आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं च समानमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।
बुद्धी हि तेषामधिको विशेष: बुद्ध्या हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥
āhāra -nidrā -bhaya-maithunam ca
samānam_etat_paśubhir_narānām |
buddhir hi teṣam adhiko viśeṣah
buddyā vihina paśubhih samānāh||
Translation
āhāra – food
nidrā – sleep
bhaya – fear/sense of insecurity
maithunam – procreation of species
samānam – similar
etat – these acts
paśubhir – animals
narānam – humans
buddhir – intellect/power of reasoning
hi – indeed
tesam – among
adhikah– most
viśeṣa – special
buddhyā – with intellect
vihinah – without
paśubhih – animal
samānah – same
Meaning:
Food, sleep, fear or sense of insecurity and procreation are common between humans and animals. What sets a human apart is the buddhi. A human who disuses (or abuses) this power of reasoning is comparable to an animal.
Explanation:
It has been always a question among many – ‘what is the difference between a human being and an animal ? – why human beings are considered to be special among all other species?
The above verse is an interesting verse which discusses the differences.
Intellect or buddhi – is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and to manage and handle problem.
Intellect is also the capacity for understanding, thinking, and reasoning, as distinct from feeling or wishing.
With this faculty in hand, we are able to understand and analyse many given topics in life. It is this faculty which makes human being a special one compare to an animal.
What sort of analysis and understanding that is expected from one?
śāstra or vedanta expects every individual to contemplate on the following topics with the endowed power of reasoning:-
i) Who am I ? – am I this body mind-sense complex or something else?
ii) How did this creation came about?
iii) Is there a creator?
iv) Who is the creator, if there is any?
v) Why differences in life?
vi) What is freedom or happiness ?
vii) How do I gain that freedom or happiness?
viii) Is that to be gained?
Without questioning this very life, is there anything worth considering?
On this Maha śivaratri, let us contemplate on us/myself and liberate ‘me’ from this sense of limitation and insecurity.
Om,
Amsavani
Amsa 