tat striyā ātmabhūyaṁ gacchati yathā svam aṅgaṁ tathā | tasmād enāṁ na hinasti | sāsyaitam ātmānam atra gataṁ bhāvayati ||
"It becomes part of the woman's self, as if her own limb. Therefore it does not hurt her. She nourishes this self of his that has come to her."
What This Means:
Once in the mother, the embryo becomes as if part of her own body — like one of her limbs. That's why pregnancy doesn't fundamentally "hurt" her (the body doesn't reject it). She nurtures this visiting self.
Going Deeper:
The mother's body accepts the embryo as self, not other. This biological acceptance mirrors the spiritual truth that the Self in one being is the same Self in another. The mother nurtures "his self" because it's also her Self.
How To Apply This:
The separation between self and other can dissolve — as it does between mother and child. Can you nurture others' wellbeing as if it were your own? That's recognizing the one Self in all.
Key Sanskrit Terms: