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.
- 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.
- 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.