tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 4.34)
“You must learn the Truth by fully surrendering, honestly enquiring, and sincerely serving. Sri Guru, who both knows and sees the Truth, will impart the Truth to you.”
In this verse the requisites of both a guru and a disciple are explained. A disciple must (1) surrender, (2) enquire honestly, and (3) serve Sri Guru. A guru must (1) know the scriptures and (2) directly experience the Supreme.
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva‑pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śuchaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 18.66)
“Abandon all forms of religion and surrender exclusively unto Me. I will liberate you from all sin. Do not despair.”
daivī hy eṣā guṇa‑mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 7.14)
“My alluring, trimodal maya is insurmountable. Only those who surrender unto Me (her master) can transcend maya.”
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante taṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 4.11)
“As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. All people follow My path in all respects.”
“Howsoever one surrenders unto Me, I am accordingly obtainable to them. All people follow My various paths, oh Arjun.”
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 3.9)
“All actions, other than those performed for the sake of the Supreme Lord, cause one to be bound by their reactions. Therefore, oh Arjun, one should perform all their actions for the sake of the Supreme Lord, being free from desire for the fruits of of one’s action.”
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo muchyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pachanty ātma-kāraṇāt
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 3.13)
“Sadhus who subsist upon the sacrificial remnants are freed from all sin. However, persons who cook solely for themselves partake of sin alone.”
ananyāś chintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga‑kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 9.22)
“I supply and protect the necessities of those who meditate on Me exclusively, serve Me in all respects and are always devoted to Me.”
api chet sudurāchāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 9.30)
“If even an extremely misbehaved person serves Me with devotion exclusively, they must be regarded as a sadhu because their resolve is perfect (and they will become virtuous quickly (kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā)).”