THE PURPOSE OF THIS BIRTH (OR THE BODY) The following sloka from the Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, chapter 22, verse 35, provides an interesting summary of the very purpose of our birth (or the body we have). It states that our (dehinaam, those who have a body) birth (janma) can be considered to have been successful (saaphalyam) if we can use our life breath (praanaih), wealth (arthaih), intellect (dhiyaa) and speech (vaacaa) to always (sadaa) do (aacarnam) some good (shreya). Srila Prabhupadas translation is given below. vedabase/en/sb/10/22/35 SB 10.22.35 etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā Word for word meaning: etāvat — up to this; janma — of birth; sāphalyam — perfection; dehinām — of every living being; iha — in this world; dehiṣu — toward those who are embodied; prāṇaiḥ — by life; arthaiḥ — by wealth; dhiyā — by intelligence; vācā — by words; śreyaḥ — eternal good fortune; ācaraṇam — acting practically; sadā — always. Translation: It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words. We have all come across another verse, that is chanted regularly going as Kaayena vaaca manasendriyaaih vaa, which expresses the same sentiment. Kaaya is the body and kaayena means using teh body as our instrument. Likewise, vaak means speech and vaacaa, derived from vaak, means using speech as our instrument. (Grammatically, this is the third case, or trutiytaa, the instrumental case of the noun.) Manasaa derived from manas means using the mind, and so on. In this sloka, it is stated that we offer all of our actions, whatever we do, to the Supreme Being, Narayana. The Srimad Bhagavatam sloka echoes the same with a slight difference. It includes also the wealth that we have not just the physical and mental and emotional faculties emphasized in the other verse cited. The Bhagavatam verse is the concluding verse of one of the Krishna lilas (past times of Krishna) described in Canto 10. After describing the cheera haraNam (stealing of the garments of the Gopis who were bathing naked in a lake) episode to King Parikshit, Shukaacarya then tells that Krishna along with His friends, and the cows they were tending, went to the river Yamuna so that the cows could drink water and quench their thirst. It was a hot day. As they were heading towards the Yamuna, they passed through a long array of beautiful trees, all of which are named. They had spread their branches all around and were casting shade and protected Krishna and His friends. They all enjoyed this cool and fragrant environment. A gentle breeze was blowing amidst the heat of the day. The trees were laden with nourishing fruits. Krishna looks at all of this and enjoys what the trees are offering Him and His friends and then makes the above statement. If we could all be like these trees, He says. The trees do not expect anything from us. They provide us shade. They provide us with fruits. They provide us with leaves. They provide us with flowers. They provide us with fragrance. Every single part of the plantain tree (which produces bananas) is consumed and is used by humans. And so it is with many trees. This is the very purpose of our life, the body that we have. This is what we have to learn from the trees. This is the message of this small Krishna lila. Praanair arthair dhiyaa vaacaa - just like kaayena vaacaa manasendriyair vaa.... The sloka has been in my thoughts for the whole day since I read it. Many years ago, as a student, I also remembered the following Subhashitam that we learned which has the same message. Paropakaaraartham phalanti vrukshaahaa Paropakaaraartham dhuhati gaavahaa Paropakaaraartham vahanti nadyahaa Paropakaaraartham idam shareeram The trees bear fruits for the benefit of others (do favor to others). The cows produce milk for the benefit of others The rivers flow for the benefit of others This body is also for the benefit of others. Trapped in this body, we remain deluded about its purpose and forget the significance of this Krishna lila. Our first thoughts are about being a man or a woman, an Indian or American, white or black, and so on. We live for this body. We grieve for this body. We remember only the deham, not the dehee. The deham means the body. Dehee means one who owns the body. Dehinaam in the above verse is plural of dehee. Dehishu means among the dehees, or in the dehees. The concluding verse of this Krishna lila (starts with verse 28 of this chapter) tells us about the purpose of this janma (birth) and the body (deham). In the Ramayana it is noted that all the rishis who met Lord Rama in Dandakaaryana wanted to enjoy the Lords company intimately. It is said that they wished just to be trees when the Lord appears as Krishna. Some became gopis and enjoyed Him intimately. Other just wanted to become the soft grass touching Krishnas tender feet as He walked. That is another purpose of his Krishna lila - to fulfil the wishes of those great rishis. They all only wanted to serve the Lord and give Him pleasure in every way they could.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 09:05:15 +0000
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