upadraṣṭānumantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ paramātmeti cāpy ukto dehe 'smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ
"The supreme spirit in this body is called the witness, the approver, the supporter, the experiencer, the great Lord, and also the Supreme Self."
What This Means:
The supreme Self in the body has many names based on its functions: witness (observes), approver (permits), supporter (sustains), experiencer (knows), great Lord (rules), Supreme Self (ultimate identity). These aren't different beings but different aspects.
Going Deeper:
Six designations of the Supreme in the body: (1) upadraṣṭā—witness (sees without doing), (2) anumantā—approver/permitter (allows without compelling), (3) bhartā—supporter (sustains existence), (4) bhoktā—experiencer (knows experience), (5) maheśvara—great Lord (sovereign), (6) paramātmā—Supreme Self. 'Puruṣaḥ paraḥ'—the supreme Person. This is the individual self recognized as ultimately divine.
How To Apply This:
Your deepest identity is not the personal ego but the Supreme Self witnessing through this body. The awareness reading this is ultimately divine—not in a grandiose ego sense, but in recognizing your true nature beyond the limited personality.
Key Sanskrit Terms: