FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.26.19-20

पित्रो: किं स्वं नु भार्याया: स्वामिनोऽग्ने: श्वगृध्रयो: । किमात्मन: किं सुहृदामिति यो नावसीयते ॥ १९ ॥ तस्मिन् कलेवरेऽमेध्ये तुच्छनिष्ठे विषज्जते । अहो सुभद्रं सुनसं सुस्मितं च मुखं स्‍त्रिय: ॥ २० ॥
pitroḥ kiṁ svaṁ nu bhāryāyāḥ
[pitroh kim svam nu bhaaryaayaah]
svāmino ’gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ
[svaamino ’gneh shva-gridhrayoh]
kim ātmanaḥ kiṁ suhṛdām
[kim aatmanah kim suhridaam]
iti yo nāvasīyate
[iti yo naavaseeyate]
tasmin kalevare ’medhye
[tasmin kalevare ’medhye]
tuccha-niṣṭhe viṣajjate
[tuchcha-nishthe vishajjate]
aho su-bhadraṁ su-nasaṁ
[aho su-bhadram su-nasam]
su-smitaṁ ca mukhaṁ striyaḥ
[su-smitam cha mukham striyah]
Word-for-word
pitroḥ — of the parents kim — whether svam — the property nu — or bhāryāyāḥ — of the wife svāminaḥ — of the employer agneḥ — of the fire śva-gṛdhrayoḥ — of the dogs and vultures kim — whether ātmanaḥ — of the soul kim — whether suhṛdām — of friends iti — thus yaḥ — who na avasīyate — can never decide tasmin — to that kalevare — material body amedhye — abominable tuccha-niṣṭhe — heading toward the lowest destination viṣajjate — becomes attached aho — ah su-bhadram — very attractive su-nasam — having a beautiful nose su-smitam — beautiful smile ca — and mukham — the face striyaḥ — of a woman.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pitroḥ kiṁ svaṁ nu bhāryāyāḥ
pitroḥ
of the parents
kim
whether
svam
the property
nu
or
bhāryāyāḥ
of the wife
svāmino ’gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ
svāminaḥ
of the employer
agneḥ
of the fire
śva-gṛdhrayoḥ
of the dogs and vultures
kim ātmanaḥ kiṁ suhṛdām
kim
whether
ātmanaḥ
of the soul
kim
whether
suhṛdām
of friends
iti yo nāvasīyate
iti
thus
yaḥ
who
tasmin kalevare ’medhye
tuccha-niṣṭhe viṣajjate
aho su-bhadraṁ su-nasaṁ
na avasīyate
can never decide
su-smitaṁ ca mukhaṁ striyaḥ
tasmin
to that
kalevare
material body
amedhye
abominable
tuccha-niṣṭhe
heading toward the lowest destination
viṣajjate
becomes attached
aho
ah
su-bhadram
very attractive
su-nasam
having a beautiful nose
su-smitam
beautiful smile
ca
and
mukham
the face
striyaḥ
of a woman.
One can never decide whose property the body actually is. Does it belong to one’s parents, who have given birth to it, to one’s wife, who gives it pleasure, or to one’s employer, who orders the body around? Is it the property of the funeral fire or of the dogs and jackals who may ultimately devour it? Is it the property of the indwelling soul, who partakes in its happiness and distress, or does the body belong to intimate friends who encourage and help it? Although a man never definitely ascertains the proprietor of the body, he becomes most attached to it. The material body is a polluted material form heading toward a lowly destination, yet when a man stares at the face of a woman he thinks, “What a good-looking lady! What a charming nose she’s got, and see her beautiful smile!”
Purport

The phrase tuccha-niṣṭhe, or “headed toward a lowly destination,” indicates that if buried, the body will be consumed by worms; if burned, it will turn to ashes; and if dying in a lonely place, it will be consumed by dogs and vultures. The illusory potency of Māyā enters within the female form and bewilders a man’s mind. The man is attracted to Māyā appearing within the female form, but when he embraces the woman’s body he ends up with two handfuls of stool, blood, mucus, pus, skin, bone, hairs and flesh. People should not be like cats and dogs, in the ignorance of bodily consciousness. A human being should be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and learn to serve the Supreme Lord without falsely trying to exploit His potencies.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One can never decide to whom the body belongs. Does it belong to one’s parents, to one’s wife, to one’s employer, to the funeral fire, to the dogs and jackals, to the soul, or to friends? Even one’s own body is subject to projected qualities arising from lack of discrimination. Does the body belong to one’s parents because they produced it? The word nu indicates conjecture. Does it belong to the wife, because she gives it pleasure? Does it belong to the employer because it gives him pleasure? Does it belong to the cremation fire, because it is offered into the fire as an oblation at death? Does it belong to dogs and jackals because they devour it? Does it belong to the soul, since the soul experiences happiness and distress that the body creates? Does it belong to friends who assist it? This cannot be determined.
Personal Guidance
Whose property is the body — parents who made it, wife who enjoys it, employer who orders it, funeral fire, dogs, the soul, friends? Ownership is never settled. The question dissolves the claim.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose body am I claiming as 'mine' when many parties could?
  • What does shared, indeterminate ownership teach?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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