View source for Seva means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system

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{{terms|"sevā means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system"}}
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{{compiler|Nabakumar}}
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[[Category:Seva]]
[[Category:Meaning of Sanskrit Words]]
[[Category:Serving]]
[[Category:You Cannot]]
[[Category:Challenge]]
[[Category:Approach]]
[[Category:Such A]]
[[Category:Person]]
[[Category:Whose]]
[[Category:Instruction]]
[[Category:Shall]]
[[Category:Receiving]]
[[Category:You Can]]
[[Category:Submissive Inquiry]]
[[Category:That Is Not]]
[[Category:Not Allow]]
[[Category:Vedic System]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - NABAKUMAR]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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So submission means I must approach somebody who is actually in better position or higher position. Otherwise, what is the use of approaching? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. And sevā means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Therefore before selecting a teacher, you must decide whether you can submit there. If you cannot submit there, don't approach, don't waste time. So that is the process. And Arjuna submitted to Arjuna, er, Kṛṣṇa.
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[[Vanisource:730907 - Lecture BG 13.01 to Uppsala University Faculty - Stockholm|730907 - Lecture BG 13.01 to Uppsala University Faculty - Stockholm]]
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Those who have got this copy, it is page 619. Arjuna wanted to know prakṛti, the nature, the material nature, and puruṣa. Puruṣa means the enjoyer, the living entities. Here in this material world every living entity is trying to enjoy this material nature. Prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetram. Kṣetram means field of activity, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the field. Just like an agricultural field, the field is there and the cultivator is there. The cultivator knows that, "It is my field of activity." So he's to be supposed as kṣetra-jña, one who knows about his field of activities. Etad veditum icchāmi. Because Kṛṣṇa has been accepted as the teacher. First of all, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were talking as friends.

But when Arjuna saw it that friendly talking will not make any solution of the problem, so at that time, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa that, "I become Your disciple," śiṣyas te 'ham śādhi māṁ (tvāṁ) prapannam, "and I surrender unto You." That is the relationship between teacher and the student. The student must receive knowledge submissively, not by challenge. Therefore, one has to select a teacher where one can submit. That is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā ([[Vanisource:BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]]). Teacher must be approached with submission. Tad viddhi praṇipātena. Praṇipāt means submission; and paripraśnena, then question; and sevayā, and service also. These three things are the basic principle of receiving knowledge.

So submission means I must approach somebody who is actually in better position or higher position. Otherwise, what is the use of approaching? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. And sevā means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Therefore before selecting a teacher, you must decide whether you can submit there. If you cannot submit there, don't approach, don't waste time. So that is the process. And Arjuna submitted to Arjuna, er, Kṛṣṇa.

So there are many questions. Here is another question, "Kṛṣṇa, I want to know this material nature and the living entities who are trying to enjoy the resources of this material nature." This whole world, every living entity, even birds and beasts, they are also trying to lord it over the material nature, what to speak of human being. They are trying to overcome the stringent laws of material nature by so many scientific improvements, but still, they are under material nature. That is the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā ([[Vanisource:BG 7.14 (1972)|BG 7.14]]). This material nature is called māyā, energy. Actually, it is the energy, energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From Vedic literature we get information: God has got many potencies or energies.
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