FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.22.25

यदा कदाचिज्जीवात्मा संसरन् निजकर्मभि: । नानायोनिष्वनीशोऽयं पौरुषीं गतिमाव्रजेत् ॥ २५ ॥
yadā kadācij jīvātmā
[yadaa kadaachij jeevaatmaa]
saṁsaran nija-karmabhiḥ
[samsaran nija-karmabhih]
nānā-yoniṣv anīśo ’yaṁ
[naanaa-yonishv aneesho ’yam]
pauruṣīṁ gatim āvrajet
[paurusheem gatim aavrajet]
yadā — when kadācit — sometimes jīva-ātmā — the living entity saṁsaran — rotating in the cycle of birth and death nija-karmabhiḥ — because of his own fruitive activities nānā-yoniṣu — in different species of life anīśaḥ — not independent (completely under the control of material nature) ayam — this living entity pauruṣīm gatim — the situation of being human āvrajet — wants to obtain.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yadā kadācij jīvātmā
yadā
when
kadācit
sometimes
jīva-ātmā
the living entity
saṁsaran nija-karmabhiḥ
saṁsaran
rotating in the cycle of birth and death
nija-karmabhiḥ
because of his own fruitive activities
nānā-yoniṣv anīśo ’yaṁ
nānā-yoniṣu
in different species of life
anīśaḥ
not independent (completely under the control of material nature)
ayam
this living entity
pauruṣīṁ gatim āvrajet
pauruṣīm gatim
the situation of being human
āvrajet
wants to obtain.
While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his own fruitive activities, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. This human birth is very rarely obtained.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully independent. Thus it is not always a fact that a living being’s loss of all opulence is a sign of the Supreme Lord’s mercy upon him. The Lord can act any way He likes. He may take away one’s opulence, or He may not. There are varieties of forms of life, and the Lord treats them according to the circumstances, as He chooses. Generally it is to be understood that the human form of life is one of great responsibility.

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.” ( Bg. 13.22 ) After thus rotating through many, many forms of life in the cycle of birth and death, the living being gets a chance for a human form. Therefore every human being, especially one belonging to a civilized nation or culture, must be extremely responsible in his activities. He should not risk degradation in the next life. Because the body will change ( tathā dehāntara-prāptir ), we should be extremely careful. To see to the proper use of life is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The foolish living entity declares freedom from all control, but factually he is not free; he is fully under the control of material nature. He must therefore be most careful and responsible in the activities of his life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his karma, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. I am not merciful to all jīvas by taking away their wealth. I do not take from some, and give abundantly to others. Since my mercy is hard for people to understand and of various types, hear about the characteristics of my mercy. Wandering about in various bodies such as worms and insects the dependent jīva attains the human form sometimes.
Related verses
Cycling through species, by good fortune one becomes human — a very rarely obtained birth. Human birth is the rare doorway. To squander it in pursuit of further opulence is unique foolishness.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I treating my human birth as the rare doorway or as a generic platform for pleasure?
  • What in my current activity wastes the human capacity that other species lack?
📝 My note

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