Category:Human Spirit
Theme Analysis
The "cultivation of the human spirit" is presented in these teachings as the defining purpose of human existence, distinguishing man from animal. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that society must be organized—specifically through the varṇāśrama system and the protection of cows—to facilitate this spiritual development. Unlike modern industrial civilization which entangles the soul in hard labor and false ego, true human culture encourages gradual detachment from material activities and an awakening of God consciousness. The ultimate goal of this cultivation is not merely social adjustment but the revival of the soul's eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord.
- The Ultimate Goal: The aim of all social structures and individual endeavors should be self-realization. The cultivation of the human spirit leads one to surrender unto God and understand His all-pervasive nature.
- Prerequisites for Culture: Spiritual advancement requires a finer brain tissue, which is developed through drinking milk. Therefore, cow protection and the guidance of intelligent brahmanas are essential for maintaining this culture.
- Freedom from False Ego: As one progresses in spiritual culture, the false identification with the material body fades away. The threefold miseries of life are nullified by intense love of God.
- Retirement and Renunciation: A civilized human being is expected to retire from active economic duties after the age of fifty to focus exclusively on introspection and spiritual realization, rather than working until death like an animal.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Cultivating the Human Spirit for God Realization.
Pages in category "Human Spirit"
The following 23 pages are in this category, out of 23 total.
A
- All great sages of the world - like Lord Krishna, Lord Buddha, Lord Christ, Hazrat Mohammed, Acarya Sankara, Acarya Ramanuja, Lord Caitanya - all lived for enlightening men in this culture of human spirit
- All these (the varnas and the asramas) anomalies of the present social system can be reformed only by cultivation of the human spirit in the devotional service of the Lord
- As already explained, the four divisions of society - namely the intelligent class of men, the ruling class, the mercantile class, and the laboring class - are meant to achieve one goal in life: self-realization, or cultivation of the human spirit
- Asuric leaders of society never retire from such lustful undertakings unless killed by the laws of nature. For them there is no question of retirement or of cultivating the human spirit
D
- Devoid of our relationship with God our life is barren, but as soon as the muddy mind is cleared by spiritual association or cultivation of the human spirit the threefold miseries of material life are at once cleared off
- Dhruva Maharaja indirectly informed the great sage Narada that there are four kinds of human spirit - the brahminical spirit, the ksatriya spirit, the vaisya spirit and the sudra spirit. The spirit of one caste is not applicable to the members of another
T
- The attention of human being should be drawn to the cultivation of the human spirit, for this will gradually protect him from all sorts of discomfiture & elevate him to a higher status of life for real & eternal enjoyment in personal contact with the PG
- The development of hard and difficult industrial undertakings always hinders the progressive cultivation of the human spirit. Asuric leaders of society never retire from such lustful undertakings unless killed by the laws of nature
- The idea of society, friendship, and love is not at all false, but the place where we search for it is false. We have to give up this false position and rise to the reality. That is the result of cultivating the human spirit
- The killing of cows by human society is one of the grossest suicidal policies, and those who are anxious to cultivate the human spirit must turn their attention first toward the question of cow protection
- The threefold miseries of material existence are at once nullified by intense love of God, which is the ultimate goal of cultivating the human spirit
- The ultimate goal of cultivating the human spirit is God realization and surrender unto God with a full sense of His all-pervasive nature
- This false identification (of spirit soul with the body) and attraction for matter gradually dry up and fade away by success in the cultivation of the human spirit. That is the effect of such higher cultivation