Verse 4.34

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.34:

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः ॥ ३४ ॥

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ || 34 ||

tat–this knowledge; viddhi–understand; praṇipātena–by offering prostrated obeisances (to the guru who gives instructions about transcendental knowledge); paripraśnena–by relevant inquiries on every aspect; sevayā–by rendering devotional service; upadekṣyanti–they will reveal; te–unto you; jñānam–that knowledge; jñāninaḥ–those in knowledge; tattva-darśinaḥ–who have seen the Absolute Truth.

Understand this transcendental knowledge by offering your prostrated obeisances to the spiritual master, who imparts such knowledge, by asking him relevant questions and by rendering service to him. Those who have direct perception of the Supreme Absolute Truth and who are well-versed in the imports of the scriptures can enlighten you by instructing you on this science.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

How can this knowledge be attained? Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with tad-viddhi to give this information. After offering prostrated obeisances unto a guru who gives instructions in transcendental knowledge, one should inquire as follows: “O Bhagavān [gurudeva is addressed as Bhagavān here because he is āśraya Bhagavān, the supreme receptacle of love for Bhagavān; the sad-guru, being sākṣāt-haritvena, has the qualities of Bhagavān] why am I in this material condition? How can I become free from it?” One must satisfy him by service and by attending to his personal needs (paricaryā).

It is also said in the scriptures:

tad-vijñānārthaṃ sa gurum evābhigacchet
samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṃ brahma-niṣṭham

Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12)

To acquire knowledge of Śrī Bhagavān, one should approach a guru who knows the real import of the Vedas by carrying the fuel wood of sublime faith as an offering to him.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Here, Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes knowledge of Bhagavān as extremely rare and difficult to understand. It can only be understood by the mercy of a perfected soul who is a tattva-jñānī, one who knows the Truth, and more specifically a tattva-darśī, one who has realized that Truth. Sincere and non-duplicitous practitioners (sādhakas) should inquire from such an exalted soul about this tattva and please him by offering prostrated obeisances, by asking relevant questions and by rendering service to him.

Praṇipātena means ‘to affectionately offer praṇāmas with either eight or five limbs of the body’. Praṇāma, or namaskāra, means ‘to give up one’s false ego and bow down’. Here sevā means ‘to render favourable service for the pleasure of the guru’. This verse describes two symptoms of a guru who bestows transcendental knowledge: he is both a jñānī and a tattva-darśī. One who has studied scripture and understood the knowledge in it is called a jñānī, while a tattva-darśī is a perfected soul who has direct realization of the Truth.

Some persons possess complete knowledge but do not have direct realization of tattva (philosophical truths) and of tat (the Absolute Truth, Śrī Bhagavān). The instructions of such unrealized persons cannot bear fruit. Only the instructions of an exalted, realized personality can do so. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.3.21) also says “tasmād guruṃ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ–to understand one’s highest welfare, an inquisitive sādhaka must seek the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide guru.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments on this verse as follows: “To know their supreme auspiciousness and eternal well-being, sādhakas should accept the shelter of a spiritual master who is expert in the imports of Vedic scriptures (śabda-brahma), who has realized Parabrahma, and who has no material attachments. If he is not expert in or knowledgeable of the imports of the Vedic scriptures, he will not be able to dispel the doubts of his disciples and they will lose faith in him. If a guru has no direct realization of Parabrahma (Bhagavān), his mercy does not fructify to the fullest extent, nor yield the highest result. Here the word upasamāśraya (11.3.21) refers to the guru who is endowed with realization of the Absolute. This means that he does not fall under the sway of lust, anger, greed, etc., because he has no material attachments.”

This is further clarified in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.11.18):

śabda-brahmaṇi niṣṇāto na niṣṇāyāt pare yadi
śramas tasya śrama-phalo hy adhenum iva rakṣataḥ

Taking shelter of a guru who is expert in knowledge of the Vedic scriptures but who is bereft of Parambrahma realization is like keeping a barren cow. It is useless labour because one does not achieve any transcendental result.

Bhagavad-gītā states that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Transcendental Reality. There are those who say that the word tat in this verse refers to the jīvātmā, but such understanding is completely incorrect because it contradicts the next verse. Vedānta-darśana also states “anyārthaś ca parāmarśaḥ–one reflects on the jīva for the sake of understanding the Paramātmā” (Brahma-sūtra 1.3.20). This sūtra confirms that the word tat refers to knowledge of the Supersoul, or Paramātmā.