The Vedas speak of the Homa bird. It lives very high in the sky. There the mother bird lays her egg. She lives so high that the egg falls for many days. While falling it is hatched.
The chick continues to fall. That also goes on for many days. In the meantime the chick develops eyes.
Coming near the earth, it becomes conscious of the world. It realises it will meet certain death if it hits the ground. Then it gives a shrill cry and shoots up towards its mother.
The earth means death, and it frightens the young bird; it then seeks its mother. She dwells high up in the sky, and the young bird shoots straight up in that direction. It doesn’t look anywhere else.
Persons who are born with God-consciousness realise the danger of coming in contact with the world. From their very childhood they are afraid of the world, and their one thought is how to reach the mother, how to realise God.
Source: Tales & Parables of Ramakrishna Paramhansa