Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.28.57
Sarga· CreationUnderstanding the City of the Body
“My dear friend, the five gardens are the five objects of sense enjoyment, and the protector is the life air, which passes through the nine gates. The three apartments are the chief ingredients — fire, water and earth. The six families are the aggregate total of the mind and five senses.”
What the purport teaches
- The five gardens represent the five objects of sense enjoyment. Sight, taste, smell, sound and touch are the five senses that acquire knowledge.
- The life air protects the body and passes through its nine gates. These bodily openings are compared to gates in a city's walls.
- Earth, water and fire are the principal bodily ingredients. The mind is the principal actor, controlled by intelligence, and the six families represent the mind and five senses.
Try this today
During one meal today, notice the activities of taste and smell, and how your mind responds.
Ask yourself
How do I notice the mind directing my senses during an ordinary activity?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.