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Shloka 42

Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda

Renunciation and the Discipline of Action

सम्बन्ध-- पूर्वश्लोकमें इन्द्रियॉको वशर्में करके कामरूप शत्रुकों मारनेके लिये कहा गया। इसपर यह शंका होती है कि जब इन्द्रिय

arjuna uvāca | indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ | manasas tu parā buddhir buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ||

قال أرجونا: «يقولون إن الحواس أسمى من الجسد، وفوق الحواس العقل، وفوق العقل الفِطنة (البُدْهي)، وفوق الفِطنة ذلك الـذات (الآتمن). فلكي يواجه المرءُ الشهوة—وهي تعمل عبر هذه الأدوات الباطنة—عليه أن يدرك مراتب الداخل، وأن يلجأ إلى الذات التي تعلو على الفِطنة، لا أن يُساق باندفاع الحواس والعقل».

इन्द्रियाणिthe senses
इन्द्रियाणि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्रिय
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
पराणिhigher/superior
पराणि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
आहुःthey say/call
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
इन्द्रियेभ्यःthan the senses / from the senses
इन्द्रियेभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्रिय
FormNeuter, Ablative, Plural
परम्higher/superior
परम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मनःthe mind
मनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मनसःthan the mind / from the mind
मनसः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
पराhigher/superior
परा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
बुद्धिःthe intellect
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
यःwho/which
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बुद्धेःthan the intellect / from the intellect
बुद्धेः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Ablative, Singular
परतःbeyond; higher than
परतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरतस्
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
सःhe/that (Self)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
I
indriyāṇi (senses)
M
manaḥ (mind)
B
buddhiḥ (intellect)
S
saḥ (Self/Ātman)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches a graded inner hierarchy: senses are surpassed by mind, mind by intellect, and intellect by the Self. Therefore, overcoming desire requires moving one’s center of control upward—from sensory impulse to mental regulation, from mental fluctuation to discerning intellect, and finally grounding oneself in the Self that transcends these instruments.

After hearing that desire should be slain by mastering the senses, Arjuna raises an implicit difficulty: if desire dominates the senses, mind, and intellect, how can one control it? This verse begins the response by mapping the inner faculties and indicating where true mastery must be established.