अयमात्मा सर्वेषां भूतानां मधु, अस्यात्मनः सर्वाणि भूतानि मधु; यश्चायमस्मिन्नात्मनि तेजोमयोऽमृतमयः पुरुषः, यश्चायमात्मा तेजोमयोऽ मृतमयः पुरुषः, अयमेव स योऽयमात्मा, इदममृतम्, इदं ब्रह्म, इदं सर्वम् ॥ १४ ॥
ayamātmā sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ madhu, asyātmanaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni madhu; yaścāyamasminnātmani tejomayo’mṛtamayaḥ puruṣaḥ, yaścāyamātmā tejomayo’ mṛtamayaḥ puruṣaḥ, ayameva sa yo’yamātmā, idamamṛtam, idaṃ brahma, idaṃ sarvam || 14 ||
14. This (cosmic) body is like honey to all beings, and all beings are like honey to this (cosmic) body. (The same with) the shining, immortal being who is in this (cosmic) body, and the shining, immortal being who is this (individual) self. (These four) are but this Self. This (Self-knowledge) is (the means of) immortality; this (underlying unity) is Brahman; this (knowledge of Brahman) is (the means of becoming) all.
The aggregate of bodies and organs which is connected with the human and other species, designated here as this body (i.e. the cosmic body), is like honey to all beings.
Objection: Has this not been indicated by the term ‘corporeal being’ in the passage dealing with, earth (II. v. 1)?
Reply: No, for there only a part, viz. that which is a modification of earth, was meant. But here the cosmic body, the aggregate of bodies and organs devoid of all distinctions such as those pertaining to the body and the elements, and consisting of all elements and gods, is meant by the expression ‘this body.’ The shining, immortal being who is in this (cosmic) body refers to the cosmic mind which is the essence of the subtle (II. iii. 3). Only a part of it was mentioned as being associated with earth etc. But no manifestation with reference to the body is mentioned here, because the cosmic mind has no such limitation. The term this self refers to the only remaining entity, the individual self, whose purpose this aggregate of gross and subtle bodies subserves.