Choosing a Spiritual Master 77
tuirnam yateta na pated anumrtyu yavan
nihSreyasaya visayah khalu sarvatah syat
“This human form of life is obtained after many, many births, and
although it is not permanent, it can offer the highest benefits. Therefore a
sober and intelligent man should immediately try to fulfill his mission
and attain the highest profit in life before another death occurs. He
should avoid sense gratification, which is available in all circumstances.”

Let us not misuse this human life in the vain pursuit of material enjoy-
ment, or, in other words, for the sake of only eating, sleeping, fearing,
and sensuous activities. The Acdryadeva’s message is conveyed by the
words of Sri Rapa Goswami [Bhakti-rasdmrta-sindhu 1.2.255, 256]:

anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
yuktam vairdgyam ucyate
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate
“One is said to be situated in the fully renounced order of life if he lives
mM accordance with Krsna consciousness. He should be without attach-
ment for sense gratification and should accept only what is necessary for
the upkeep of the body. On the other hand, one who renounces things
which could be used in the service of Krsna, under the pretext that such
dings are material, does not practice complete renunciation.”

The purport of these slokascan only be realized by fully developing the
ra&éonal portion of our life, not the animal portion. Sitting at the feet of
the Acaryadeva, let us try to understand from this transcendental source
of knowledge what we are, what is this universe, what is God, and what is
our relationship with Him. The message of Lord Caitanya is the message
for the living entities and the message of the living world. Lord Caitanya
did not bother Himself for the upliftment of this dead world, which is
suitably named Martyaloka, the world where everything is destined to
die. He appeared before us four hundred fifty years ago to tell us some-
thing of the transcendental universe, where everything is permanent and
