Verse 15.8
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः | गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ||८||
Transliteration (IAST)
śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ | gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt ||8||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
When the lord of the body (the jiva) acquires a body and when it leaves it, it takes these (mind and senses) and goes, as the wind carries fragrances from their source.
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains that the jiva is called 'īśvara' (lord) because it is the master of the body-mind complex. Just as wind carries scents invisibly from flowers, the subtle body carries the mind and senses from one gross body to another at death. Ramanuja notes this illustrates the transmigration process - the jiva departs with its karmic impressions intact, determining the next birth.