Daily Devotion -May 7, 2026 (English)- Human Birth Mystery
How does one attain a human body? And even after attaining a human body, how does one meet a true saint?
On this subject, two contradictory statements have been made:
- baḍe bhāga mānuṣa tana pāvā। sura durlabha sad granthanhi gāvā। - It is by great fortune that one attains a human body. Here, fortune refers to one's own earnings. For instance, when we pass high school in Lucknow, that certificate enables us to gain admission to an intermediate college in Allahabad. In other words, our actions from past lives, whether virtuous (leading to good fortune) or sinful (leading to misfortune), constitute our destiny. Both are referred to as prārabdha, destiny, or kismet.
Then why is this said: - ākara cāri lakṣa caurāsī। yoni bhramata yaha jīva avināśī॥
phirata sadā māyā kara prerā। kāla karma svabhāva guna gherā॥
kabahumka kari karunā nara dehī । 'deta īsa' binu hetu sanehī॥
When the individual soul wanders through 8.4 million species thousands of times and becomes exhausted from suffering, God bestows a human body out of causeless compassion. tata: sarageṣu lokeṣu śarīratvāya kalpate - one attains human form through God's grace after many ages. Shankaracharya also says - "durlabham trayamevaitat 'daivanugrahkarakam' manushyatvam mumukshutvam mahapurushsambhava:" - receiving a human body is evidence of divine grace, something even celestial beings desire.
Even upon attaining a human body, if one does not meet a genuine saint or surrender to him, one leads a life worse than that of an animal. Because animals at least don't lie, steal, or deceive anyone. They have limited intelligence and are simple. Their concerns are limited to the sustenance of their body. Such sinful acts are possible only by one with superior intelligence.
Thus, 'mahapurushasambhava:' - meeting a Saint is also a great divine grace. And 'mumukshutvam' - even upon meeting a true saint, if we don't truly associate with them and engage in arguments against their teachings rather than accepting them completely, how can we truly surrender? And there the condition is māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja - surrender unto Me alone. We accumulate even more sins through our human intelligence.
The most important thing is - "There is no happiness in the world. Happiness is only in God." -
i) One must decide this,
ii) The decision should be 100% firm, and
iii) It should remain forever.
None of us has this. If this decision remained constant, then the worldly attractions would become 0/100. Then, we would learn to act in the world.
Only upon meeting a saint can we comprehend the significance of the human body and the essence of the Vedas and scriptures, and only then will the thirst for God arise. True knowledge dispels ignorance.
So, if we obtained the human body through our own merit, what favour has God done for us?
Then there are these two seemingly contradictory statements -
- puṇya puṃja binu milahiṃ na saṃtā। satasaṃgati saṃsṛti kara aṃtā॥
Without a wealth of pious credits, one cannot meet a saint. It is due to great devotional practices performed in previous lives that God made you meet a saint in this life.
But then why is it said: - aba mohi bhā bharosa hanumaṃtā, binu hari kṛpā milahi nahi saṃtā।
Without the grace of God, meeting a saint is impossible.
So, these are two sets of contradictory statements in our scriptures. How is God's grace involved if obtaining a human body and meeting a saint results from our own pious deeds?
Conversely, if one attains these by God's grace alone, then cats, dogs, and donkeys would question God as to why He bestowed His grace upon humans but not on them.
So, which of these statements is correct? You must carefully contemplate this.
Recommended books by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj related to this topic:
