This mentality (thinking I can become a religious leader) should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge

Expressions researched:
"should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge"

Lectures

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

I can think myself. Why? What is the necessity of a spiritual master? I can become a religious leader, I can become such and such, or . . ." this is our mentality. So this mentality should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge. Or you have to behave with a person to understand, "Whether he is fit to become my spiritual master?" Then you should offer yourself to be a student.

661128 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.97-99 - New York

You have read in the Bhagavad-gītā: a paṇḍita means he sees everything on equal eye. Why? Because he is brāhmaṇa, he has known what is Brahman and what are these living entities. He has got such knowledge. That is called paṇḍita. So Sanātana Gosvāmī had no such knowledge. At least, he is pretending like that.

So he says that grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita: "By social etiquette I am addressed as 'paṇḍita,' but . . ." Tāi satya māni: "And I also accept that I am paṇḍita." If somebody falsely calls me that "Your Majesty," so it is an insult. It is not honoring him. I am an ordinary man. If somebody calls me "Your Majesty'" so a man who has no qualification, if he is eulogized in that way, that is an insult. But we are so much fool that if somebody calls me "Your Majesty," I shall feel, "Oh, I am Majesty. Yes. I am his Majesty." That is our nature. If some false qualifications is awarded to me, I shall be very glad to accept it. I shall think, "Yes, I am so . . ."

So Sanātana Gosvāmī said that "Actually, I am not paṇḍita, because I do not know what is my benefit, what is beneficial to me. I do not know the goal of my life. I simply wasted my time in sense gratification. I do not know. And still, people say, 'You are paṇḍita,' and I accept it. Just see my position."

This is blank slate, admitting that, "I am fool number one, but people say I am learned, and I accept it." This is our nature. This is called illusion. He will never think that, "I am fool number one." He will always think, "Oh, who can be greater than me? I am the . . . I can think myself. Why? What is the necessity of a spiritual master? I can become a religious leader, I can become such and such, or . . ." this is our mentality.

So this mentality should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge. Or you have to behave with a person to understand, "Whether he is fit to become my spiritual master?" Then you should offer yourself to be a student. That is the process, not that all of a sudden you shall go to a person, "Oh, please accept me as my student." No. You should first of all try to understand whether he is actually fit. Then offer yourself.