Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.29.30
Sthāna· The universe in orderRecognize the Position of Human Life
“Better than those living entities who can perceive sound are those who can distinguish between one form and another. Better than them are those who have developed upper and lower sets of teeth, and better still are those who have many legs. Better than them are the quadrupeds, and better still are the human beings.”
What the purport teaches
- Those who distinguish one form from another are placed above those who perceive sound. The purport gives crows as an example of this ability.
- The verse next describes living entities with upper and lower sets of teeth, followed by those with many legs.
- Four-legged animals are placed above many-legged living entities, and human beings above four-legged animals. The purport identifies the human being as having two legs.
Try this today
Write the progression described in this verse in your own words, ending with human beings.
Ask yourself
What does this description invite me to appreciate about having a human body?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.