If you want to understand the spiritual science, then you have to approach to a person where you can completely surrender yourself. Because everyone is proud, "Oh, who can teach me? Why shall I go to a spiritual master? I know everything." That is the general mentality. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā gives us direction that you should go to a person where you can fully surrender.
So you have to find out a bona fide spiritual master where you can surrender your pride. Then tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇiptena means surrender. Paripraśnena. If you find out such, if you are fortunate enough to find out some person where you can surrender, then you can put questions before him.
That Sanātana Gosvāmī is putting that, "What is my position? I think that I am very learned man, I am born of very aristocratic family and so on, so on, but actually, I do not know what I am, what is my position." This is paripraśna, inquiry. Surrender, inquiry and sevayā. That answer should be received in service mood.
So these are three formulas. Simple questions will not help us. The question should be put to a person where you have got full surrender and you have got the service mentality. You cannot ask spiritual master or any person whom you think is greater than you in a challenging spirit. Then you will be deceived. In a submissive way, of course, you have got right to place questions, and with service mood.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī is the vivid example of this disciplic succession. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). In the Vedas also the same injunction is there. Tad-vijṣānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12).