Vedic literature emphasizes the need for a spiritual master. Nowadays, there are various scientific disciplines. These disciplines are mostly theoretical, so you can study them by reading hand-books. As soon as you come to practical disciplines, there should be some living mentor who teaches you. You cannot become a good surgeon without the guidance of a senior surgeon. Under personal guidance, it is much easier to get the samskaras, which are needed for any practical discipline.

For a theoretical discipline, you just need memory. When you do something practical, you can ask questions, confide in some problems and look for ways to fix them. The second way of learning is to observe the teacher, because by seeing how he acts, you can get a lot of information. The third way of learning is through the blessings of a teacher. A sadhu’s blessing means that he wishes you well and his wish is very powerful, because there is so much tapasya behind it. All of this highlights the need for a living guru.