Human Life

ye’bhyarthitām api ca no nṛ-gatiṁ prapannā

ye’bhyarthitām api ca no nṛ-gatiṁ prapannā
jñānaṁ ca tattva-viṣayaṁ saha-dharma yatra |
nārādhanaṁ bhagavato vitaranty amuṣya
sammohitā vitatayā bata māyayā te ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.15.24; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 108)

[Brahmā to Maitreya:] “Bata! (Alas!) Even those who have attained a human state [i.e., life] wherein jñāna (awareness) relating to Tattva along with dharma are present, which is sought by us [i.e., by Brahmā and the other devas], but do not offer worship to Bhagavān [i.e., he who is source of all dharma and all jñāna] are thoroughly bewildered by his all-pervading māyā.”

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svargāpavargayor dvāraṁ prāpya lokam imaṁ pumān

svargāpavargayor dvāraṁ prāpya lokam imaṁ pumān |
draviṇe ko’nuṣajjeta martyo’narthasya dhāmani ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.23)

“What mortal man, having attained this [human] body, which is the door to Svarga and liberation, would become attached to property, which is the dwelling place of detriment (anartha)?”

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nāyaṁ mārgo hi sādhūnāṁ hṛṣīkeśānuvartinām

nāyaṁ mārgo hi sādhūnāṁ hṛṣīkeśānuvartinām |
yad ātmānaṁ parāg gṛhya paśuvad bhūta-vaiśasam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.11.10)

“Identifying with the external self [i.e., the body] and killing other living beings is animal-like; it is not the path of the sādhus who follow Hṛṣīkeśa [i.e., the Master of the senses, Bhagavān].”

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ādityasya gatāgatair ahar ahaḥ saṁkṣīyate jīvitaṁ

ādityasya gatāgatair ahar ahaḥ saṁkṣīyate jīvitaṁ
vyāpārair bahu-kārya-bhāra-gurubhiḥ kālo’pi na jñāyate |
dṛṣṭvā janma-jarā-vipatti-maraṇaṁ trāsaś ca notpadyate
pītvā mohamayīṁ pramāda-madirām unmatta-bhūtaṁ jagat ||
(Vairāgya-śatakam: 43)

“With the rising and setting of the sun day by day, life is passing away. With affairs heavy with the burden of numerous tasks, the time is also unrecognized [as it passes away]. And [even] after having observed birth, old age, misfortune, and death [occurring all around], [still] fear is not arising [in the people’s mind]. Having drunk the intoxicating wine of remiss, the world has become mad.”

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anarghyāṇy api ratnāni labhyante vibhavaiḥ sukham

anarghyāṇy api ratnāni labhyante vibhavaiḥ sukham |
durlabho ratna-koṭyāpi kṣaṇo’pi hi gatāyuṣaḥ ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)

“Even invaluable jewels can be obtained easily with riches, but even one moment of life bygone is difficult to attain even with millions of jewels.”

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āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca

āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca
sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām |
dharmo hi teṣām adhiko viśeṣo
dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇam, 25)

“Eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating—these on the part of humans are common with animals. Dharma is their [i.e., humans’] greater, distinguishing quality. Those who are devoid of dharma are the same as animals.”

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sopāna-bhūtaṁ mokṣasya mānuṣyaṁ prāpya durlabham

sopāna-bhūtaṁ mokṣasya mānuṣyaṁ prāpya durlabham |
yas tārayati nātmānaṁ tasmāt pāpa-tarotra kaḥ ||
tataś cāpy uttamaṁ janma labdhvā cendriya-sauṣṭhavam |
na vettātma-hitaṁ yas tu sa bhavet ātma-ghātakaḥ ||
vinā dehena kasyāpi puruṣārtho na vidyate |
tasmād deha-dhanaṁ prāpya puṇya-karmāṇi sādhayet ||
rakṣet sarvātmanātmānam ātmā sarvasya bhājanam |
rakṣaṇe yatnam ātiṣṭhet yāvat tattvaṁ na paśyati ||
(Kulārṇava Tantra: Ullāsa 1, 16–19)

“So, who is a greater sinner in this world than one who receives this rare to attain human form which is the ladder to liberation but does not deliver oneself? Moreover, one who attains this topmost birth along with the excellence of its [i.e., human] senses but does not know one’s own good is a destroyer of one’s own self. Without a [human] body, no one’s puruṣārthas are attained. Therefore, having received the fortune of this body, one should perform auspicious acts. One should protect oneself in all respects, as the self [i.e., body] is the vessel for everything. One should take care in protecting [one’s body] until one sees the truth.”

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labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte

labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte
mānuṣyam arthadam anityam apīha dhīraḥ |
tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anumṛtyu yāvan
niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.9.29)

“Having attained after many births here [i.e., in this world of saṁsāra] this rare to attain human form, which is highly valuable but temporary, the wise should immediately endeavor for the highest good so long as the body has not fallen to its inevitable death; objects of the senses (viṣaya) [which are satisifying to the senses of one’s present body] can be had everywhere [i.e., in all forms of life into which one is perpetually born throughout the beginningless and endless course of saṁsāra].”

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api kriyārthaṁ sulabhaṁ samit-kuśaṁ

api kriyārthaṁ sulabhaṁ samit-kuśaṁ
jalāny api snāna-vidhi kṣamāṇi te |
api sva-śaktyā tapasi vartase
śarīram ādyaṁ khalu dharma-sādhanam ||
(Kumāra-sambhavam: 5.33; cited in Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2016)

[Śiva in the form of a young boy asks Pārvatī the following questions as she is performing ongoing penance to attain Śiva as her husband:] “Are samit and kuśa for your rites easy for you to obtain? Do you have suitable water for your regular baths? Are you engaging in austerities according to your ability? The body, indeed, is the primary means of [following] dharma.”

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