106 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 7

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jidnarn
Jhaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire
from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized
soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”
(Bg. 4.34) One must approach a bona fide spiritual master by surrender-
ing himself (pranipatena) and rendering service. An intelligent person
must inquire from the spiritual master about the goal of life. A bona fide
spiritual master can answer all such questions because he has seen the
real truth. Even in ordinary activities, we first consider gain and loss,
and then we act. Similarly, an intelligent person must consider the entire
process of material existence and then act intelligently, following the
directions of the bona fide spiritual master.

TEXT 48

TANT BAA WT ACITVTT: |
waaenerate |e BCI

tasmad arthas ca kémés ca
dharmés ca yad-apésrayah

bhajatanihayatmanam
aniham harim isvaram

tasmat—therefore; arthah—ambitions for economic development;
ca—and; kimah—ambitions for satisfaction of the senses; ca—also;
dharméh—duties of religion; ca—and; yat—upon whom; apdsrayah—
dependent; bhajata—worship; anihaya—without desire for them;
atmanam—the Supersoul; anitham—indifferent; harim—the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; isvaram—the Lord.

TRANSLATION

The four principles of advancement in spiritual life—dharma,
artha, kama and moksa—all depend on the disposition of the
