If you put a question to a superior, to your master, so it is not that he is bound to answer it. Because sometimes a particular question is put forward, the answer is not understandable by the questioner, so the superior, the master, may refuse

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"if you put a question to a superior, to your master, so it is not that he is bound to answer it. Because sometimes a particular question is put forward, the answer is not understandable by the questioner, so the superior, the master, may refuse"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If you put a question to a superior, to your master, so it is not that he is bound to answer it. Because sometimes a particular question is put forward, the answer is not understandable by the questioner, so the superior, the master, may refuse.

710201 - Lecture SB 06.03.1-11 - Allahabad

Now, tāṁs te veditum icchāmo, "Now what is the actual fact? Please let us know." Yadi no manyase kṣamam. If you think . . . this is the way of asking superior some force checked, this is the way, not that challenging, "Please answer me. Please tell me like this."

You find always the Parīkṣit Maharaja or Arjuna or anyone, this is the process of submission. Here the Yamadūtas says, "We want to . . . we wish to learn from you what is the actual fact in this incident, and you can tell me," yadi . . . yadi no manyase kṣamam, "if you think that we can be able to understand."

The purport is that if you put a question to a superior, to your master, so it is not that he is bound to answer it. Because sometimes a particular question is put forward, the answer is not understandable by the questioner, so the superior, the master, may refuse, that "This answer is not to be given to you." For that reason, you cannot demand that "You answer. You must answer." No. This is the way.

In the . . . Parīkṣit Mahārāja also, whenever he put a question to Śukadeva Goswāmī, he very submissively says, "If you think that I am capable of understanding, please answer this question." Arjuna also said like that. Here also the Yamadūtas, they are also putting forward very submissively, yadi manyase kṣamam. Yadi no manyase: "If you think us competent to understand the answer, then please inform."

bādarāyaṇir uvāca

iti devaḥ sa āpṛṣṭaḥ

prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ

prītaḥ sva-dūtān pratyāha

smaran pādāmbujaṁ hareḥ

(vanisource:SB 6.3.11)

Now Yamarāja will reply very interesting reply. So before replying, prītaḥ sva-dūtān pratyāha smaran pādāmbujaṁ hareḥ. This is the Vaisnava behavior. As the subordinate puts the question very submissively, similarly, the superior also is not proud, that "I can answer this." No.

He immediately remembers the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and he . . . also begs. Because these answers and questions are not ordinary. They are all authorized. Therefore the master also remembers the lotus feet of the Lord that, "Whatever You help me to speak, I learn." He is not also proud, and they are not disobedient or puffed up, impudent.

This is the process of questioning-answering. The enquirer should be very submissive, and the answer-giver also should always remember the lotus feet, so the right answer can be given. This is the way of spiritual enquiry and spiritual answer. This is called sva-goṣṭhī. Goṣṭhī. Goṣṭhī, this is called sva-goṣṭhī.

Amongst the society, the answers and questions should be dealt in that spirit. The one who is questioning, he should be submissive, not in a challenging mood; and one who is answering, he should remember the lotus feet of the Lord so that right answer can come from Him.