Importance of human life

Arun Kumar Gupta
Human birth is an invaluable gift of God. There is nothing more valuable in the world than this. He who has got it, has got everything. The human body is obtained by great fortune and the fruit of virtuous deeds, therefore human life is the most precious thing among all the things in the world. Compared to other living beings in the world, human is the best creature. This life is the most beautiful and highest proof of God’s creation.
Human body is a wonderful specimen of divine creation. All species except humans are incomplete. No one has complete development. It is the grace of God that he has given us the best title of the universe, human birth, otherwise we would not know where and in what forms we would have been wandering!
After degenerating from the human form, the creature gets the forms of animals, birds, insects, kites, trees etc. The more the glory of human life can be told and praised, that much is less. All scriptures and great men have praised the importance and characteristics of this the human body. It is said that among the innumerable births, the human birth is the highest degree.
After crossing many births, the creature gets the opportunity to get dance. This body was considered a boon of the God. This life is very rare and priceless. Its every moment and every breath is not found even in crores.
If a man has all kinds of pleasures and wealth, but there is no breath in the body, then everything is in vain. Once this life gets out of hand, then understand that you have fallen in the cycle of many births and ages. Human life is such a stop in the eternal journey, after reaching which we can get rid of the cycle of traffic.
By getting the human body, the soul becomes entitled to salvation and God-attainment. In this body, the soul attains advanced state. God has given us human birth.
You have been given a golden opportunity to rise, be careful, improve and become the best. Human life is a golden opportunity for improvement of karma and self-upliftment. By reaching the stage of human birth, we have won the game by going ahead of all other living beings. Now don’t lose this game you won.
We have to make our qualities, deeds and nature in such a manner that we become entitled to get a human body again. If this rare human life is not handled in time, does not know its value, does not live in a meaningful and purposeful way, then in the words of the Upanishads there is great destruction.
There will be no bigger loss and destruction than this. One does not get human birth again and again.
This life is not as cheap as we understand it. Most people breathe and live, but life is not known. The common man spends his life in accumulation of wealth, pleasures and diseases. There are very few people in the world, who are able to handle this world and hereafter while living purposefully.
Just to breathe, eat and have fun isn’t the life’s purpose. The meaning and mission of this precious life goes far beyond this. Even animals and birds do all these things. The world is running fast towards enjoyment, no one has any idea where to go and what is the purpose of life? There is running and chaos everywhere. Everyone is trying to outdo each other.
Everything is increasing in the world but real happiness, contentment, love, affinity, humanity etc. are decreasing. The enjoyments and wealth for which we are running, all those things will be left here one day. We do not recognize and worry about the real money that will go with us. Not everyone is able to make efforts and think in that direction.
Don’t we know where we came from? But it should be known from the scriptures and great men that what is our aim and where to go? Human life is the means to get rid of the cycle of birth and death, old age and travel. Devotion and liberation are possible in this life. Only in the human body, a person can reach God by knowing his form.
We have forgotten the purpose for which life was given. A common man is born crying. He is living in the run-up of money-accumulation, enjoyment, worries, problems, relationships and desires. While straightening life, it passes away. In the end, repenting and crying, we leave the world. A priceless diamond is lost instead of being born. In this way most of the people’s lives are spent in worldly uproar. Human birth and life both are fast passing meaningless and aimless.
Percentage of people’s thinking is up to the world only. Like animals, they spend their life in eating, sleeping, lust etc.
An intelligent and sensible person is the one who takes care of himself and improves when they have time, means and power. They remove life from bad company, bad thinking, faults and evils and brings it on the right path. It is a boon of God to humans that whenever they want to be careful, improve and rise up, they can rise. For this, willpower, determination, effort and dedication are required.
The example of Arjuna in the Gita is that Arjuna, who was disheartened, desperate and distraught, became a brave warrior with will-power, right path and effort. Geeta inspires to take care of life, improve and rise above. Gita is the explanation of the whole life.
What is life? How to live and what is its purpose? What are our religion and deeds? How to fulfill our obligations, duties and responsibilities while living in the world.
If you want to achieve your life purpose; Gita explains, teaches and tells all these things. Life is Kurukshetra; Controversy, discord, worry, restlessness, conflicts of desires, lusts etc keep on in it. There is no such person who does not have worries, unrest, problems, confusions etc. in his life. Women, men, old people and children are all in the battle field inside and outside. Some are struggling to get, while some are struggling to leave. Some are sad and restless due to lack of money, some are troubled by hunger and some are sick and restless due to loss of appetite.
Humans neither get peace during the day nor sleep at night. Due to selfishness, greed, indulgence, violence and arrogance, we are moving towards uncivilization and animalism. There is upheaval in the entire human society. The whole world is becoming Kurukshetra. Geeta says that life is being spent fast in wasteful talks, things, accumulation of wealth etc. and the evening of life is coming, now at least wake up, now at least take care of the remaining life.
How can life be victorious in the battle of this world? This is the art of life that Gita teaches us. Arjun won the lost life by the teachings of Gita. Gita explains practical, logical, useful and straightforward solutions to many mysterious things, problems, confusions. Gita teaches to live and live with happiness, peace, happiness, health and humanity. The life-philosophy of Gita is not to run away from the world, but to wake up. Arjun wants to run away from the duty, religion, responsibility and purpose of life. Shri Krishna ji leads Arjuna towards the path of truth, justice and religion by making him aware of truth, sense of life, sense of duty and purpose. Gita says live like a human being in true sense and let others live. Live life respectfully, meaningfully and purposefully. Life is not to be spent in a cowardly manner, it is to be spent bravely. Life has to be lived by solving it, not by entangling it. The message of the Gita is- “Don’t run away from the problems, confusions, worries, sorrows etc. of life and the world, rather solve the problems and disputes with knowledge, understanding and patience.”
There are problems, there are solutions as well. Along with darkness, there is light. Don’t be discouraged, don’t let your mind fall.
Geeta gives hope, enthusiasm, strength and inspiration to move forward to the lost, tired, helpless and disappointed person. Get up! Wake up! Take care of life. It is a priceless and rare gift from God. It is very fortunate. Understand its value. Walk in balance and coordination in both the aspects of life-physical and spiritual. Only then both this world and hereafter life will be restored, improved and life will be meaningful. Geeta’s sermon to the world is – Human life is the best, rarest and highest degree. This life is a precious gift from God. Live it wisely, methodically, sacrificially and purposefully. This opportunity does not come again and again. Gita considers the perfection and success of life only in the attainment of Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha.
If we know how to live then life in the world is heaven.It depends on us whether we live by making life and the world a hell or a heaven. Geeta has thrown light on every aspect of life. The inspiring thought and vision of the Geeta is fully capable of taking human life to the highest goal. The one who understood this and took it into life, has crossed the Bhavsagar.
(The author is President of Arya Samaj Dayanand Marg, City Chowk, Jammu.)