According to Chapter 8, what makes a human life 'useless,' and what is the key to making it successful?

Chapter 8 of the Sai Satcharitra explicitly defines what makes a human life useless. It states that if life is wasted only on the four activities of eating, sleeping, fear, and mating, then the human birth is rendered pointless, with no real difference between a human and an animal. The text asks, 'wherein lies the greatness of the human body if both are in the same state?' The key to a successful life, as outlined in this chapter, is to understand the purpose of our existence. It states that a human being is meant to be 'free, fearless, and independent,' and that 'the realization of the Eternal is the true success of birth.' Knowing where we come from and who we truly are is what makes one proficient; otherwise, all effort is just exhaustion.