आतिवाहिकदेहात्मा मन इत्यभिधीयते । आधिभौतिकबुद्धिं तु स आधत्ते चिरस्थितेः ॥ ४६ ॥
ātivāhikadēhātmā mana ityabhidhīyatē | ādhibhautikabuddhiṁ tu sa ādhattē cirasthitēḥ || 46 ||
Translation
The self of the subtle body is called mind; and it, by long standing, takes on the notion of a body of the elements.
Word by word
- ātivāhika
- of the subtle
- dēha
- body
- ātmā
- the self
- mana
- mind
- iti
- as
- abhidhīyatē
- is called
- ādhibhautika
- of a body of the elements
- buddhiṁ
- the notion
- tu
- and
- sa
- (saḥ) it
- ādhattē
- takes on
- cira
- long
- sthitēḥ
- by standing
Meaning
If the mind in the form of all things is Brahmā's body, what is left for him to create? The commentary answers: Brahmā in the world is called mind, with a body made of imagining; it is that mind which, by compounding the subtle elements, sets up the notion of a gross body, and that is his creating. Long standing: the habit of a very long time makes the subtle seem gross. What we take for our bodies is an old habit of the mind.