किं जन्मभिस्त्रिभिर्वेह शौक्रसावित्रयाज्ञिकै: । कर्मभिर्वा त्रयीप्रोक्तै: पुंसोऽपि विबुधायुषा ॥ १० ॥
kim janmabhis tribhir veha saukra-savitra-yajnikaih karmabhir va trayi-proktaih pumso ’pi vibudhayusa
- kim
- what is the use
- janmabhih
- of births
- tribhih
- three
- va
- or
- iha
- in this world
- saukra
- by semen
- savitra
- by initiation
- yajnikaih
- by becoming a perfect brahmana
- karmabhih
- by activities
- va
- or
- trayi
- in the Vedas
- proktaih
- instructed
- pumsah
- of a human being
- api
- even
- vibudha
- of the demigods
- ayusa
- with a duration of life.
A civilized human being has three kinds of births. The first birth is by a pure father and mother, and this birth is called birth by semen. The next birth takes place when one is initiated by the spiritual master, and this birth is called savitra. The third birth, called yajnika, takes place when one is given the opportunity to worship Lord Visnu. Despite the opportunities for attaining such births, even if one gets the life-span of a demigod, if one does not actually engage in the service of the Lord, everything is useless. Similarly, one’s activities may be mundane or spiritual, but they are useless if they are not meant for satisfying the Lord.