Upanishads · Prāṇāgnihotra 4.2
॥
Devanāgarī
शरीरं वेदिः । नासिकोत्तरवेदिः । मूर्धा द्रोणकलशः । पादो रथः । दक्षिणहस्तः स्रुवः । सव्यहस्त आज्यस्थाली । श्रोत्रे आघारौ । चक्षुषी आज्यभागौ । ग्रीवा धारापोता
Transliteration (IAST)
śarīraṃ vediḥ | nāsikottaravediḥ | mūrdhā droṇakalaśaḥ | pādo rathaḥ | dakṣiṇahastaḥ sruvaḥ | savyahasta ājyasthālī | śrotre āghārau | cakṣuṣī ājyabhāgau | grīvā dhārāpotā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
शरीरं वेदिः नासिका उत्तर-वेदिःśarīraṃ vediḥ nāsikā uttara-vediḥthe body is the altar, the nose the upper altar
मूर्धा द्रोण-कलशः पादः रथःmūrdhā droṇa-kalaśaḥ pādaḥ rathaḥthe crown the vat, the foot the chariot
दक्षिण-हस्तः स्रुवःdakṣiṇa-hastaḥ sruvaḥthe right hand the ladle
श्रोत्रे आघारौ चक्षुषी आज्य-भागौśrotre āghārau cakṣuṣī ājya-bhāgauthe ears the two libations, the eyes the two portions of ghee
Translation
The body is the altar, the nose the upper altar, the crown the vat, the foot the chariot, the right hand the ladle, the left the bowl for ghee, the ears the two libations, the eyes the two portions of ghee, the neck the dhārā-potṛ.
Version
0a00174e7560 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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The listing proceeds by body parts, and the first correspondence deserves noting: śarīraṃ vediḥ, "the body is the altar." The vedi is the dug-out and prepared ground on which the rite is performed; it is consecrated, and not just anyone may stand upon it. That is, the body is called a consecrated place.
This position is a commonplace in Vaiṣṇava books, though a different word is used there: the body is called mandira, "temple," or devālaya, "house of the deity," on the grounds that Paramātmā dwells within it. Let us examine what follows from this, for the consequences are twofold, and both matter. First: the body must be cared for. Not out of attachment, but as one cares for another's house entrusted to one's keeping; this was discussed when reading the Jābāla-darśana (6.24).
Second, and less obvious: not everything may be done in the body. If it is an altar, not everything is fitting on it; and the whole practice of restraint grows not from contempt for the body, but from respect for it. This distinction deserves stating, because it is constantly confused. Restraint from contempt for the body and restraint from reverence for it look the same and are different things; and they can be distinguished by how a person treats the body when there is nothing to restrain: one who despises it neglects it, one who reveres it keeps it in order.