If you don't follow the king's instruction or government instruction, then there is police force, military force. That is śastra. And there is śāstra also. Śāstra means book, scripture, just like Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. So we must be ruled, either by śastra, śāstra or guru. Or becoming śiṣya. Therefore it is said, śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7): "I become voluntarily . . . I surrender unto You." "Now you become śiṣya. What is the proof that you have become My śiṣya?" Śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam: "Now I am fully surrendered." Prapannam.
So this knowledge required, how to find out real guru and how to surrender unto Him. The guru does not mean that I keep a guru, so, as order-supplier: "My dear guru, I am suffering from this. Can you give me some medicine?" "Yes, yes. Take this medicine." "Yes." Not that guru. If you are suffering from some disease, you go to a physician. It is not guru's business to give you some medicine. A guru's business is to give you Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāra (Bhajana-Lālasā, Song 7). A Vaiṣṇava is praying, guru: "Sir, you are devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You can give me Kṛṣṇa if you like." This is the position of śiṣya. Guru's business is how to give you Kṛṣṇa, not any material things. For material things, there are so many institution. But if you want Kṛṣṇa, then guru's required.
Who is . . . who requires a guru?
- tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta
- jijñāsu śreya uttamam
- śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ
- brahmaṇy upasamāśrayam
- (SB 11.3.21)
Who requires a guru? Guru is not a fashion, "Oh, I have got a guru. I shall make a guru." Guru means one who is serious. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. One has to seek out a guru. Why? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive of the Supreme. Not guru make a fashion, just like we keep a dog, fashion, similarly, we keep a guru. That is not guru dharma. "Guru will act according to my decision." Not like that. Guru means one who can give you Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra. Because Kṛṣṇa is guru. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ. If you want to search out . . . although Vedas means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). This is the instruction.
So if you independently wants to study Vedas, just, there is, there are some rascals . . . They say: "We understand only Vedas." What do you understand Veda? How you'll understand Veda? So Vedas says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You'll understand Vedas by taking one . . . purchasing one Vedas book, or taking it, you'll understand Vedas? The Veda is not so cheap thing. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can understand a Veda, what is Veda.
Therefore, it is restricted. Without becoming brāhmaṇa, nobody is allowed to study Vedas. It's all nonsense. What you'll understand about the Vedas? Therefore Vyāsadeva, after compiling the four Vedas, dividing the four Vedas, he made Mahābhārata. Because the Vedas, subject matter of Vedas, is so difficult. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25): for women, for śūdras, and for the dvija bandhu. They cannot understand what is Vedas. So all these rascal dvija-bandhus and śūdras, they want to study Vedas. No. That is not possible.
One has to become first of all situated in the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo damas titiksva ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma sva-bhāva . . . (BG 18.42). Then touch Veda. Otherwise, what you'll understand Vedas? Nonsense. Therefore, Vedas says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). You must approach a guru to understand Veda. And what is that Veda? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The Vedas means . . . to study Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him. This is Vedic knowledge.