We must start with obedience, because without obedience it is not possible to understand the guru’s instructions. The spiritual master expects the disciple to maintain an attitude of obedience. He doesn’t want the disciple to concoct his own set of instructions to follow. The spiritual master has already given the instruction. We may or may not understand the import of the instructions, but if we carry them out in pure faith, we can realize everything in Krishna consciousness. We exhibit our obedience by following the spiritual master’s instructions and rendering service. All other realizations come from that.
(Lecture SB 4.2.21, Moscow 10.27.1996)