Shloka 63
Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ
Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body
अपूर्ववत्स्वमात्मानं जरया परिवर्तितम् । यः पश्यन्नपि रज्येत कोऽन्यस्तस्मादचेतनः
apūrvavatsvamātmānaṃ jarayā parivartitam | yaḥ paśyannapi rajyeta ko'nyastasmādacetanaḥ
Seeing one’s own self altered by old age—no longer as before—if a person still becomes attached, who could be more insentient than that one?
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Significance: Promotes self-inquiry (ātma-parīkṣā) as pilgrimage of discernment; prepares the aspirant for Śiva’s grace that removes delusion.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches vairāgya: even after witnessing the body’s inevitable decay, clinging to it is a mark of spiritual unconsciousness; the wise turn toward Pati (Shiva) rather than remaining bound as paśu by pasha (attachment).
By exposing the unreliability of the aging body, the verse redirects devotion to the enduring refuge—Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga worship) as a disciplined means to transcend bondage and realize Shiva’s liberating grace.
Practice daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with contemplation on impermanence, supported by Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to strengthen detachment and steady awareness.