Sthāne sthitāḥ means the varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization; that is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthāne sthitāḥ means to remain in these regulative principles of varṇāśrama. That is called sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your position. It doesn't require you have to change. It is not that a śūdra, without becoming a brāhmaṇa . . . of course, he will become brāhmaṇa—by hearing. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. If he hears, even a śūdra, he can understand what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa. So this is required. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. With great attention, body, mind and words, intelligence—with everything—one must hear.
So here we see, viduram prītaḥ. Vidura was hearing from Maitreya Ṛṣi, and Maitreya Ṛṣi was very much pleased. Prīta. Unless you satisfy your teacher, or guru, very nicely, you cannot get the right knowledge. That is natural. If you receive your guru, give him very nice place he can sit comfortably, and he's pleased with your behavior, then he can speak very frankly and very freely, which will be very much beneficial for you. Therefore this word is . . . he was talking. He was preaching. He was giving instruction to Vidura, being pleased, prīta. Maitreya Ṛṣi was very much pleased. That is also recommended in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, tad viddhi praṇipātena. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Simply going and asking the spiritual master or guru, and not to accept his instruction, then don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. In a challenging spirit, if you go to a spiritual master without any service, sevayā, and praṇipātena . . . praṇipātena . . . prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. Nipāta means fall down, and pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpa, sufficiently; no reservation. This knowledge, the transcendental knowledge, is based on this praṇipāta. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "You just surrender unto Me." And similarly, we have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa or His representative.