saḥ - he; vai - indeed; sat - sanctified; karmaṇām - of duties; sākṣāt - directly; dvi-jāteḥ - of one who has been twice born; iha - in this material life; sambhavaḥ - birth; ādyaḥ - first; aṅga - My dear friend; yatra - through whom; āśramiṇām - for the members of all the spiritual orders of society; yathā - as; aham - Myself; jñāna - of divine knowledge; daḥ - the bestower; guruḥ - spiritual master.

My dear friend, he who gives a person his physical birth is his first spiritual master, and he who initiates him as a twice-born brāhmaṇa and engages him in religious duties is indeed more directly his spiritual master. But the person who bestows transcendental knowledge upon the members of all the spiritual orders of society is one’s ultimate spiritual master. Indeed, he is as good as My own self.