This sannyāsa tridaṇḍa . . . there are three rods within the stick, or the cover. Three daṇḍas. Not three—four. Three is kaya—body; mind; kaya, mana, and words; and one he is personally. Therefore there are four sticks within the daṇḍa. Those who have taken sannyāsa, they know it. The idea is that "I surrender to my spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa." Spiritual master is identical with Kṛṣṇa because he gives true knowledge. Therefore he is as good as God. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata (Gurvastaka 7). A spiritual master is considered directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sākṣād. Sākṣād means "directly." Why? Because he is jñāna-prada. He gives knowledge, real knowledge. That is the qualification of spiritual master. Nobody can become spiritual master if he has no knowledge. If he's a speculator, he cannot become a spiritual master. He must give the right knowledge. Then he is bona fide spiritual master. Otherwise he's a bogus. Jñāna-prada. And without real knowledge, our life is useless.
Just like this morning we were talking so many things. They have no standard knowledge, no real knowledge. They do not know anything. Still, they present themselves, pretend themselves as philosopher, as scientist, as guru, as father. No. Everyone, those who are guardian . . . therefore śāstra has forbidden, gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sa syāt (SB 5.5.18): "One should not become a guru, one should not become a relative, one should not become the father, one should not become the mother, one should not become the husband . . ." In this way there is a list. Why? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "If he does not know how to guide his disciple or subordinate to stop the cycle of birth and death." He should not do. This is the ultimate goal of life, that we have to stop the cycle. Punar-janma-jayayā (Rāmayana). Punar-janma-jayayā, to conquer over next birth. Punar-janma-jayayā.