The Human Body Is a Boat, Grace the Wind, and the Sadguru Its Helmsman
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 42
Doha 44 · Movement 1 of 2
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The purpose of the human body is not sense pleasure, Rama says. Even heaven is brief and ends in sorrow. To exchange this rare embodiment for pleasure is to trade nectar for poison, or discard the philosopher's stone to clutch bright gunja seeds.
The imperishable jiva wanders through eighty-four lakh forms, driven by maya and encircled by time, karma, disposition, and the gunas. Then causeless compassion grants a human birth.
That body is a boat upon the ocean of becoming. Rama's grace is the favorable wind, and the true Guru is the helmsman of the firm vessel. Everything difficult to assemble has been made available together. The image carries both consolation and urgency. The sea is vast, but no traveler can say that no crossing was offered. Body, grace, guidance, and vessel wait in one moment of human life.
The ocean remains immense, yet grace fills the sail and the Sadguru already holds the steering oar.
Read the passage from the Manas
एहि तन कर फल बिषय न भाई। स्वर्गउ स्वल्प अंत दुखदाई।। नर तनु पाइ बिषयँ मन देहीं। पलटि सुधा ते सठ बिष लेहीं।। ताहि कबहुँ भल कहइ न कोई। गुंजा ग्रहइ परस मनि खोई।। आकर चारि लच्छ चौरासी। जोनि भ्रमत यह जिव अबिनासी।। फिरत सदा माया कर प्रेरा। काल कर्म सुभाव गुन घेरा।। कबहुँक करि करुना नर देही। देत ईस बिनु हेतु सनेही।। नर तनु भव बारिधि कहुँ बेरो। सन्मुख मरुत अनुग्रह मेरो।। करनधार सदगुर दृढ़ नावा। दुर्लभ साज सुलभ करि पावा।।
The fruit of this body is not sensual pleasures, O brother. Even svarga is brief and brings suffering in the end. Having obtained human form, those who give their minds to pleasures are fools who take poison in exchange for amrita. No one ever calls such a person wise, who grasps worthless gunja seeds while discarding the philosopher's stone. Through eighty-four lakh species in four categories, this imperishable jiva wanders continuously. It revolves constantly under Maya's influence, surrounded by kala, karma, svabhava and the three gunas. Sometimes, showing compassion, the loving Lord grants human birth without any cause or reason. The human body is a boat for crossing the ocean of bhava, with My grace as the favorable wind. The Sadguru is the helmsman and the firm vessel. Having obtained this rare equipment so easily, one must use it wisely.