Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.13.23
Mukti· LiberationThe Body Is Not the Self
“If by asking Me “Who are You?” you were referring to the material body, then I must point out that all material bodies are constituted of five elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. Thus, you should have asked, “Who are you five?” If you consider that all material bodies are ultimately one, being constituted essentially of the same elements, then your question is still meaningless, since there would be no deep purpose in distinguishing one body from another. Thus, it appears that in asking My identity, you are merely speaking words, without any real meaning or purpose.”
What the purport teaches
- Material bodies are composed of earth, water, fire, air and ether. Bodies of human beings, demigods and animals are essentially alike in their material ingredients.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa rejects both the idea that all living beings are the same in every respect and the idea that the body is the self. Neither view gives a meaningful basis for the sages’ question about His identity.
- The sages had already seen their father and spiritual master, Lord Brahmā, worshiping Lord Haṁsa. They should therefore have understood the Lord’s position.
Try this today
When you notice a bodily difference between yourself and someone else today, pause and remember that the body is not the self.
Ask yourself
How often do I understand myself or others only in terms of the body?
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.