TEXT 40
tad yatha vrksa unmulah
susyaty udvartate cirat
evam nastanrtah sadya
atma susyen na samsayah
SYNONYMS
tattherefore; yathaas; vrksaha tree; unmulahbeing uprooted; susyatidries up; udvartatefalls down; aciratvery soon; evamin this way; nastalost; anrtahthe temporary body; sadyahimmediately; atmathe body; susyetdries up; nanot; samsayahany doubt.
TRANSLATION
When a tree is uprooted it immediately falls down and begins to dry up. Similarly, if one doesnt take care of the body, which is supposed to be untruthin other words, if the untruth is uprootedthe body undoubtedly becomes dry.
PURPORT
In this regard, Srila Rupa Gosvami says:
One who rejects things without knowledge of their relationship to Krsna is incomplete in his renunciation. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.66) When the body is engaged in the service of the Lord, one should not consider the body material. Sometimes the spiritual body of the spiritual master is misunderstood. But Srila Rupa Gosvami instructs, prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. The body fully engaged in Krsnas service should not be neglected as material. One who does neglect it is false in his renunciation. If the body is not properly maintained, it falls down and dries up like an uprooted tree, from which flowers and fruit can no longer be obtained. The Vedas therefore enjoin:
om iti satyam nety anrtam tad etat-puspam phalam vaco yat satyam sahesvaro yasasvi kalyana-kirtir bhavita; puspam hi phalam vacah satyam vadaty athaitan-mulam vaco yad anrtam yad yatha vrksa avirmulah susyati, sa udvartata evam evanrtam vadann avirmulam atmanam karoti, sa susyati sa udvartate, tasmad anrtam na vaded dayeta tv etena.
The purport is that activities performed with the help of the body for the satisfaction of the Absolute Truth (om tat sat) are never temporary, although performed by the temporary body. Indeed, such activities are everlasting. Therefore, the body should be properly cared for. Because the body is temporary, not permanent, one cannot expose the body to being devoured by a tiger or killed by an enemy. All precautions should be taken to protect the body.

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