1330 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 31
PURPORT

When a conditioned soul is seriously anxious to get out of the influence
of the material clutches, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
situated within him as Paramatma, gives him this knowledge: “Surrender
unto Me.” As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita, ‘‘Give up all other engage-
ments. Just surrender unto Me.” It is to be accepted that the source of
knowledge is the Supreme Person. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita.
Mattah smrtir jiidnam apohanam ca. The Lord says, ‘““Through Me one gets
real knowledge and memory, and one also forgets through Me.” To one
who wants to be materially satisfied or who wants to lord it over material
nature, the Lord gives the opportunity to forget His service and engage in
the so-called happiness of material activities. Similarly, when one is
frustrated in lording it over material nature and is very serious
about getting out of this material entanglement, the Lord, from
within, gives him the knowledge that he has to surrender unto Him;
then there is liberation.

This knowledge cannot be imparted by anyone other than the Supreme
Lord or His representative. In the Caitanya-caritamrta Lord Caitanya in-
structs Ripa Gosvami that the living entities wander in life after life, under-
going the miserable conditions of material existence. But when one is very
anxious to get free from the material entanglement, then he gets enlighten-
ment through a spiritual master and Krsna. This means that Krsna as the
Supersoul is seated within the heart of the living entity, and when
the living entity is serious, the Lord directs him to take shelter
of His representative, a bona fide spiritual master. Directed from
within and guided externally by the spiritual master, one attains
the path of Krsna consciousness, which is the way out of the
material clutches.

Therefore there is no possibility of one’s being situated in his own
position unless he is blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Unless he is enlightened with the supreme knowledge, one has to undergo
the severe penalties of the hard struggle for existence in the material
nature. The spiritual master is therefore the mercy manifestation of the
Supreme Person. The conditioned soul has to take direct instruction from
the spiritual master, and thus he gradually becomes enlightened to
the path of Krsna consciousness. The seed of Krsna consciousness
is sown within the heart of the conditioned soul, and when one
hears instruction from the spiritual master, the seed fructifies, and
his life is blessed.
