THE HUMAN BIRTH
Many a saint has often mentioned the human birth as the highest amongst all births.
As Sankara [1] says,
“Only through God’s grace may we obtain the three rarest gifts: Human birth; the longing for liberation; and discipleship to an illumined teacher.”
Swami Muktananda [2] quotes Saint Sundardas in WHERE ARE YOU GOING. - A GUIDE TO THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, published by Syda Foundation, 1989,
“The great Saint Sundardas wrote, “You have attained this human body through God’s grace. You cannot attain it repeatedly. This human body is a priceless jewel. Do not throw it away.”
Swami Chidvilasananda [3] in INNER TREASURES, A Siddha Yoga Publication, 1995, mirrors Sankara’s thoughts.
“The Indian scriptures teach that earth is the place where you come to work out all your karma, the consequences of your actions, both good and bad. This is where you have the opportunity to learn the greatest lessons and ascend to the highest awareness. Even celestial beings want to take birth in this place. It is the work of the Saints to awaken people from samsara, the world of the wandering, from this chakra, this wheel, the cycle of birth and death.’’
Shantideva [4], a Buddhist master from the monastic University of Nalanda, India, too describes human birth as a rare gift. He says,
“Only as a human can you be devoted to God, the creator." He reminds us not to waste a rare opportunity to devote oneself to God. He says, “These human leisure, opportunities, and faculties are very rare to obtain and easily lost.”
He questions us,
“If one squanders the chance to fulfill the aim of human life, how will such an opportunity arise again?”
The Siddhas regard this birth as very auspicious and rare. Siddha Avvai [5] says,
“Rare indeed is to take a human birth, rarer than that is to be born with a perfect human form, sight, hearing and speech. Amongst them, it is rare to see one who does austerities and charity. When one does austerities and charity the gates to Godhead is opened.”
Another Siddha, Manikavachagar [6], amply expounds in his THIRUVACHAKAM - SHIVAPURAANAM that,
“Having taken all these life forms to achieve his present state that is being born as grass, worm, trees, various animals, stones, rocks and pebbles, various creatures, Asuras [7], and Devas [8], and having exhausted myself in doing so, I found the truth to exist under your feet and thus I entered your home, my Lord.”
Hindu texts mention that there are 840,000 species of life forms beginning with the aquatics, and culminating in the human being.
[1] Sankara is probably the greatest intellectual India has produced. Although a staunch defender of jnana as the only way of liberation, he composed poems, prayers and songs to the Gods, principally Shiva. Adi Shankara (789 CE), also known as Adi Sankaracari, Sankara Bhagavatpadacarya and Adi Sankaracarya was an Indian philosopher from Kaladi in present day Eranakulam district, Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. His teachings are based on the unity of the ātman and brahman— non-dual brahman, in which brahman is viewed as nirguna brahman, brahman without attributes. Shankara travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He is reputed to have founded four mathas ("monasteries"), which helped in the historical development, revival and spread of Advaita Vedanta of which he is known as the greatest revivalist. Adi Shankara is believed to be the organizer of the Dashanami monastic order and the founder of the Shanmata tradition of worship. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[2] Swami Muktananda (16 May 1908 – 2 October 1982) is the monastic name of an Indian Hindu Guru and disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda. Swami Muktananda was the founder of Siddha Yoga. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[3] Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (or Swami Chidvilasananda) is the monastic name of Malti Shetty (Mumbai, India, June 24, 1955), who is the current Guru of the Siddha Yoga lineage. The Siddha Yoga lineage (Parampara) was established by Bhagawan Nityananda, whose disciple Swami Muktananda was Gurumayi's Guru. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[4] Shantideva was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar at Nalanda University and an adherent of the Madhyamaka philosophy of Nagarjuna. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[5] The Avvaiyars "respectable women" was the title of more than one poet who was active during different periods of Tamil literature. The Avvaiyar were some of the most famous and important female poets of the Tamil canon. Among them, Avvaiyar I lived during the Sangam period (c. 1st and 2nd century CE) and had cordial relation with the Tamil chieftains Paari and Athiyaman. She wrote 59 poems in the PURANANURU. Avvaiyar II lived during the period of Kambar and Ottakoothar during the reign of the Chola dynasty in the 13th century. She is often imagined as an old and intelligent lady by Tamil people. She wrote many of the poems that remain very popular even now. These books include a list of dos and don'ts, useful for daily life, arranged in simple and short sentences. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[6] Manikkavacakar was a Tamil poet who wrote Tiruvasakam, a book of Shaiva hymns. Manikkavasakar was one of the main authors of Saivite Tirumurai: his work forms one volume of the Tirumurai, the key religious text of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta. A minister to the Pandya king Varagunavarman II (c. 862 C.E. – 885 C.E.), he lived in Madurai. His work is a poetic expression of the joy of God-experience, the anguish of being separated from God. (Source :Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[7] In Hinduism, the Asuras are non-Suras, a different group of power-seeking deities besides the Suras, sometimes considered naturalists, or nature-beings. They are the forces of chaos that are in constant battle with Devas. (Source :Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[8] Deva is the Sanskrit word for deity, its related feminine term is Devi. In modernHinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devas in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devas are also the maintainers of the realms as ordained by the Trimurti. They are often warring with their equally powerful counterparts, the Asuras. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)