SAUNDARANANDA 17.16: Examining & Perceiving the Body

sa ruupiNaM kRtsnam a-ruupiNam ca
saaraM didRkSur vicikaaya kaayaM
ath' aa-shuciM duHkham a-nityam a-svaM
nir-aatmakaM c'aiva cikaaya kaayaM

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17.16
Desiring to experience
its total material and immaterial substance,

He examined the body.

Then as impure, as suffering, as impermanent,
as without an owner,

And again as devoid of self, he perceived the body.

COMMENT:
I think asvam and nir-aatmaka are two expressions for the same perception: that a body is a body, without a separate self. So the list in line 3 and 4 as I read it contains not five elements but four elements, the last one of which is repeated for emphasis.

EH Johnston:
He investigated the body in order to see its entire material and immaterial substance. Then he deemed it to be impure, subject to suffering, impermanent, without owner or self.

Linda Covill:
He examined the body with the intention of viewing its entire material and immaterial substance; and he observed that the body was not pure, that it was prone to suffering, impermanent, without properties, and without self.

VOCABULARY:
sa (nom. sg. m.): he
ruupiNam = acc. sg. m. ruupin: mfn. having or assuming a partic. form or figure , embodied , corporeal ; having a beautiful form or figure , well-shaped , handsome , beautiful
kRtsnam (acc. sg. m.): all , whole , entire
a-ruupiNam (acc. sg. m.): mfn. shapeless
ca: and

saaram (acc. sg.): m. the core or pith or solid interior of anything ; firmness , strength, power , energy; the substance or essence or marrow or cream or heart or essential part of anything , best part , quintessence ; the real meaning , main point ; a chief-ingredient or constituent part of the body
didRkSuH (nom. sg. m.): mfn. (from desid. dRsh, to see) wishing to examine or try
drsh: to see , behold , look at , regard , consider; to see with the mind , learn , understand
vicikaaya = 3rd pers. perfect vi-√ci: to discern , distinguish ; to make anything discernible or clear , cause to appear , illumine ; to search through , investigate , inspect , examine
kaayam (acc. sg.): m. the body

atha: then
a-shucim (acc. sg. m.): mfn. impure, foul
duHkham (acc. sg. m.): mfn. uneasy , uncomfortable , unpleasant , difficult
a-nityam (acc. sg. m.): mfn. not everlasting , transient
a-svam (acc. sg. m.): mfn. having no property
sva: m. one's self, the Ego; m. a man of one's own people or tribe , a kinsman , relative; n. one's own goods , property , wealth , riches

nir-aatmakam (acc. sg. m.): mfn. having no separate soul or no individual existence
nis: (privative prefix) without, free from, destitute of
aatamaka: mfn. belonging to or forming the nature of (gen.); having or consisting of the nature or character of (in comp.) ; consisting or composed of
ca: and
eva: (emphatic)
cikaaya = 3rd pers. perfect √ci: to observe , perceive (with acc. or gen.) ; to fix the gaze upon , be intent upon ; to seek for , investigate , search through
kaayam (acc. sg.): m. the body