न किञ्चिदपि दृश्येऽस्मिन् सत्यं तेन हतात्मना । चित्रं दग्धशरीरेण जनता विप्रलभ्यते ॥ ५७ ॥
na kiñcidapi dṛśyē’smin satyaṁ tēna hatātmanā | citraṁ dagdhaśarīrēṇa janatā vipralabhyatē || 57 ||
Translation
Nothing at all in this visible world is true; and yet, a wonder, people are deceived by this wretched, burnt body, which has destroyed the self.
Word by word
- na
- nothing
- kiñcid
- (kiñcit) at all
- api
- even
- dṛśyē
- visible world
- asmin
- in this
- satyaṁ
- is true
- tēna
- by this
- hata
- which has destroyed
- ātmanā
- the self
- citraṁ
- a wonder
- dagdha
- wretched, burnt
- śarīrēṇa
- body
- janatā
- people
- vipralabhyatē
- are deceived
Meaning
If nothing in the visible world is real, the commentary says, then the body, which is part of it, is not real either; and yet the whole of humankind is deceived by it. That is the wonder (citra). The body is called "burnt" (dagdha), a curse, and "self-destroying" (hatātman). The verse gives the reason for all the preceding images: what seems most real, the body, is no more real than the rest of the dream. The reader is pointed to the deepest teaching of the work, which this verse anticipates.