SB 1.19.37 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 37
Atah prichhami sansiddhim yoginam paramam gurum Purusasya iha yat karyam mriyamnasya sarvatha.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Atah—therefore, Prichhami—beg to enquire, Samsiddhim—the way of perfection, Yoginam—of the saints, Paramam—the Suprrme, Gurum—the spiritual master, Purusasya—of a person, Iha—in this life, Yat—what ever, Karyam—duty, Mriyananasya—of one who is going to die.
TRANSLATION
"You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging to enquire from you thc way of perfection for all persons and specially for one who is just going to die.
PURPORT
Unless one is not perfectly anxious to enquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for the householders. Generally the fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The psuedo-spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple and thereby both the master and ward go to hell without any doubt. Maharaj Parikshit is the right type of disciple because he puts forward questions vital to the interest of all men generally and particularly for the dying men. The question put forward by Maharaj Parikshit is the basic principle of the complete thesis of 'Srimad Bhagwatam' and let us see how inteolligently the great master replies them one after another.