In Praise of the Human Body

1. Blessed is this human body. See how unique it is. The one who uses it to follow this path of Supreme Truth becomes successful.
2. With this human body, some take to the path of devotion while others become extremely detached and go to live in the hills and mountains.
3. Some wander to different places of pilgrimage while some practice various vows and rituals, and some put complete faith in the continuous chanting of the name of God.
4. Some begin undertaking various austerities, some become good people by practicing yoga, and some become scholars by learning the Vedas and Shastras.
5. Some follow the path of hatha yoga with great determination and torture their bodies, and some realize God through the strength of Devotion (Bhakti).
6. Some get the greatest experience of Reality and become well known devotees, and some gain extraordinary powers and roam in the sky.
7. Some become the brilliance of Light itself. Some become merged with Water, and some suddenly disappear in the form of the Wind.
8. Some gain the ability of taking on many different forms, some suddenly disappear, and some roam around to many places and even go under the ocean while remaining seated in one location.
9. Some ride on ferocious beasts, some are able to make the immovable move, and some can bring dead bodies to life with supernatural powers.
10. Some can make light become dim, some can dry up water, and some can obstruct the breathing of all of the people in the world.
11. There are many who have gained various supernatural powers with their strong determination and keen intellect. Millions of such accomplished ones have lived in the past.
12. Some have accomplished control of the mind, some have accomplished control over speech, some have accomplished only a few things, and some have accomplished all things. Thus, there have been many kinds of accomplished ones who have become famous.
13. Some followed the royal path of "Nine-Faceted Devotion" (Navavidha Bhakti). some have gone beyond this world appearance in their own self-interest and were saved, and some yogis have followed the hidden path and attained the state of Brahman.
14. Some have reached the abode of Vishnu, others remained in the abode of Brahma, and some reside in the abode of Shiva, remaining as his true form.
15. Some have reached the abode of the gods and lived as Indra, the "King of the Gods." Some became great like their ancestors. Some became established in the constellations, while others became established in the divine "Ocean of Milk."
16. The four types of liberation (mukti) that are attained according to one's own wish are (1) to abide in God's residence, (2) to be near to God, (3) to identify with God's form, and (4) to be one with God.
17. Like this, with the aid of the human body, the accomplished ones, sages, and saints have gained infinite benefit in their own self-interest. In this regard, how much can the body be praised?
18. With the help of the human body and various spiritual practices, mainly the utilization of the power of discerning inquiry, many have become free.
19. With the help of the human body many have attained the highest state. Giving up the ego they have become blissful and happy.
20. It is with the human body alone that all have become emancipated. It is only with the aid of the body that the root of doubt gets snapped.
21. One cannot gain spiritual knowledge with an animal body. This statement is found everywhere. It is only with the human body that one can realize Reality beyond this world appearance.
22. Because of the human body there are saints, great beings, sages, hermits, the accomplished ones, ascetics, the contented, devotees, the liberated, the detached and the Self-realized.
23. Because of the human body, there are philosophers, students of yoga, celibates, ascetics who live without clothes, renunciates, hermits, and those with the knowledge of the six traditional streams of philosophy11.
24. Thus, it can be said that the human body is important and superior to all other bodily forms. With proper use of the human body one can avoid the suffering associated with death.
25. The human body is mostly under one's own control, and it rarely comes under the control of outside influences. The best use of the body is that it be used for the purpose of helping others. In this way, one can gain lasting fame.
26. If horses, bulls, cows, buffaloes, or other domestic animals, as well as women and household servants are allowed to roam freely, someone will surely try to catch them.
27. This is not the case with those who have gained Knowledge (Jnana) while in the physical body. Whether they desire to remain where they are or leave, no one can keep them in bondage.
28. If the human body is disabled, or is without hands and arms, it is of little use for helping others.
29. If the human body is blind, it is nearly useless for performing common duties, and if it is deaf it cannot hear explanations.
30. If the human body is dumb it cannot ask about doubts. If it is weak and diseased it is basically useless.
31. If one uses the body foolishly, or if it is constantly having fits and seizures, it is truly sorrowful to have such a useless body.
32. If there are no disabilities and the human body is fit, without disease, one should follow the path of Supreme Truth without wasting any time.
33. If a healthy human body is acquired, and one does not use the intellect to follow the path of Paramartha, such a person is a fool who is merely caught in the web of Illusion.
34. By digging up the earth, one builds a house and strongly imagines that it belongs only to him. He does not know that it really belongs to many (insects and pests).
35. The mice, lizards, and flies all say that it is definitely their house.
36. Spiders, big ants and small ants, all say that the house is theirs.
37. The scorpions, serpents, and cockroaches say that it is their house.
38. The black bees, and wasps say that the house is theirs, and the worms that live in the wood say that the house is theirs.
39. The cats, dogs and mongoose all say that the house is theirs.
40. Moths, flies, and fleas say that the house is theirs.
41. Bugs, mosquitoes and sand-flies all say that the house is theirs.
42. The large fleas, stinging insects, germs and large flies all say that the house belongs to them.
43. There are so many such irritating creatures that are spread out all over. How many shall I describe? All of them say that the house is theirs.
44. The pets, servants, and the owners of the house all say that the house is theirs.
45. The guests say it is their house, friends say it is theirs, and all of the villagers say that the house is theirs.
46. The thieves and government officers alike say that the house belongs to them. The fire says that the house belongs to it, and that it will turn the house into ashes.
47. All of them say that the house is "mine." Even the foolish builder of the house says "It is mine, mine," yet in the end, it becomes a heavy burden and he leaves the place.
48. All houses eventually collapse over a period of time, and even the site of the village turns to ruins. Afterwards, wild animals come and live in the broken down houses.
49. The house really belongs to the insects, ants, worms, and mice. The foolish people will all vacate it in the end.
50. Such is the state of houses. One should have the experience for oneself that life is also like this. The duration of one's life is only temporary.
51. Even if the body is said to be one's own, it is really created for many. On the head there are lice that eat away at it.
52. Germs destroy the roots of the hair, boils appear and germs live in them, and worms can be seen that live in the abdomen.
53. Worms can be found in the teeth and eyes, and flies even get inside the ears.
54. Leeches drink the blood, lice pierce the flesh, and mosquitoes bite and fly away quickly.
55. The bees and wasps bite and sting, ticks and leeches drink the blood, and scorpions, serpents, centipedes and millipedes also bite and sting.
56. Having been born with a physical body, we take care of it, but at any time it may be taken away and forcefully be eaten by a tiger or a wolf.
57. The mice and cats bite, horses and dogs can tear the body to pieces, and bears and monkeys will beat and suffocate it.
58. The camels bite and cast it away, elephants can crush it with their feet, and bulls can pierce it with their horns.
59. Thieves beat up and break down the body, and ghosts hunt it and kill it. Now, let this be enough of this talk. Such is the state of the human body.
60. The state of the physical body is like this. The foolish say "It is mine," but it is really food for many creatures. This will be discussed further in the chapter on the "Three Tortures."
61. Unless the physical body is used for realizing the Supreme Truth, it only goes to waste, suffering many blows and dangers on the way to death.
62. Let this talk be. Those who are merely foolish householders will never know the happiness of the Supreme Truth. Their signs of foolishness will be told in the next chapter.