There are many forms of grace, but three of them are considered to be of great significance: attaining a human birth, having a desire for God-realization, and meeting a saint. If we could realize the significance of human birth, it would not even take a day to attain God. The human body is so important that even Indra, the king of heaven, who is worshipped by human beings, desires to be born as a human himself. The human body is a very complex machine and there is no other body as complex as that of a human. We strive to maintain a very healthy body, yet suffer from many an ailment due to improper habits and the prevailing environment. In addition, an average human suffers innumerable miseries as a resullt of illness and death of loved ones. It is amazing how we humans are able to continue living. However, there is a wonderful power that we humans possess - knowledge.
jñānaṁ hi teṣhāṁ adhikaḥ
There is no other creature, with the exception of celestial Gods in heaven that can match the faculty of knowledge that we human beings possess. We have the power to comprehend who we are, the nature of our body, this world, God, bliss, sorrow, etc. We can inquire into what causes sorrow, and how to eliminate the root cause of all sorrows. We have the power to understand and take the appropriate steps to find the cure. Countless fellow humans, like Tulsidas, Kabirdas, Meera, Nanak and Tukaram, have accomplished this. It is the gift of knowledge that gives immense significance and value to the human body.
