One has to become Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means one who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna. He said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3): "Because you are My bhakta, therefore I am talking to you." So guru means a Vaiṣṇava. He must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, Supreme Guru. He is the first Guru. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Kṛṣṇa imparted knowledge to the original person, Brahmā. You may inquire that "Brahmā is the original person. There was nobody present. Then who became his guru?" No. That is explained: tene brahma hṛdā, "From through the heart." Kṛṣṇa, or God, is situated in everyone's heart. As you become purified, He speaks. He speaks always, but in our impure condition, we cannot hear. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā it is said also:
- sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
- mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
- vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
- Vedānta-kṛd Vedānta-vid ca aham
- (BG 15.15)
So as Paramātmā, Supersoul, Kṛṣṇa is always prepared, ready to help every one of us, but provided we take His advice, take His instruction. He says in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
- bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
- buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ
- yena mām upayānti te
- (BG 10.10)
Those who are satata-yuktānām, means twenty-four hours engaged . . . teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatām. In which business engagement? Bhajatām, in the devotional service. Such person, bhajatām. What kind of bhajatām? Prīti-pūrvakam: with love and affection. Such person, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. So what kind of buddhi-yogam? This tattva-jijñāsā, yena mām upayānti te. "This such instruction by which one can approach Me, one can understand Me," upayānti. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).
So here also it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. So if we want to know the tattva, the Absolute Truth, then we have to go through the process. That process is simply to engage oneself in the loving service of the Lord. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt senses, materially blunt . . . just like with blunt instrument you cannot take any benefit—it must be sharpened—similarly these senses, you utilize these senses to understand the Absolute Truth, but it must be purified, sharpened. Just like a knife: when it is sharpened, it cuts very nicely; if it is blunt, it does not. But you can use the same very knife. So you can use these very eyes. Now you cannot see God, or Kṛṣṇa. But if you purify these eyes, if you purify the senses, you can see God, you can talk with God, you can serve God, everything. That is possible. That is bhakti.
Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). We have to purify the senses. Now I am thinking, "This hand is my hand" or "This hand is my society's hand," "my family's hand" or "my nation's hand," "my community's hand." Upādhi, designation. But actually, this hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and therefore this hand should be used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, not for anything else. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. Purify. Actually that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Hṛṣīkeśa. When these senses are purified, then with that purified senses, hṛṣīkeṇa—hṛṣīkeṇa means senses, by these senses—hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). This is bhakti.
So tattva-jijñāsā. Everyone should be inquisitive to inquire about the value of life, not like cats and dogs, no inquiry, simply . . . we go, walk, walking in the morning. We see so many nice bungalows—they are sleeping, as if the sleeping will save him. No. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna (Hitopadeśa 25), these four things, they are thinking that these four things will save him. No. Now you are situated in a very nice bungalow, very good income, very good wife and children. But any moment you can be kicked out of this situation, and you have to accept another body which is not very comfortable. This is nature's law. This is tattva-jijñāsā. If we simply foolishly think, "Now I am very secure," that is God, dog . . . (break) . . . Vṛndāvana, They were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. But when they lived in Vṛndāvana, about their life it is stated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. These things, nidrā, āhāra, vihāra. Nidrā means sleeping, āhāra means eating and vihāra means sense gratification. So nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, conquered. Conquer. We have to conquer. This is called jitendriya.