श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थार्यमुखनिःसृतम्

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukha nihsR^itaM

श्रवणं दृष्टतत्वस्य मननं ध्यानमेव च ।

विशेषानन्दसम्प्राप्त्यै अन्यस्यैतानि दृष्टये ।।

shravaNaM dR^iShTatattvasya mananaM dhyAnameva ca .

visheShAnandasamprAptyai anyasyetAni dR^iShTaye |

Purport:

Some say - It is not correct to say that Devatas continue their studies even today. For, it is said that the process of shravaNa, manana etc is for the realization of the Brahman. Devatas are those people who have already realized Brahman. As it is said - 'naiva devapadaM prAptA brahmadarshanavarjitAH' - no one who has qualified to become a devata is bereft of the knowledge of the Brahman. So, there is no purpose for taking up further studies for Devatas. To this the answer is - We agree that Devatas are qualified souls who have already realized Brahman. Then why do they continue their studies even after realization? The devatas continue their study because study undertaken even after realizing Brahman would bring them special bliss in the state of liberation. They do this out of their own will and not under any compulsion. For those people, who have not yet realized Brahman, the study of scriptures is compulsory to get the realization of Brahman. 

श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थार्यमुखनिःसृतम्

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukha nihsR^itaM

यदि तादृग् गुरुर्नास्ति निर्णीतश्रवणादिकम् ।

तत्सिद्धान्तानुसारेण निर्णयज्ञात् समाचरेत् ।।

yaditAdR^iggururnAsti nirNItashravaNAdikam.h|

tatsiddhantAnusAreNa nirNayaj~nAtsamAcharet.h ||

Purport:

One may argue - "It is not correct to say that one should undertake the study of scriptures from an all-knowing guru who knows the eligibility of the disciple, for, such guru's are very difficult to find. And even if such a guru is found, he is found by only those who have undertaken the study of scriptures for a long period of time and obtained the necessary qualification to meet such great gurus. So, to listen from the guru we need eligibility. We gain eligibility only by studying at the feet of the guru. This amounts to a mutual interdependency making it impossible for any person to get taught by such gurus". To this argument we reply - even when the main guru is unavailable due to the above said reasons, one should keep up the study of scriptures from other lesser gurus available to him.

There are two kinds of scriptures available to us. 1. One whose meaning is fixed such as the Brahma Sutras. 2. One whose meaning needs to be fixed such as the Vedas.  Even though the other lesser guru is unable to discourse the most difficult aspects that are in the Vedas whose meaning he might not be capable of fixing, he can teach those scriptures whose meaning is already fixed by all-knowledgeable gurus. Thus one can learn from such lesser gurus till the time they gain the eligibility to listen from the main guru. Therefore there is no question of mutual interdependency.

श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थार्यमुखनिःसृतम्

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukha nihsR^itaM

श्रवणादि विना नैव क्षणं तिष्ठेदपि क्वचित् ।

अत्यशक्ये तु निद्रादौ पुनरेव समभ्यसेत् ।। 

shravaNAdi vinA naiva kshaNaM tiShThedapi kvacit.h |

atyashakye tu nidrAdau punareva samabhyaset.h |

Purport:

One may question thus - "If an all-knowing Guru is not available, then is it not futile to take up the study of scriptures. Why should one go to a lesser Guru? The eligibility to see the all-knowing Guru can be obtained by undertaking pious deeds".

To this the answer is - Our scriptures say that 'One should not discontinue reading the scriptures even for a second, taking break only to get some unavoidable sleep and performing other most essential daily tasks'. So, it is not fair to avoid the study just because the all-knowing guru is not available. One doesn't want to loose the principal amount itself, just because there is no gain in terms of interest. Similarly, study is a compulsory activity. If the main Guru is not available, one should not stop the study itself, thereby losing all possible chances of having the realization of Brahman. Performing pious deeds alone cannot make one eligible to meet the all-knowing Guru. One has to study at the feet of a lesser Guru, and acquire the eligibility to meet the all-knowing Guru and thus make oneself eligible for realizing the Brahman.

श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थार्यमुखनिःसृतम्

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukha nihsR^itaM

अभावे निर्णयज्ञस्य सच्छास्त्राण्येव सर्वदा श्रुणुयात् ।

यदि सज्ज्ञानप्राचुर्यमुपलभ्यते ।। 

abhAve nirNayaj~nasya sacChAstrANyeva sarvadA shruNuyAt.h |

yadi sajj~nAnaprAcuryamupalabhyate |

Purport:

What would one do if there is no guru around who knows the correct purport of the scriptures? To understand the correct purport of the scriptures, one needs to listen from an all-knowing Guru. In the absence of such a Guru what should one do? Is it proper to stop the study because such all-knowing Guru is not available?

The scriptures say that not even a second should go without study. At the same time the study should only happen from al all-knowing Sarvajna Guru. Analizing the above two statements it is being concluded that one can even listen to a Guru who is not all-knowing (Sarvajna) instead of stopping the study because of the absence of an all-knowing Guru. But such a study is allowed with a few conditions.

1. The Guru from whom one decides to study should be a Nirnayajna. That is he should have a firm knowledge of the Nirnaya (Conclusions) of the Shastra.
2. From such Nirnayajna Guru, one can listen to only Sacchastra (Those shastras whose puport is well ascertained as to be authentic) 

But what to do even if such a Nirnayajna is not available?

If both types of Guru's are not available, then one can listen to the right scriptures from any one who has superior knowledge than oneself. Listening to someone who has inferior knowledge about scriptures than oneself is to be avoided as it would not be fruitful.