"There are Lakhs and Lakhs of persons who are Gurus in name only. All those in gerua are now 'Gurus;' even those who smoke Ganja are 'Gurus;' all those who indulge in discourses are 'Gurus;' all who write books are 'Gurus'! Wandering over the country and learning to argue, no one can claim the name. He should possess the power through direct experience to uplift the disciple and put him on the track of Sadhana prescribed by Sastras. Of what use is argumentative skill? Whatever is said and done by him must have the sanction of the Sastras. Spouting of things imbibed from books in long speeches which move the listeners from one wave of excitement to another does not make a Guru. They may be heroes in lecturing; but they are zeros in Sadhana and in the mystery of the spiritual field. They can be schoolmasters, but they cannot confer Bhakthi or point out the way of liberation. These 'Gurus' attain only that stage and the Sishyas who resort to them get just that. They have as much value as the books which contain all the matter that they pour forth. Many unwary Sadhakas are attracted by the magic of words and the verbal gymnastics of such showy 'Gurus'. They may be called Pundits; they may give lectures; but, just because of this, they do not become entitled to grant the boon of Jnana. That can be done only by Avatharas, Devamsa-sambhuthas, and Thatwavids who have realised the absolute. (The Lord come in human form, persons who represent divine attributes and glory, and Jnanis who have attained the summum bonum of spiritual Sadhana and tasted the supreme bliss.) It is no use claiming a fraction of this or that experience. The experience must be of the full and itself full. Those who know only a fraction will take you up to a certain point and leave you there, in the middle region, like Thrisanku, who was hung between heaven and earth."

"The Guru must study the virtues and qualities of the aspirant who seeks his guidance; he must not be moved or prejudiced by his wealth, status, or position. He must be able to judge the aspirant's heart, his real nature. The Guru must act as the alarm-clock to the disciples who are caught in the sleep of A-jnan. If the Guru is a miser and the disciple is a sloth, woe be to both."

Thus, Krishna taught Arjuna very clearly the qualifications of both the Guru and the Sishya: their conduct, scholarship, virtues and weaknesses, activities and characteristics. These valuable gems of advice were addressed not only to Arjuna, but to the whole world. All who seek to become either Gurus or Sishyas must pay attention to these precious words.