If you think, "Oh, this, this svāmījī, or the spiritual master, is less intelligent than me or less educated than me or less in so many ways," then you cannot select a spiritual master. You have to select another person where you will find that, "Here is a mind, here is man where I can surrender. Yes, he is greater than me in so many respects. Therefore I can surrender."
This is called praṇipāt. So selection of spiritual master means first of all you must agree that, "Here is a personality where I can bow down my head. Yes." Everyone is proud. Why shall he bow down before a person unless he understands that "Here is a personality who is greater than me"?
So this is the first condition, praṇipāt. Praṇipāt means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāt. You have to become blank slate, "Now, sir, whatever I have learned, oh, I forget. It is now blank slate. Now you write whatever you like." This is the first condition. Praṇipātena, and sevayā.
Sevayā means service. So because the service is wanting, so one has to serve the spiritual master. It is indicated that even if you are the greatest personality, you have to approach and serve the spiritual master just like ordinary menial servant. Menial servant. If the spiritual master says: "My dear boy, you just cleanse my shoes," or any, I mean to say, abominable . . . oh, he'll be ready.
This is called sevā. And praṇipātena, sevana . . . sevayā. Praṇipātena . . . paripraśnena and sevayā. Paripraśna means where you cannot understand, you must place, "Sir, I cannot understand this portion." This is the process.
So this is called śuśrūṣa. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā. And with devotion, with love and faith, not officially, "Because I have kept a pet spiritual master, so officially I have to . . ." No. With faith and devotion. And sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca. The brahmacārī system means that he should live with the spiritual master and collect fund.