Sunday, May 9, 2021

Supremacy of Human Birth

Original Article by: Smt.Ratna Suresha
 English Rendering by: MS Anantha



An aged householder had earned more than enough for ten future generations to enjoy. One day he suddenly realized that he has earned enough for his family, but he has not done anything worthy to transport him to the other world.  Before he went to sleep, he called his son and told him "Jaathasya maranam dhruvam", meaning, anybody who takes birth should die definitely. "In the next birth, I will come before you as a pig. You have to kill me without hesitation. Subsequently in the next birth, I will be born as a human being again and attain salvation, through Saadhana (rigorous spiritual path)". Same night the old man slipped into eternal sleep. Years rolled by. One day a big drove of pigs, along with their families arrived in the backyard of the son's house. The son suddenly remembered his father's words. He came with a rifle ready to shoot the pig. Suddenly, the pig said "Wait, don't kill me. I might have told something earlier, but now in this birth, I am happily living with my family". The householder's son thought that the command given by his father, in his previous birth as a wise human being is worth following. He killed the pig. Rest everything went as the old man had wished in his previous birth.

In God's creation, Human body is a great and wonderful instrument. It is possible to realize God, only with this human body, following the four-fold path to salvation. Let us remember the prophetic words of Mahayogi SriRanga Mahaguru "All the fourteen worlds put together do not equal this human body". Maharshis through their inner vision share the same view - "You have obtained this human body after paying huge money in the form of meritorious acts (Punya). Hence attain salvation (Moksha) i.e. realize God, by reaching the shore before this human boat breaks." 

Note: The Kannada version of this article can be viewed at AYVM blogs.