Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.9.29

labdhvā su-durlabham idam bahu-sambhavānte

mānushyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīrah

tūrnam yateta na pated anu-mrityu yāvan

nihśreyasāya vishayah khalu sarvatah syāt

SYNONYMS

labdhvā — having obtained; su-durlabham — that which is very difficult to obtain; idam — this; bahu — many; sambhava — births; ante — after; mānushyam — human form of life; artha-dam — which awards great value; anityam — not eternal; api — although; iha — in this material world; dhīrah — one who has sober intelligence; tūrnam — immediately; yateta — should endeavor; na — not; patet — has fallen; anu-mrityu — always subject to death; yāvat — as long as; nihśreyasāya — for ultimate liberation; vishayah — sense gratification; khalu — always; sarvatah — in all conditions; syāt — is possible.

TRANSLATION

After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krishna consciousness is possible only for a human being.

PURPORT

Material life essentially means repeated birth and death. Even the lowest forms of life, such as reptiles, insects, pigs and dogs, have ample opportunity for sense gratification. Even ordinary houseflies have a busy sex life and thus multiply rapidly. Human life, however, enables one to understand the Absolute Truth and is therefore full of grave responsibility. Since the valuable human life is not eternal, we should do the needful to achieve the highest perfection, Krishna consciousness. Before death appears, we should seriously cultivate our real self-interest.

One can experience Krishna consciousness in the association of devotees of the Lord. Without their association, one is in danger of being attracted to an impersonal conception of life, which causes one to fall away from devotional service to the Absolute Truth. Or, being discouraged by one's failure to understand the Absolute Truth, one may return to the false platform of sense gratification. In conclusion, human life is meant for cultivating Krishna consciousness under the guidance of the experienced, self-realized devotees of the Lord.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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