(5/12) Humans' Advantage

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Bhanjipur, 1 December 2019, evening, part 5
Translated from Bengali

It is possible to come to God only in a human life, not in another life, not even if you are born as a demigod. It is much more rare and valuable to be born as a human than even as a god, but anyhow we have got this kind of birth now. What is the highest purpose of a human birth? What is the meaning of life? Cars? Houses? Wealth? No. The real wealth (artha) of a human birth is the highest, spiritual wealth (param-artha) it affords. This is the wealth that will stay with you birth after birth. Always remember this.

Demigods live submerged into enjoyment and comfort (you have heard about Indra and his beautiful lifestyle), and in this world also there are many rich people who live happy, peaceful lives. But the problem is that this kind of happiness is temporary – it will not be there long. The happiness that will always be there, the happiness that we all need and hanker after is an opportunity to serve the Lord.

When we were born as dogs, we did not have so much power of consciousness – we did not have much intelligence; but born as humans, we have the power of consciousness and we have intelligence. Born as humans, we can come in connection with God. We can realise and appreciate God's beauty, qualities, pastimes, associates and paraphernalia, something that is not possible in any other birth.

Our advantage is that which we can attain, but cats, dogs and other species cannot. Therefore, a human birth is very necessary, and we have got it this time. It is written very beautifully in Srimad Bhagavatam:

নৃদেহমাদ্যং সুলভং সুদুর্লভং
প্লবং সুকল্পং গুরুকর্ণধারম্ ।
ময়ানুকূলেন নভস্বতেরিতং
পুমান্ ভবাব্ধিং ন তরেৎ স আত্মহা ॥

nr-deham adyam su-labham su-durlabham
plavam su-kalpam guru-karnadharam
mayanukulena nabhasvateritam
puman bhavabdhim na taret sa atma-ha

'Those who get this human body but do not try to practise Krishna consciousness, do not try to cross the ocean of material existence, are suicidal (atmaghati). In this human body there is only one way how you can bring benefit to yourself – this body is like a boat and you must accept a Guru as the captain of this boat. What does the Guru do next? When you surrender at his lotus feet, when within your heart you take shelter in him, he gives you mercy that works like a favourable wind. In this way, propelled by that favourable wind of the Guru's mercy, this boat can take you to your destination. However those who cannot understand who is the captain, what is the mercy of devotion, who do not know what is favourable to devotion, what that favourable wind is, are suicidal.'

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.20.17; translation quoted from Sri Guru Tattva: The Captain of Your Boat)

I have got a very rare human birth. What is next? This body is like a boat, and to run this boat, it is necessary to have a boatman, or a captain. The captain of this boat is the guru. Just as a boat cannot run itself without a helmsman, I also cannot understand anything using my own intelligence and judgement. I need somebody to steer me. This somebody is the guru. Those who do not accept the guidance of the guru who can bring them to God, who have no captain in their boats, are suicidal. Therefore, we need to approach a great soul. We need a guardian. If we want, we can accept such guidance.

In this world, we can do many things. Somebody wants to become a millionaire, somebody wants to become a great professor, a great poet, a prime minister, a chief minister, a politician. If humans want something, they can achieve it. Generally, people always run behind money, knowledge and fame, but devotees (those who have some devotion) always run behind God, and they attain the greatest, most valuable wealth in this very life.

If you want, you can drink blood and eat flesh and bones; if you want, you can also eat gugni (whole-pea curry). At the same time, if you want, you can give up both and take prasad of the Lord. A lion or a tiger cannot give up blood, flesh and bones, but you are humans, so you have intelligence – you can choose and give up anything you want; you can stop eating that which is not good for you. If you want, you can go to a club, a cinema, a bar or a disco – if you want, you can mix with bad people; and if you want, you can also associate with a sadhu. Not everybody can understand the value of such association, but as a human you have choice.

What stops people from practising spiritual life? You think, 'If I start practising spiritual life and think about God, then my old parents will be upset. My young wife will be heart-broken. My small children will become beggars and roam the streets. I am responsible for them, I take care of them. I am their master and guardian. How can I leave them?' But if you have some fortune, you can understand, 'I have a relationship with my family, but how long will this relationship be there? Can they make me happy? What good are they all to me?' Even if you give millions of rupees to a mother who has lost her son, how much comfort can it give her? It cannot give her her son back. 'I am the king', 'I am the king's servant', 'I am the husband' – you are intoxicated with all these trifle things. If you stay with great souls, you can gain some intelligence and realise that the path you are treading is not the highest path. This is the result of associating with sadhus. You can realise these things in their association.

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Length: 69 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) A Life of Imperfection
2) Open Your Door to Mercy
3) Eternal Focus
4) Harinam: Devotees' Heartbeat
5) Humans' Advantage
6) Call Out to Gaura-Nitai
7) Repent and Revolt
8) Gift of Sankirtan
9) Seat Sankirtan In Your Hearts
10) Survive and Thrive
11) Service Life—Joyful Life
12) All Walk, No Talk