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.