We have been given this human life to understand the all-pervading, omnipresent God. This knowledge can only be given by someone who has themselves realized God. Life becomes truly happy only after meeting such a God-realized person.
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Human Birth
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Or else such a person is born into a family of wise yogis; but a birth like this is very hard to obtain in this world.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् | एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ||६-४२||
In this fire the gods offer semen. From that offering the embryo is born.
तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवा रेतो जुह्वति तस्या आहुतेर्गर्भः संभवति
How much more, then, the holy brahmins and the devoted royal sages! Having come to this impermanent and joyless world, devote yourself to me.
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा | अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ||९-३३||
When a child is born, there is no symbol to indicate that it belongs to a particular religion or caste. The distinction of man is only that he is man. It is the same divine light that dwells in every human being. It is therefore essential that after taking birth as a human being one must behave like a human being.
Human life has been determined and treated as superior to all others. Then, its objective, its purpose should also be the noblest. His importance is there only when he establishes his relationship with God. This is what has been accepted as the real aim of human life.
Just as 'I' is not the house, similarly, 'I' is not the body even. 'I' is in fact a spirit originating and flowing from God, a ramification of the divine entity. The value of human life or importance of the human body comes from the very realisation of this fact.
Thus it is that at the fifth offering the waters come to have a human voice. This embryo, wrapped in the membrane, having lain within for nine or ten months or so, is then born.
इति तु पञ्चम्यामाहुतावापः पुरुषवचसो भवन्तीति स उल्बावृतो गर्भो दश वा नव वा मासानन्तः शयित्वा यावद्वाथ जायते
He brought a man for them. They said: 'Ah, well made!'—for the man indeed is 'well made.' He said to them: 'Enter, each into your respective abode.'
ताभ्यः पुरुषमानयत्ता अब्रुवन् सुकृतं बतेति पुरुषो वाव सुकृतम् । ता अब्रवीद्यथायतनं प्रविशतेति ॥ ३॥
Om. In a man this (self) first comes to be an embryo—that which is the seed. This, which is the vigor gathered from all the limbs, he bears as a self within his own self. When he pours it into a woman, then he brings it to birth. That is its first birth.
ॐ पुरुषे ह वा अयमादितो गर्भो भवति यदेतद्रेतः ।तदेतत्सर्वेभ्योऽङ्गेभ्यस्तेजः संभूतमात्मन्येवऽऽत्मानं बिभर्ति तद्यदा स्त्रियां सिञ्चत्यथैनज्जनयति तदस्य प्रथमं जन्म ॥ १॥
O human, the opportunity is still there. Nothing is yet ruined. Do not sit in despair thinking that perhaps this is no longer possible. O human, your union with the Lord is possible. Do not waste this birth in vain.
The great souls have spoken of only one thing: O human being, you must forge your bond with this Supreme Lord and become a true human being. If a lack of greatness is seen anywhere today, it is because of the absence of these very sentiments.
Do not throw away this priceless human birth in vain. Do not let it slip from your hands; it will not come into your hands again and again. You have been given the chance of your own deliverance, so seek it out. Grant your soul, caught in the cycle of birth and death, a resting place, a refuge. Let your soul attain awareness of the Formless Supreme, so that it may be freed from the bondage of birth and death.
When a child is born there is no mark upon it to declare that it belongs to a certain religion or caste. Yes, birds and beasts may have species — our eyes can recognise that this is a cow, a goat, a camel or an elephant — but the identity of a human being is only human. For this reason man is held to be great. In every human being dwells this one Light, the divine essence. Therefore, having attained a human birth, one should also perform deeds worthy of a human being.
This human life is the highest of all lives. Those who pass this life in a spirit of dedication and serve everyone - they alone attain the immortal rank.
This human birth has come to us after a very long journey. To squander it in vain is a great sin. To attain this great form of life again is very difficult. Therefore, in this very life one should come to know the one Lord, the Bestower, and then through devotion to Him make this birth fruitful.
Take for example a vessel which contains valuable articles. The vessel also becomes precious and is kept with lot of care; but nobody cares for a dustbin. Similarly, this human body has no value if man does not realise God.
For them he brought a cow. They said: 'This is not enough for us.' For them he brought a horse. They said: 'This too is not enough for us.'
ताभ्यो गामानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति । ताभ्योऽश्वमानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति ॥ २॥
The son asks his father, 'What should a wise person do, knowing that human life is short? Please tell me, so I can follow your instructions and acquire virtue.'
I am death, the destroyer of the worlds. I have grown to full stature and am now engaged in destroying human life. Without you, all these warriors will cease to exist.