Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.8.33
Mukti· LiberationThe Body Is a Temporary House
“This material body is like a house in which I, the soul, am living. The bones forming my spine, ribs, arms and legs are like the beams, crossbeams and pillars of the house, and the whole structure, which is full of stool and urine, is covered by skin, hair and nails. The nine doors leading into this body are constantly excreting foul substances. Besides me, what woman could be so foolish as to devote herself to this material body, thinking that she might find pleasure and love in this contraption?”
What the purport teaches
- Piṅgalā compares the body to a house in which the soul lives. Its bones form the supports, while skin, hair and nails cover it.
- The body's nine doors constantly release unpleasant substances. Its outward appearance conceals what lies within.
- The body is constantly deteriorating and must eventually disintegrate. The purport warns against dedicating oneself heart and soul to such a fragile structure.
Try this today
Pause once today to reflect: “I am the soul living in this body, not the temporary house itself.”
Ask yourself
How does seeing the body as my temporary dwelling change what I value?
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.