वक्ता सरागो नीरागो द्विविधः परिकीर्तितः ।
सरागो लोलुपः कामी तदुक्तं हृन्न संस्पृशेत् ॥
उपदेशं करोत्येव न परीक्षां करोति च ।
अपरीक्ष्योपदिष्टं यल्लोकनाशाय तद्भवेत् ॥
vaktā sarāgo nīrāgo dvividhaḥ parikīrtitaḥ |
sarāgo lolupaḥ kāmī tad uktaṁ hṛn na saṁspṛśet ||
upadeśaṁ karoty eva na parīkṣāṁ karoti ca |
aparīkṣyopadiṣṭaṁ yal loka-nāśāya tad bhavet ||
(Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 203)
“A teacher is said to be of two types: [one] with attachment (rāga) and [one] without attachment. One with attachment is greedy and covetous. His words cannot touch the heart. He only gives teachings and does not conduct any examination. That which is taught without conducting any examination certainly leads to ruination of society.”
Commentary
The phrase “does not conduct any examination” (na parīkṣāṁ karoti) does not specify of whom any examination is made. One meaning can be taken that the teacher does not examine the eligibility of students and teach them accordingly. A second meaning can also be taken that the teacher does not examine within his own life the content which he teaches others, that is, he does not sincerely deliberate on, apply, and thereby ultimately experience and affirm the positive result of what he is teaching. The teaching of a teacher who neglects to conduct both of these types of examinations leads to disturbance in society.