Shloka 51
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
बुध्यते स्वे न भेदेन व्यक्तिस्थ इव तद्गत: । लक्ष्यते स्थूलमतिभिरात्मा चावस्थितोऽर्कवत् ॥ ५१ ॥
budhyate sve na bhedena vyakti-stha iva tad-gataḥ lakṣyate sthūla-matibhir ātmā cāvasthito ’rka-vat
ดวงอาทิตย์แม้สะท้อนในสิ่งต่างๆ มากมายก็ไม่ถูกแบ่งแยก และไม่หลอมรวมเข้าไปในเงาสะท้อน ผู้มีปัญญาทึบเท่านั้นจึงคิดเช่นนั้น ฉันใด อาตมันแม้ดูราวสะท้อนผ่านกายต่างๆ ก็ยังไม่แตกแยกและไม่เป็นวัตถุ ตั้งมั่นดุจดวงอาทิตย์ฉันนั้น
The sun is reflected in many objects, such as windows, mirrors, shiny metal, oil, water, and so on, yet the sun remains one and indivisible. Similarly, the eternal spirit soul within the body is reflected through the screen of the material body. Thus the soul appears to be old or young, fat or skinny, happy or sad. The soul may appear to be American, Russian, African, Hindu or Christian; however, the eternal soul in its natural position is free of any material designation.
FAQs
This verse explains that gross-minded people think the ātmā is located inside a particular body, but in truth the Self is not confined by bodily individuality and remains like the sun—unrestricted and not limited to one place.
King Yadu approached the Avadhūta to understand the secret of his inner freedom; Dattātreya teaches that misidentification with individuality makes the soul seem localized, whereas true realization sees the Self beyond bodily limitation.
Reduce identity-based anxiety by observing that you are the conscious witness, not merely a role or body; cultivate steadiness through sādhana (hearing, chanting, remembrance) and see others with spiritual equality rather than external labels.