The Standard to Measure Human Life

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All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

 

The Standard to Measure Human Life

 

by Sripad Bhakti Madhava Puri Maharaj,

New Jersey, USA

for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Kolerganj, Nabadwip.

 

 

Everything has its standard, by which it is to be

measured. If you want to measure space or distance, a

standard unit of measure is required. But what is that

standard? And by what unit can that standard be measured?

Of course, the standard itself cannot be measured

by any other unit or that would become the standard. So

the standard must be absolute. It cannot be measured by

anything else — rather everything is measured by it. This

is the nature of the Absolute — God, the Ideal, against

which all Reality is measured.

 

It is in that existence, which is measured by that Ideal,

that Reality is to be found. And where do we find such

an existence? It cannot be found in any natural thing, or

ordinary person. It is only in the personality of the

Vaisnava, whose life, movement and being is measured

by that standard. Such a Vaisnava is the standard by

which all human life is to be measured.

 

But modern society does not know this standard, and

therefore there is so much fighting and bewilderment.

They have standards for everything else — a standard

for the dollar, a standard for measuring space, weight,

time, etc., but where is the standard by which we are to

measure human life? That is given by the Vaisnava.

His behaviour, his life, his characteristics — Vaisnavata

— that is the standard for everyone.

 

Once this is realised, then one must know where to

look for such a standard bearer — a Vaisnava. By his/her

standard we can measure the quality of our own lives.

We feel we have found such standard in the followers of

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, like Srila Bhaktivedanta

Swami Maharaj Prabhupada and Srila Bhakti Sundar

Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj who are in the line

coming from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, and Srila Bhakti

Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj, the Founder-Acharya of Sri

Chaitanya Saraswat Math, better expresses his own qualifications

than we could in this regard:

"The nature of my expressions, of my presentation —

that was appreciated by my Guru Maharaj (Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur), and also mostly by

all the scholars in our Math, because it is an ontological

conception based on pure chit-vilasa. That is, whatever I

see — I have in view, that it must cross the level of

Brahmaloka — not of this world, but of other world: chitvilasa.

That what the smallest thing that we mention

here, every word, every syllable that I give out, it is from

the plane of visuddha-sattva. That is the special characteristic

of my sayings. So, our so many stalwart

Acharyyas, they appreciate my talks very much. They say

it is ever new — not a stereotyped thing. Whenever I

give explanation to a particular sloka, every time some

new thing is coming, not any time any mere repetition.

Whatever I say must have some touch with the infinite

— that is the peculiarity. So, to increase the faith —

sraddha — the basis, always of that, so that the foundation,

the faith, that will be more consolidated. In this

way I am not partial or inimical to any person — not an

enemy to anyone. In a general way, not referring to any

particular section, in a most generalised way, I deal with

things."

 

And what is the standard of the Absolute Person, by

which the person of the Vaisnava is measured? Here

again, in the words of Srila Sridhar Maharaj we find this

most perfectly expressed:

"Only the full-fledged conception will be able to give full

engagement of our inner tendency. It will provide the

corresponding fare according to the need within us —

our heart. All rasa, all forms of ecstatic enjoyment must

be within Him — the Centre. The creation is not a very

important function, but the corresponding engagement

with the natural thirst of every atom is the highest. He is

the highest principle who can adjust everything in Him,

where all sorts of innate hankerings must be satisfied.

That Centre should be perfect and the highest — Who

will be able to give satisfaction to all sorts of subtle

demands within our nature. All corresponding relationships

in every variegated way — all aspirations are

accommodated there. That should be the prime cause.

Reality is for itself — everything is for Him. It must have

some utility in Him. He is the all accommodating, all

pervading, all comprehensive, all fulfilling Centre. This

should be the qualification of the Absolute standard."

 

We invite you to enquire further, read further, associate

further — and thus nourish your soul for the joyful goal

of human life: a life of love with the Lord of the heart,

through the Search for Sri Krishna, Reality the Beautiful.

 

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math,

Kolerganj, P.O. Nabadwip,

District Nadia, West Bengal,

Pin 741302, India

Tel: (03472) 240086