The Unrecorded Legacy: Counting the Past and Present Human Lives

It is a great challenge to recapitulate the entirety of human history, especially in terms of the number of people who have lived and died over millennia. Historically, most of the population has not been documented. The records that were kept in ancient times have long since perished, leaving room for speculation and estimation.

Estimations and Speculation

Most of the figures and estimates regarding past human populations are highly speculative. One such estimation posits that the world could have supported a certain level of technology, say, 100 million to 1 billion people in ancient times. However, one must question whether these numbers accurately represent population sizes at the time or if they were influenced by technological advancements or limitations. Furthermore, it remains a contentious topic how accurately these figures reflect the true population numbers.

Current Population and Recirculation

Currently, the world population is just shy of 9 billion. Beyond this, there live a myriad of other beings, which adds complexity to calculating a cumulative number of all lives ever lived. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the concept of souls is even more expansive, suggesting that there are countless souls that have lived and existed.

Philosophical Perspectives on Human Significance

From a philosophical standpoint, the lives of most humans throughout history have been as insignificant as the life of an ant. However, for a person to rise above the mere existence of an ant, they must be devoted to God. This idea is articulated through ancient texts like the Bhagavatam and teachings by Lord Krishna Himself.

In this material world, there are as many living entities as atoms. Among these living entities, a very few are human beings, and among them, very few are interested in following religious principles., says King Pariksit, emphasizing the rarity of those who seek a profound and spiritual path in life.

Paths to Liberation

In the journey towards liberation, or moksha, few individuals genuinely succeed. Among those who follow religious principles, even fewer aim for liberation. Among those who aspire for liberation, the rarest of all are those who achieve it completely, like Sukadeva Gosvami, a sage who sets a prime example of one who has renounced worldly attachments and gained spiritual realization.

However, even among those who attain liberation, only a select few become true devotees of Lord Narayana or Krishna. Such devotees, despite their liberation, are considered even more rare and precious due to their deep understanding and devotion to the Supreme Being.

Comparative Analysis of Perspectives

There are different perspectives on the liberation quest. Mayavadi impersonalists believe that the ultimate reality is impersonal and maya, while devotees understand the Supreme Person to be Krishna. According to Srila Prabhupada, the ultimate goal of life is to become a devotee of Krishna, which involves a higher level of understanding and devotion.

Mayavadi impersonalists, despite their profound realization of the nature of reality, are still counted among the siddhas, those who have realized themselves, although not yet fully realized the Supreme Person. True devotees are considered even more advanced, as they understand the true nature of the Supreme Person and do not merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the exact number of humans who have ever lived remains speculative, the spiritual significance of human life is more profound. The journey towards understanding and devotion to the Supreme Being remains a rare and precious path for those seeking true liberation and fulfillment in life.

Keywords

Human History, Record Keeping, Soul Count