Spiritual science does not depend on one’s academic education. You’ll be surprised to know that my grand-spiritual master, my spiritual master’s spiritual master, he was illiterate. And my spiritual master was the learned, greatest learned scholar of his age. Now, how he became the disciple of an illiterate man? So, but that Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja… His name was Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, my spiritual master’s spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master.
So he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of spiritual significance, he’ll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization. Now, how this realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by sincerity. If one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what is God, what is self, what is Superself, what is this world, what is spiritual world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not inquisitive. And one who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is directed, tasmad gurum prapadyeta: [SB 11.3.21] “One should surrender to a spiritual master.” Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh. Who will surrender? Who has become very inquisitive, “What is God?” Take for example, “What is God? What I am?” Now, unless one is very seriously inquisitive about this subject matter, there is no need of spiritual master. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh. Jijnasuh means very inquisitive. And what sort of jijnasuh, inquisitive? There must be some subject matter of inquiry. Just in the market place the businessmen, their inquiry, “What is the rate? What is the price of this thing?” He’s interested in purchasing and selling. The Bhagavata says, “Not that kind of inquisitiveness. Not for any material inquiry.” There is no need of asking about any material things which are hackneyed. Jijnasuh sreya. “What is my ultimate goal of life?” That inquiry. Now, everyone knows that “My ultimate goal of life is to accumulate a big bank balance.” Generally, we think like that. Or somebody thinks that “If I possess a big skyscraper house and several motorcars, that is ultimate goal of my life.” But Bhagavata says, “Not that kind of inquiries. You do not require to enquire about how to achieve a skyscraper house or several motorcars or very good apartment.” Just materialists, as they want. That you may enquire or not enquire. What is destined to you, it will come. It will come. The Bhagavata says that “Either you enquire…” You go to astrologer, “What is in my fate? Whether I am getting such and such things or not?” You enquire or not enquire, if you are destined to achieve that thing, it will come automatically. Everyone is bound up by the reaction of his past work.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.4
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, January 12, 1968
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