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What is the purpose of human life? If we are not meant for living like the dogs and hogs, then what is the standard of human life

Expressions researched:
"what is the purpose of human life? If we are not meant for living like the dogs and hogs, then what is the standard of human life"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Ṛṣabhadeva advises His sons, "My dear sons, do not waste your valuable body, human form of body, like the dogs and hogs." Then what, what is the purpose of human life? If we are not meant for living like the dogs and hogs, then what is the standard of human life? The answer is, tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1): "My dear son, this life is meant for tapaḥ." Tapaḥ means austerity.

I shall explain to you some of the important verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest contribution of Vedic literature. In the Vedic literature we find a desire tree. Whatever knowledge you want to derive, there is in the Vedic literature, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is described as nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ (SB 1.1.3), the desire tree of Vedic literature. And a tree is eulogized on account of the fruit.

So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the ripened fruit of that desire tree. Just like God has given our food, nice milk, fruits, food grains, sugar, rice, wheat, so many nice things. So we are not meant for eating stool. But at the present moment we have discovered a civilization that every man is work . . . is to work very, very hard day and night, and he is satisfied only in sex intercourse. This is the tendency of this material world. For sense gratification one is advised to work hard day and night, like asses, dogs and hogs.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva advises His sons, "My dear sons, do not waste your valuable body, human form of body, like the dogs and hogs." Then what, what is the purpose of human life? If we are not meant for living like the dogs and hogs, then what is the standard of human life? The answer is, tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1): "My dear son, this life is meant for tapaḥ." Tapaḥ means austerity. Tapaḥ, another meaning is that temperature. Just like if we go in front of the fire, or if you go in the open sunlight, we get some temperature. That is called tapaḥ, or tāpaḥ, sometimes it is called tāpaḥ, temperature. Yes. So this tāpaḥ means some temperature.

(aside) Why it is not working?

That means voluntarily we have to accept some tāpaḥ, or little temperature.

So generally the animal, they are meant for sense gratification, but human life has to practice tapasya to control sense gratification. Just like we are prescribing to our disciples—no illicit sex life, no intoxicants, no meat-eating and no gambling. No illicit sex means, just like the dogs and hogs, they have no consideration with whom they're having sex intercourse. The hog especially, pig, he does not discriminate whether sister, mother or anyone, you see. So tapaḥ means . . . we are accustomed to so many, I mean to say, sinful activities, so we have to restrain from them. So tapasya, accepting voluntarily some painful situation, that is required. Say for (example) I am accustomed to smoke or to drink wine. So I have to give it up. This is meant for human life. I have to give it up. Although I shall feel some pain in the beginning, but still I have to tolerate it. This is called tapasya.

In the Western countries, to give up these habit is little difficult. Because about forty years ago, one of my brother, Godbrother, came to London, and he had a talk with Marquis of Zetland, and the Lord inquired from him whether he can be converted into a brāhmaṇa. He inquired from my Godbrother whether he can be made into a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa. So our Godbrother said: "Yes, you can be converted into a brāhmaṇa if you give up these habits, namely illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling." The gentleman's reply, Lord Zetland: "It is impossible." So that means he was not prepared to accept the tapasya, voluntarily abnegation.

But here Ṛṣabhadeva says that the human life is meant for tapasya, and not for living like pigs, hogs and dogs. Next He says, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), because tapasya means to accept voluntarily some painful situation. It is not very much painful, but they consider. But we are undergoing already some painful situation working day and night. To satisfy the senses, that also requires tapasya, hard labor. But here Ṛṣabhadeva says that you accept some painful condition—it is not at all painful, but it appears—tapo divyam, for God realization. (break) . . . that everyone is working hard day and night, but that is for sense gratification. Similarly, if you take little trouble, if you accept voluntarily some painful condition for realizing God, divyam, that is the human mission.

Page Title:What is the purpose of human life? If we are not meant for living like the dogs and hogs, then what is the standard of human life
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-10-15, 08:58:21
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1