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Sattvic life is the first step towards self realization -- teaching of the Rishis

The purpose of human life is to realize the Self. All creation has meaning. Other beings fulfill their purpose through destiny alone, without choice. Humans also have destiny but possess intellect and choice, granting a greater obligation. Merely eating, sleeping, and procreating makes human life no different from an animal's. The main purpose is to gain Self-knowledge; dying without it is failure. Achieving this requires a sattvic life, free from substances that cloud the intellect and make spiritual discipline seem dull. Impurities like mal, vikṣepa, and āvaraṇa overshadow the soul, requiring treatment through spiritual practice, which one may initially resist but later endorse.

"If you miss or fail to fulfill your purpose, you have failed and must repeat the process again and again."

"The purpose of human life is greater, but the main purpose of human life is always to gain knowledge, which means ātmā jñāna, or Self-realization."

Filming location: Vép, Hungary

We are all here to remember our beloved Lord Mahāprabhujī, and it is a great privilege for us to know something more about him. Recently, I read an article containing a very profound sentence written in Sanskrit. It was translated into Hindi, and it is said to be a Ṛṣi Vākya. The sages, or ṛṣis, were very great beings, and their utterances (Ṛṣi Vākya) hold the same authority as the words of a Guru (Guruvākya). When the ṛṣis were discussing the creation of Brahman, they explained that Brahmā has created different creations with different qualities. We now know that on this planet, the Creator has brought forth 8.4 million different creatures, all formed from the five elements. Among these is the human being. The ṛṣis write that nothing is created senseless. Everything—this planet, the life upon it, including plants, vegetation, aquatic life, terrestrial life, and life in space—has its meaning and purpose. That purpose must be fulfilled. If you miss or fail to fulfill your purpose, you have failed and must repeat the process again and again. Different lives on this planet have their purpose, which is simply to be there and go through destiny. They do not have a choice. Humans, too, must go through their destiny. However, humans have the choice to make karma. Destiny is created first, then life is given. Other lives cannot choose; they must go through. But humans possess intellect and vivekā (discernment), so they can decide what to do or not to do. Therefore, the purpose of human life, the sense of it, is greater. Eating, sleeping, and procreating—animals are also very active in these. If a human lives only for these until death, there is very little difference between animals and humans. Thus, humans have more obligations. The purpose of human life is greater, but the main purpose of human life is always to gain knowledge, which means ātmā jñāna, or Self-realization. If you die without this, you have failed. You have failed the human life. To achieve that knowledge, a human must first lead a very sāttvic life—a life without consuming meat, alcohol, eggs, or drugs. A sattvic life is crucial because the nourishment you take, or any kind of drug, attacks your intellect (buddhi). It will turn your buddhi toward different interests and directions, causing you to lose positive spiritual thoughts and feelings. The worldly life then seems more joyful to you, while a simple, disciplined, spiritual life seems boring. There is a parable: a fly was sitting on sandalwood paste. As long as it sat there, it had a headache and felt tired. Suddenly, a crow defecated, and the fly smelled that dirt and immediately flew to the ground. On the other hand, someone closed a honey bee in an open toilet, like those in the countryside. The bee was suffering from the filth. When someone opened the door, the neighbors had a beautiful garden with blossoming apple trees. The bee flew to the flowers. It took a few hours of breathing, of doing prāṇāyāma, to get rid of the negative qualities. Therefore, it is said the fly flies away from the sandal paste and goes to the dirt. Ese a gyānī satsaṅg ne suné ungegyugdaj. Like this, an ignorant person cannot listen to satsaṅg (spiritual discourse). They either go away or begin to sleep. This is a sign of negative karma and destiny overshadowing your soul. Mal, vikṣepa, and āvaraṇa—these three impurities are overloaded upon you. What is to be done? Treatment is needed. That treatment is a substance. When a doctor first gives you injections and medicine, you do not like it. But when the injection takes effect, you will suggest to others that they also take that medicine. You will even recommend it. Therefore, the Ṛṣi Vākya states that human life is given to collect and realize knowledge. A human spirit, a human soul, a human consciousness, a human mind, human intellect, human qualities, human ability—these are indescribable. O human, such a divine life God has given you. It is a godly life. Yet you are incarnated as divine and are behaving like a very low creature.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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