SB 12.2.43 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.2.43

तेजोऽबन्नमयं कायं गृहीत्वात्मतयाबुधा: । महीं ममतया चोभौ हित्वान्तेऽदर्शनं गता: ॥ ४३ ॥

tejo-’b-anna-mayaṁ kāyaṁ

[tejo-’b-anna-mayam kaayam]

gṛhītvātmatayābudhāḥ

[griheetvaatmatayaabudhaah]

mahīṁ mamatayā cobhau

[maheem mamatayaa chobhau]

hitvānte ’darśanaṁ gatāḥ

[hitvaante ’darshanam gataah]

Word-for-word

tejaḥ — fire ap — water anna — and earth mayam — composed of kāyam — this body gṛhītvā — accepting ātmatayā — with the sense of “I” abudhāḥ — the unintelligent mahīm — this earth mamatayā — with the sense of “my” ca — and ubhau — both hitvā — giving up ante — ultimately adarśanam — disappearance gatāḥ — they have obtained.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

tejo-’b-anna-mayaṁ kāyaṁ

tejaḥ

fire

water

anna

and earth

mayam

composed of

kāyam

this body

gṛhītvātmatayābudhāḥ

gṛhītvā

accepting

ātmatayā

with the sense of “I”

abudhāḥ

the unintelligent

mahīṁ mamatayā cobhau

mahīm

this earth

mamatayā

with the sense of “my”

and

ubhau

both

hitvānte ’darśanaṁ gatāḥ

hitvā

giving up

ante

ultimately

adarśanam

disappearance

gatāḥ

they have obtained.

Although the foolish accept the body made of earth, water and fire as “me” and this earth as “mine,” in every case they have ultimately abandoned both their body and the earth and passed away into oblivion.

Purport

Although the soul is eternal, our so-called family tradition and earthly fame will certainly pass into oblivion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Although the foolish accept the body made of earth, water and fire as "me" and this earth as "mine," in every case they must abandon both their body and the earth and die. Having accepted body as self and earth as “mine,” they give up both body and land at the end and die (adarśanam).

Personal Guidance

Even though the soul is eternal, the family name and earthly fame surely fade into oblivion. Knowing this protects us from sacrificing the eternal for the temporary — a foolish trade we almost make daily.

Reflection Questions

Where am I trading the eternal for the temporary in small ways?
What is one swap I could reverse today?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io