Work on removing superimpositions of all kinds from the mind, Sri Adi Sankaracharya stresses as a refrain from many a verse in the Vivekachoodamani. He describes the real nature of the body so that one cultivates the dispassion for it.
The physical body is of the nature of flesh born out of excretory matter of the father and mother. Cast it aside mentally as if it were something that cannot be touched. Be the Brahman—the pure consciousness—and fulfil the purpose of your existence in this lifetime, says the Acharya.
He addresses the seeker as Muni—the contemplator or the one who is basically a silent person. Giving a comparison for our condition in existence, he says the Atma (I) and the Paramatma (the Supreme Self) are one, and the same like the space within and without a pot. In one’s understanding, the seeker should merge the individual I into the cosmic I, and what’s left to be done? Nothing, but to remain in the silence within always.
You are that self- illumined substratum, always existing by yourself as the Self. Knowing this, just drop the whole macrocosm of the universe around and the microcosm of the body, as if it were a large container of excretory matter. The Acharya here uses very extremely disgusting examples to turn our attention away from the body, which we constantly pamper, nurture and nourish. The danger of this is that such attachment will pave the way for taking up such bodies in the future and the whole purpose of Vedanta is to put an end to this cycle of coming and going into and out of the body through birth and death. We cannot give up so easily something we love and cherish, but we are always ready to part with immediately something that irritates or disgusts us.
Bring your attention away from the physical body and offer the thought of I into the consciousness of the Self which is in a perpetual state of joy. Doing this, give up even the identification with the subtle body of feelings, thoughts, memories and the notions of I and mine. Be ever as the one consciousness without a second at all times.
The truth that the whole world that we see spread out in front of us is like an image on the mirror. Even if it may appear true to the original form, it is only a uni-dimensional image whose reality is only until you stand in front of the mirror. When you go away, the image too is not there. In the same way, standing in front of the universe, know that it is one big mirror of the Brahman—the supreme self that is you indeed. The image exists because it is a reflection of the Brahman—that is they are all a collection of thoughts of various shapes, sizes and feelings projected on the screen of consciousness.