one. Although hundreds and thousands of ācāryas have come and gone, but the message is one. Therefore guru cannot be two. Real guru will not talk differently. Some guru says that "In my opinion, you should like this," and some guru will say, "In my opinion you'll do this"—they are not guru; they are all rascals. Guru has no "own" opinion. Guru has got only one opinion, the same opinion which was expressed by Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsadeva or Nārada or Arjuna or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or the Gosvāmīs.
| Page Title: | Tad-vijnana means |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Serene |
| Created: | 19 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 5 |