Shloka 52
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime
देहात्मवादिनां पुंसामपि राजन्यसत्तम । यथा देह: प्रियतमस्तथा न ह्यनु ये च तम् ॥ ५२ ॥
dehātma-vādināṁ puṁsām api rājanya-sattama yathā dehaḥ priyatamas tathā na hy anu ye ca tam
Selbst für jene, die den Körper für das Selbst halten, o erhabenster König, ist der Körper das Liebste; Dinge, die nur durch ihre Beziehung zum Körper Bedeutung haben, sind niemals so lieb wie der Körper selbst.
FAQs
This verse points out the inconsistency of bodily identification: people claim the body is the self and love it most, yet they fail to show comparable regard for those who actually serve and support the body—hinting that such ‘self-love’ is confused and not spiritually grounded.
Śukadeva speaks to Parīkṣit as an exemplary ruler and sincere seeker, using an honorific to emphasize that this insight into bodily illusion is especially relevant for a king responsible for discerning real welfare beyond mere bodily concerns.
Reflect on where your ‘love of self’ is placed: care for the body responsibly, but cultivate the soul’s welfare through sādhana—hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa, serving devotees, and practicing compassion—so identity shifts from body-centered to devotion-centered.