Prabhupāda: Śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati. Don't try to make very good advance by manufacturing your own way. Simply, śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati. That is first-class. That is Vedic instruction. Vede gāy jāṅhāra carito. The Vedas says,
- yasya deve parā bhaktir
- yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
- prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- (ŚU 6.23)
To understand Vedic literature means one must have firm faith in Kṛṣṇa and firm faith in guru. Not that "My guru is not so learned, so let me capture Kṛṣṇa directly." That is useless. That is useless. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). One can get the seed of the plant or creeper of bhakti, how? Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, not that kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. First guru-kṛpā, then kṛṣṇa-kṛpā.
So this brāhmaṇa attracted the attention of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was illiterate, and he could not read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing: guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya. He took guru's order very seriously, that "My Guru Mahārāja has ordered me, and I must carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see. That's all." So he was doing that.
So others criticized him that "This man is illiterate. What he is reading?" But Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not criticize. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Oh, what you are reading, My dear brāhmaṇa?" So he explained, that "This gentleman has not come to criticize me." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew that "He is a perfect knower of Bhagavad-gītā." Still, He inquired, "Well, if you are not reading, then how you are crying? I see there are tears in your eyes. What is the meaning?" Then he admitted, "Yes, sir. Yes. That is." "Why you are crying?" "No, as soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand a picture comes before me, that Arjuna is sitting on the chariot ordering Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is carrying out his order and driving the chariot. So that makes me amazed. Therefore I am crying, that 'How Kṛṣṇa is merciful, that He accepted a menial service for His devotee. He is so kind.' " Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him: "Yes, brāhmaṇa, your reading of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect."
So it doesn't matter whether one is illiterate or literate. Everyone has got these ears. So we should hear from the realized person, guru-vaiṣṇava, not professional, no. That will not help us.
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Tattva-darśinaḥ. Tattva-darśinaḥ means one has seen the truth, not superficially knowing. One who understood that "This is the truth, so go there and submit there." Praṇipātena. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipātena. Fully surrender there and then question, then try to inquire if you cannot understand. First of all, first business is praṇipāta: "Sir, I surrender unto you." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Arjuna also did so. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we are talking like friends. This will not solve the problem. Therefore I am submitting unto You as Your disciple." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam. "I surrender unto You. Now You can teach me." Because as soon as you accept guru, you have to hear him, surrender, full surrender. You cannot unnecessarily argue. Of course, if there is any doubt, you can question submissively. But not that "I shall test my guru, how he is learned." That will not help. One must surrender.