A spiritual master is not a fashion, that “Oh, I should have a spiritual master.” People after fashion. No. One must be very much inquisitive to know. What about, inquisitive? Uttamam. Sreya uttamam, what is the highest perfection of life. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, then he should search after a spiritual master.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.1-4 — 22 May, 1969