In the Bhagava . . . Arjuna also addresses Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam (BG 10.12): "You are the only puruṣa, śāśvata." So we are simply thinking of becoming puruṣa, enjoyer. But we are not puruṣa. We are all prakṛti. It is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, the jīva-bhūta: apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām (BG 7.5). Prakṛti, another prakṛti is there. "This material prakṛti," bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), "they are My bhinnā prakṛti," bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. "But besides that, there is another prakṛti." Prakṛti means . . . Who is that prakṛti? Jīva-bhūta, the living entities. The living entity's prakṛti. He is not puruṣa. Constitutionally, prakṛti means the things which are enjoyed. That is called prakṛti. And the enjoyer is called puruṣa. So nobody of us, either men or women, we are not puruṣa. We are all prakṛti constitutionally. That is called hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. When you live as prakṛti, not as puruṣa, that is called mukti. This is the definition of mukti. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). Every one of us, we are thinking as puruṣa, enjoyer. That is the fight between, going on. Just like in Western countries, the prakṛtis, the woman, they're also fighting: "We must have equal rights with the man." So this is going on.
So this is all conditional life, the so-called puruṣa life, or so-called prakṛti life. Unless we have got enlightenment, what is our real constitutional position, that we can learn only by the association of mahat, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ. That is the Vedic process, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We must take shelter. Kṛṣṇa also says that,
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Everywhere, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also the same thing is explained, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you are inquisitive to understand transcendental truth, the Absolute Truth, the guru is . . . To have a guru is not a fashion. Now it has become a fashion. If somebody shows some jugglery, people become very much anxious to accept such guru. No. Guru means tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Who requires a guru? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam. One who is very much anxious to know about the ultimate benefit of life, for him guru is required. Not a fashion. Just like we keep a dog as a fashion. Nowadays it is a fashion to keep a dog. So don't keep a guru like a dog. And who will hear you, "Come on. Come on." "Yes." Not like that. Guru require, then, where you can surrender. Not like a dog, but master, where you can surrender. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Prapadyeta means you must surrender.
And why you should surrender? Jijñāsu: if you are actually inquisitive, inquirer. What about? Śreya uttamam. Śreya means the ultimate benefit of life, and preya means immediate benefit of life. There are two things: śreya and preya. The human life is meant for sreya, and animal life is meant for preya, immediate benefit. That is called preya. And śreya means ultimate benefit of life. That one who is inquisitive to understand about the ultimate goal of life, for him there is need of guru, not a fashion. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Then what is that guru? That is also explained: śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Śābde means Vedic literature. Vedic . . . He has drowned himself, he has bathed himself in the ocean of Vedas. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Just like if you take bathing in a river, deep down you'll become refreshed. Similarly, one has to take śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And what is the symptom? How I shall know that he has taken bathing fully in the ocean of Veda? Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam: he has finished all desires for material happiness or distress. He is brāhmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has taken shelter of Brahman—the same thing, Para-brahman, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). One who has taken fully shelter under the lotus feet of Para-brahman, Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter of such a guru. Otherwise you'll not be able to get out of these clutches of māyā. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), every śāstra you go.