Text 39]
Further Inquiries by Vidura
297
PURPORT
The living entities are constitutionally servitors of the Lord, who can accept all kinds of services from everyone. It is clearly declared (Bg. 5.29) that the Lord is the supreme enjoyer of the benefits of all sacrifices and penances, the proprietor of all that is manifested and the friend of all living entities. That is His real identity. Therefore, when the living entity accepts this supreme proprietorship of the Lord and acts in that attitude, that is his real identity. In order to elevate the living entity to this standard of knowledge, there is the necessity of spiritual association. The bona fide spiritual master desires that his disciples know the process of rendering transcendental service to the Lord, and the disciples also know that they have to learn about the eternal relationship between God and the living entity from a self-realized soul. To disseminate transcendental knowledge one must retire from mundane activities on the strength of enlightenment in knowledge in terms of Vedic wisdom. That is the sum and substance of all the questions in this verse.
TEXT 39
निमित्तानि च तस्येह प्रोक्तान्यनध स्मरिभिः । स्वतो ज्ञानं कुतः पुंसां भक्तिवैराग्यमेव वा ॥३९॥
nimittāni ca tasyeha proktāny anagha sūribhiḥ svato jñānam kutaḥ puṁsām bhaktir vairāgyam eva vā
nimittāni —the source of knowledge;  ca —also;  tasya —of such knowledge;  iha —in this world;  proktāni —mentioned;  anagha —spotless;  sūribhiḥ —by devotees;  svataḥ —self-sufficient;  jñānam —knowledge;  kutaḥ —how;  puṁsām —of the living entity;  bhaktiḥ —devotional service;  vairāgyam —detachment;  eva —certainly;  ca —also.
TRANSLATION
Spotless devotees of the Lord have mentioned the source of such knowledge. How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such devotees?
PURPORT
There are many inexperienced persons who advocate self-realization without the help of a spiritual master. They decry the necessity of the