एक आत्मनः शरीरे भावात् ॥ ५३ ॥
eka ātmanaḥ śarīre bhāvāt || 53 ||
eka—Some (deny); ātmanaḥ—(the existence) of an Atman (besides the body); śarīre (suti?) bhāvāt—(for It) exists (only) when there is a body.
53. Some (deny) (the existence) of an Atman (separate from the body), (for It) exists (only) when there is a body.
This Sutra gives the view of the Charvakas or materialists, who deny the existence of an Atman other than the body. They say that man is only a body, having consciousness for its quality, and that consciousness is like the intoxicating property that is produced when certain materials are put together, none of which singly is intoxicating. They arrive at this conclusion in this way. Consciousness is seen to exist only when there is a body. Independent of the body it is nowhere experienced. Hence it is only a quality of the body. Therefore, there is no separate Self in this body.