Human Life

Human birth is some sort of a special opportunity to get free from birth and death. Only on earth may an escape from birth and death take place. In no other plane or region throughout the indescribable vastness of the universe does this opportunity exist. It is unique and is limited to the earth. All life may aspire for human birth. But only through human birth may God be realized. To waste time is the greatest folly. Now and here is the individual. Now and here is the opportunity to realize the absolute goal of life.

Digest, p. 136-137

There are four qualities that characterize a human being. They are love, mercy, compassion, and forbearance. Unless a person has these four qualities he can be compared to an animal. Man must develop these qualities and express them in the outer world with an attitude of service and brotherliness.

Digest, p. 155

Rama said to Bharata, “Good men are not fascinated by sensual pleasures. They possess all the best virtues and modes of behavior. They will be happy at the happiness of others; they will be sad when others are sad. They look upon all with equal affection. They have no enemies and they are not bothered even if foes exist. They are endowed with wisdom, knowledge of the objective world, and a deep sense of detachment. Their hearts are tender; they have compassion towards the weak and the helpless. They adore my feet with purity of thought, word, and deed. They delight in serving me. They have no concern with fame or infamy, honor or dishonor. They are always interested in serving others; they never yield to the orgy of selfishness, even in dreams. Their actions are transparently simple; their hearts are ever cool and unruffled. They yearn for opportunities to renounce; they are every moment soaked in joy. For them praise and blame are the same. Brother! Whoever has these characteristics in him; take it that he is of my own nature. He is myself, I am himself. Take that to be the truth.”

Digest, p. 51

When sandalwood is rubbed repeatedly, the fragrance from it increases; when the sugarcane is chewed again and again, the juice gets sweeter; when gold is heated in the crucible repeatedly, it becomes pure and brighter; the noble ones adhere to righteousness through all the vicissitudes of life. Human life is supremely precious in this world. But not all are alive to this truth. Wherein lies this preciousness? Humanness does not consist merely in the physical and the mundane. “Verily, the body is the primary requisite for the realization of Dharma.” It is for the pursuit of Righteousness that this body has been given to man.

Digest, p. 157