Verse 2.37 - Subtle bodies (sūkṣma)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 2.37:

परं परं सूक्ष्मम् ॥ २.३७ ॥

paraṃ paraṃ sūkṣmam || 2.37 ||

The bodies are more and more subtle (sūkṣma), successively. (37)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: पहिले कहे हुए शरीरों की अपेक्षा [परं परं] आगे-आगे के शरीर [सूक्ष्मम्] सूक्ष्म-सूक्ष्म होते हैं, अर्थात् औदारिक की अपेक्षा वैक्रियिक सूक्ष्म, वैक्रियिक की अपेक्षा आहारक सूक्ष्म, आहारक की अपेक्षा तैजस सूक्ष्म, और तैजस की अपेक्षा से कार्मण शरीर सूक्ष्म होता है।

Anvayartha: pahile kahe hue sharirom ki apeksha [param param] age-age ke sharira [sukshmam] sukshma-sukshma hote haim, arthat audarika ki apeksha vaikriyika sukshma, vaikriyika ki apeksha aharaka sukshma, aharaka ki apeksha taijasa sukshma, aura taijasa ki apeksha se karmana sharira sukshma hota hai |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

The gross–audārika–body is perceived by the senses. Why are the other bodies not perceived by the senses?

Though the word ‘param’ has many meanings, here it means relative position or order. The phrase ‘param param’ indicates that the bodies, though distinct from one another, have commonality of the attribute ‘fineness’, but in varying degree. The gross (audārika) body is ‘sthūla’–perceivable by the senses. The transformable (vaikriyika) body is finer (sūkṣma) than the gross one. The projectable (āhāraka) body is still finer than the transformable one. The luminous (taijasa) body is still finer than the projectable one. And the karmic (kārmaṇa) body is still finer than the luminous one.