Chapter 15 Verse 8
Puruṣhottam Yog
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।15.8।।
śharīraṁ yad avāpnoti yach chāpy utkrāmatīśhvaraḥ gṛihītvaitāni sanyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśhayāt
Word Meanings
| śharīram | the body |
| yat | as |
| avāpnoti | carries |
| yat | as |
| cha api | also |
| utkrāmati | leaves |
| īśhvaraḥ | the Lord of the material body, the embodied soul |
| gṛihītvā | taking |
| etāni | these |
| sanyāti | goes away |
| vāyuḥ | the air |
| gandhān | fragrance |
| iva | like |
| āśhayāt | from seats |
Translation
When the Lord, as the individual soul, obtains a body and when He leaves it, He takes these with Him, just as the wind takes the scents from their seats (flowers, etc.).
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
This verse teaches that the true self (the soul) enters a body and later leaves it, taking along what is subtle and personal, not the physical form. The image of the wind carrying a scent from flowers shows how something invisible can move from one place to another.
What moves with the soul are inner things—mind, memories, habits, and feelings—not the body itself. These inner patterns shape the next life or experience, just as a scent defines a flower for a moment.
So the body is temporary, a vehicle. The lasting part of us is what we cultivate inside. That is what will accompany us beyond any single lifetime or situation.
Life Application
- Treat the body as a useful tool, not your whole identity; focus on calming and steadying your mind through short daily practices (breathing, quiet reflection).
- Live so your inner habits are wholesome: choose kindness, honesty, and steady effort, because these inner qualities are what you carry forward.
- When facing loss or aging, remember what matters is the inner life you have built, and use that awareness to reduce fear and attachment.
Reflection Question
Which inner qualities am I nurturing that I would want to carry with me always?