Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.14.53
Mukti· LiberationMy Body Is Not My Self
“If a person comes to the stage of considering the body “mine” instead of “me,” he will certainly not consider the body as dear as his own self. After all, even as the body is growing old and useless, one’s desire to continue living remains strong.”
What the purport teaches
- A more discriminating person thinks, “This is my body,” rather than “I am this body.” This distinction begins an understanding of the self beyond the body.
- Even when the body grows old and useless, the desire to live remains strong. This indicates that the self is dearer than the body.
- This discussion prepares the explanation of why the cows and cowherd ladies of Vṛndāvana held Kṛṣṇa dearer than their own selves and offspring.
Try this today
Pause for a minute and reflect on the distinction between “my body” and “my self.”
Ask yourself
How does saying “my body” rather than “I am this body” change my understanding of myself?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.