250 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 15
material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” This is the
highest perfection of life, and the human body is meant for this purpose.
It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.17):
nr-deham ddyam sulabham sudurlabham
plavam sukalpam guru-kamadhaéram
maydnukilena nabhasvateritam
puman bhavabdhim na taret sa dtma-ha
This human form of body is a most valuable boat, and the spiritual
master is the captain, guru-karnadhdram, to guide the boat in plying
across the ocean of nescience. The instruction of Krsna is a favorable
breeze. One must use all these facilities to cross over the ocean of ne-
science. Since the spiritual master is the captain, one must serve the
spiritual master very sincerely so that by his mercy one will be able to get
the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

A significant word here is acyuta-balah. The spiritual master is cer-
tainly very merciful to his disciples, and consequently by satisfying him
a devotee gets strength from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, guru-krsna-prasdde paya bhakti-
lata-bija: one must first please the spiritual master, and then one auto-
matically pleases Krsna and gets the strength with which to cross the
ocean of nescience. If one seriously desires to return home, back to God-
head, one must therefore become strong enough by pleasing the spiritual
master, for thus one gets the weapon with which to conquer the enemy,
and one also gets the grace of Krsna. Simply getting the weapon of jndna
is insufficient. One must sharpen the weapon by serving the spiritual
master and adhering to his instructions. Then the candidate will get the
mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In general warfare one
must take help from his chariot and horses in order to conquer his
enemy, and after conquering his enemies he may give up the chariot and
its paraphernalia. Similarly, as long as one has a human body, one should
fully use it to obtain the highest perfection of life, namely going back
home, back to Godhead.

The perfection of knowledge is certainly to become transcendentally
situated (brahma-bhita). As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.54):
