So śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. He got salvation simply by hearing about the glories of the Lord, or activities of the Lord, which is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. And Vaiyāsaki—Vaiyāsaki's name is mentioned here: vaiyāsakir ātma-vidyā; Vaiyāsaki means Śukadeva Gosvāmī—he simply went on narrating. In the middle, there were some questions, intelligent questions, by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Question is also required. If you simply hear, do not understand, just like dumb stone, that's not good. You should hear attentively, and as soon as there is some difficulty, you should question.
Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that you should understand. First of all surrender, praṇipāta. Tad viddhi praṇipātena. Praṇipātena means you must find out an able teacher, where you can surrender. So nobody wants to surrender, but if he sees that there is a greater personality than him, he surrenders. That is nature. So this praṇipāta word means that you should not go for understanding Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata to a store-keeper. You should go to a person where you can surrender. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). And paripraśnena, and inquiry.
And sevayā. You should not take . . . you should not inquire gratis; you must give service. Just like if you purchase something, you must pay for it. Therefore it is called sevayā. You cannot pay by returning the value which is taught by the spiritual master. That is not possible. Therefore it is called seva. Dedicate your life for his service. You cannot pay. What you have got to pay to a spiritual master?