Process of knowledge is to receive in a submissive mood

Expressions researched:
"Knowledge is acquired by submission" |"This is the process, submissive" |"Vedic way of receiving knowledge—by aural reception, by submissive aural reception" |"gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive" |"process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear" |"process of knowledge, is received by submissive mood" |"process of receiving knowledge from the spiritual master entails submission" |"student must receive knowledge submissively"

SB Canto 4

As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the process of receiving knowledge from the spiritual master entails submission, inquiry and service.

SB 4.13.24, Purport:

Vidura accepted Maitreya as his spiritual master. A disciple always inquires from the spiritual master, and the spiritual master answers the question, provided the disciple is very gentle and devoted. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura said that by the mercy of the spiritual master one is blessed with the mercy of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master is not inclined to disclose all the secrets of transcendental science unless the disciple is very submissive and devoted. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the process of receiving knowledge from the spiritual master entails submission, inquiry and service.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This is the process, submissive. "The self-realized soul can impart knowledge."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

So inquire from him submissively. Where you cannot submit, if you think that "Oh, what is this spiritual master? I can challenge him," then there is no question of accepting as your spiritual master. You have to submit yourself, fully surrender yourself. You have to bow your head: "Yes. Here is my spiritual..." Just like Kṛṣṇa, er, Arjuna said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Arjuna in the beginning was speaking with Kṛṣṇa on friendly level, but at last, he submitted that "I am Your disciple. Please teach me." This is the process, submissively. "Inquire from him submissively." And what is that submission? "Render service unto him." Try to please him by satisfying him, by service. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, you singing. If he is pleased, then you know Kṛṣṇa is pleased. And if he is displeased, then there is no other way. This is the process, submissive. "The self-realized soul can impart knowledge."

So this knowledge, this process of knowledge, is received by submissive mood.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So we have to receive this knowledge submissively. The, Lord Brahmā recommends that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta eva. We must be submissive. The whole thing depends, spiritual knowledge...

tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham

(MU 1.2.12)

Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). So this knowledge, this process of knowledge, is received by submissive mood. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. One has to give up the false prestigious position that "I can understand God and everything by my speculative, experimental knowledge." This is called jñāne prayāsam. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. One should be submissive, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām, and try to hear the message of the Lord from san-mukharitām, sādhu, devotees, san-mukha..., not professional. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī has strictly forbidden: avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Avaiṣṇava, those who are not practically Vaiṣṇava, devotee, in practical life, professional person, there is no use. Avaiṣṇava. There must be heart and soul Vaiṣṇava. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, the words about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, certainly that is amṛtam. But still, it should not be heard from a person who is not a devotee.

God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Śruti-gatām: "Just try to understand through your ears by aural reception, aural reception." San-mukharitām, śruti-gatām. Śruti means this ear, reception through the ear. San-mukharitāṁ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Then just try to practice it in your practical life. Tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśaḥ ajita: "My dear Lord, You are unconquerable, but by this person, You become conquered, simply by hearing." It is such a nice process. God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive. And just try to hear from the right source, and try to appear, apply in your life. Then you become a conqueror of the Supreme.

Vedic way of receiving knowledge—by aural reception, by submissive aural reception from the spiritual master to the student. This is the way.

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

So ascending process is not recommended in the Vedic process of knowledge. Vedic way of receiving knowledge—by aural reception, by submissive aural reception from the spiritual master to the student. This is the way. It is coming. As we have read in the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2): "In this way, traditionally, from the spiritual master to the student, this knowledge was imparted." The Lord said that "I imparted this knowledge first of all to the sun-god, and the sun-god imparted this knowledge to his son, Manu, and Manu imparted this knowledge to his son, Ikṣvāku." Ikṣvāku was the king of this planet. So from Ikṣvāku, this knowledge is coming down from the master, or from the father to the son, or from the master to the disciple. It is coming on. And because that disciplic succession was broken, therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa said that "I am speaking again that old system of knowledge to you, Arjuna, because you are My devotee, you are My dear friend." We have already studied this fact. So this is the way.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So this is the process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear from him about transcendental knowledge.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

So this is the process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear from him about transcendental knowledge. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Don't try to receive spiritual knowledge or transcendental knowledge very cheaply. Although it is very easy, there is no difficulty, but the process must be known. Just like any machine—we have got experience—just like sometimes our typewriter machine or this dictaphone does not work. So if we go to the proper person, who knows the work, he immediately tightens one screw or changes something; it works. The process we must know. So if I go to a pān-wala for repairing my machine, that will be not good. He does not know the process. He may know to..., how to make pān, biḍi; but doesn't matter, he does not know how to repair a machine.

General Lectures

That is the relationship between teacher and the student. The student must receive knowledge submissively, not by challenge. Therefore, one has to select a teacher where one can submit.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

First of all, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were talking as friends. But when Arjuna saw it that friendly talking will not make any solution of the problem, so at that time, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, and that "I become Your disciple," śiṣyas te 'ham śādhi māṁ (tvāṁ) prapannam, "and I surrender unto You." That is the relationship between teacher and the student. The student must receive knowledge submissively, not by challenge. Therefore, one has to select a teacher where one can submit. That is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Teacher must be approached with submission. Tad viddhi praṇipātena. Praṇipāt means submission; and paripraśnena, then question; and sevayā, and service also. These three things are the basic principle of receiving knowledge. So submission means I must approach somebody who is actually in better position or higher position. Otherwise, what is the use of approaching? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. And sevā means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Therefore before selecting a teacher, you must decide whether you can submit there. If you cannot submit there, don't approach, don't waste time. So that is the process. And Arjuna submitted to Arjuna, uh, Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Knowledge cannot be acquired by challenge. Knowledge is acquired by submission. That is the process.

Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: This education has created this, this sort of morose...,

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: ...in the educational system...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (3): Inquiring of anything and every...

Prabhupāda: No, inquiring submissively. Not that challenging. If one challenges to inquire, he'll never be benefited.

Dr. Patel: That is how... Even we have seen inquiring so intelligently. That man was such a big mathematical genius... (break)

Prabhupāda: Knowledge cannot be acquired by challenge. Knowledge is acquired by submission. That is the process.

Dr. Patel: But I don't think I am challenging you.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why you are taking?

Dr. Patel: I am fixing the aruṇi (?) with another aruṇi. So you tell these boys I'm not challenging you.

Prabhupāda: No, no. I am talking of the process, not of you personally. Yes.

Dr. Patel: Otherwise these people will go away with an idea that I am here to challenge you.

Prabhupāda: No, no.