Verse (Roman transliteration)
Naari Stanaabhara Naabhidesham,
Drishtvaa Maagaa Mohaavisham
Etan Maamsavasaadi Vikaaaram,
Manasi Vichintaya Vaaram Vaaram
Translation
Do not be captivated by physical form — it is flesh, fat, and impermanence. Reflect on this again and again.
The teaching
Shankara addresses sensory infatuation — the compulsive pull of physical attraction. He is not condemning love or beauty; he is pointing to the difference between conscious appreciation and unconscious captivity. The body is impermanent. When we mistake the physical form for the entire person, we build attachment on a foundation that must crumble.
Living this today
Illustrative example: Imagine finding yourself judging a colleague by appearance or status. Return to what they said and did, and ask what you still do not know about them. Attraction and first impressions do not tell the whole story.