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Bhagavad Gita · 3.42 · Path of Selfless Service·42 of 43

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनःमनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः

indriyāṇi parāṇyāhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ

manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

Sanskrit recitation

Desire as the inner enemy · 3.36–3.43 · Teaching

Translation

They say that the senses are superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and He (the Self) is superior even to the intellect.

Meaning

When compared with the physical body which is gross, external and limited, the senses are certainly superior as they are more subtle, internal and have a wider range of activity. The mind is superior to the senses, as the senses cannot do anything independently without the help of the mind. The mind can perform the functions of the five senses. The intellect is superior to the mind because it is endowed with the faculty of discrimination. When the mind is in a state of doubt, the intellect comes to its resuce. The Self, the Witness, is superior even to the intellect, as the intellect borrows its light from the Self.

After Swami Sivananda

Desire as the inner enemy· 3.36–3.43

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
tu
but
param
superior
parā
superior
saḥ
that (soul)
yaḥ
who
manaḥ
the mind
āhuḥ
are said
buddheḥ
than the intellect
buddhiḥ
intellect
manasaḥ
than the mind
parataḥ
more superior
parāṇi
superior
indriyāṇi
senses
indriyebhyaḥ
than the senses

Related verses

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