Sloka 90
Sloka 90
Original Text:
सर्वापि बाह्यसंसारः पुरुषस्य यदाश्रयः । विद्धि देहमिदं स्थूलं गृहवद्गृहमेधिनः ॥ ९0 ॥
Certainly! Let's delve into the analysis of the given sloka.
- **Transliteration:**
sarvāpi bāhyasaṃsāraḥ puruṣasya yadāśrayaḥ | viddhi dehamidaṃ sthūlaṃ gṛhavadgṛhamedhinaḥ || 90 ||
- **Translation:**
"Know this gross body as the abode of all external experiences of the world for the individual, just as a house serves the householder."
- **Word Meanings:**
* sarvāpi - all * bāhya - external * saṃsāraḥ - worldly existence or experiences * puruṣasya - of the individual or soul * yadāśrayaḥ - whose abode or support * viddhi - know * deham - body * idam - this * sthūlaṃ - gross or physical * gṛhavat - like a house * gṛhamedhinaḥ - of the householder
- **Commentary:**
This sloka succinctly illustrates a key concept in Vedantic philosophy, which emphasizes the distinction between the self (ātman) and the body. Here, the 'gross body' is identified as the vessel through which an individual engages with the external world. Just as a house provides shelter and a base for a householder to operate and interact with society, the physical body serves as the means through which a person experiences samsara—the cycle of worldly life and activities.
In Vedantic thought, understanding the distinction between the 'self' and this 'gross body' is crucial for spiritual insight. The body, being impermanent and continually changing, is seen as merely an instrument inhabited by the self. The self is, in contrast, considered to be unchanging, eternal, and beyond the physical realm.
This understanding encourages seekers to not identify with the body or the impermanent experiences and instead realize their true nature, which is beyond samsara. By recognizing the body as a temporary abode for the soul, an embodied individual, or aspirant, is reminded of their true identity and path towards liberation (moksha).
Such teachings are foundational for cultivating the dispassion necessary to transcend the limitations of samsara and advance on the path of self-realization.
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