Tag: Body

Senses, mind, intellect, body and soul

Kaṭhopaniṣhad explains the differences in role of senses, mind, intellect, body and soul with the help of the model of a chariot:

ātmānagvaṁ rathinaṁ viddhi śharīraṁ rathameva tu

buddhiṁ tu sārathiṁ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva cha

indriyāṇi hayānāhurviṣhayānsteṣhu gocharān

ātmendriyamanoyuktaṁ bhoktetyāhurmanīṣhiṇaḥ (1.3.3-4) [v21]

The Upanishad says there is a chariot, which has five horses pulling it; the horses have reins in their mouths, which are in the hands of a charioteer; a passenger is sitting at the back of the chariot. Ideally, the passenger should instruct the charioteer, who should then control the reins and guide the horses in the proper direction. However, in this case, the passenger has gone to sleep, and so the horses are running away.

In this analogy, the chariot is the body, the horses are the five senses, the reins in the mouth of the horses is the mind, the charioteer is the intellect, and the passenger seated behind is the soul residing in the body. The senses (horses) desire pleasurable things. The mind (reins) is not exercising restraint on the senses (horses). The intellect (charioteer) submits to the pull of the reins (mind). So in the materially bound state, the bewildered soul does not direct the intellect in the proper direction. Thus, the senses decide the direction where the chariot will go. The soul experiences the pleasures of the senses vicariously, but these do not satisfy it. Seated on this chariot, the soul (passenger) is moving around in this material world since eternity.

However, if the soul wakes up to its higher nature and decides to take a proactive role, it can exercise the intellect in the proper direction. The intellect will then govern the lower self—the mind and the senses—and the chariot will move in the direction of eternal welfare. In this way, the higher self (soul) must be used to control the lower self (senses, mind, and, intellect).

Nothing truly stops you Nothing truly holds you…

Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But you are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your will needn’t be affected by an incident unless you let it.

-Epictetus

When the speech of this dead person enters…

When the speech of this dead person enters into the fire, breath into the air, the eye into the sun, the mind into the moon, the hearing into space, into the earth the body, into the ether the self, into the shrubs the hairs of the body, into the trees the hairs of the head, when the blood and the seed are deposited in the water, where is then that person?
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 3.2.13

Chadariya jheeni re jheeni

chadariya jheeni re jheeni, raam naam ras bheeni;

The fabric (body) is subtle, very subtle, indeed; it is woven with the essence of God’s name;

asht kamal ka charkha banaya, panch tatwa ki pooni;

The eight lotuses (chakras) made the spinning wheel which spun the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) to make the fabric;

nau das mas bunan ko lage, murakh maili keeni.

It took nine months (ten lunar months) for its weaving, and foolish people defile it;

jab mori chadar ban ghar ai, rangrez ko deeni;

Once the fabric was made and brought home, it was given to the dyer (guru) for colouring;

aisa rang ranga rangrez ne, lalo laal kar deeni.

The dyer coloured it with such skill that it became brilliantly red (illumined);

chadar ode sanka mat kariye, ye do din tumko deeni;

As you wear this fabric, do not have doubts; it is a gift to you for two days only;

murakh log bhed nahi jaane, din din maili keeni.

Foolish people do not know the secret of this fabric, and day after day they pollute it;

dhruv prahalad sudama ne odhi, shukdev ne nirmal keeni;

Dhruv, Prahalad, Sudama and Shukdev wore this fabric and purified it;

das kabir ne aisi odhi, jyon ki tyon dhari deeni.

The servant Kabir wore it in such a way, that he returned it in the condition in which he received it.