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Shloka 2

Vāc–Manas Saṃvāda: Prāṇa-Apāna and the Primacy Debate (वाक्–मनस् संवादः)

श्रोत्रं त्वक्‌ चक्षुषी जिह्नवा नासिका चरणौ करौ । उपस्थ॑ वायुरिति वा होतृणि दश भामिनि,भामिनि! कान, त्वचा, नेत्र, जिह्ला (वाक्‌ और रसना), नासिका, हाथ, पैर, उपस्थ और गुदा--से दस होता हैं

śrotraṃ tvak cakṣuṣī jihvā nāsikā caraṇau karau | upasthaḥ vāyur iti vā hotṝṇi daśa bhāmini bhāmini |

Der Brahmane sprach: „Gehör, Tastsinn, Sehsinn, Zunge, Nase, die beiden Füße, die beiden Hände und das Zeugungsorgan—so sind es die zehn ‚Hotṛs‘ (amtierenden Kräfte), o Schöne.“

श्रोत्रम्ear (organ of hearing)
श्रोत्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्रोत्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
त्वक्skin
त्वक्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootत्वच्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चक्षुषीtwo eyes
चक्षुषी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचक्षुस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual
जिह्वाtongue
जिह्वा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजिह्वा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
नासिकाnose
नासिका:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनासिका
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
चरणौtwo feet
चरणौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचरण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
करौtwo hands
करौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
उपस्थःgenital organ
उपस्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउपस्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वायुःwind; vital air (apāna etc.)
वायुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवायु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
होतॄणिpriests (hotṛs)
होतॄणि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहोतृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दशten
दश:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भामिनिO fair/angry lady (address)
भामिनि:
TypeNoun
Rootभामिनी
FormFeminine, Vocative, Singular

ब्राह्मण उवाच

ब्राह्मण (the Brahmin speaker)
भामिनी (addressed woman)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that the senses and organs function like ‘priests’ conducting an inner ritual; because they drive perception and action, ethical life requires governing them through restraint and mindful discipline.

A Brahmin, speaking to a woman addressed as ‘bhāmini,’ enumerates the bodily faculties and organs and interprets them as ten ‘hotṛs,’ setting up a metaphorical explanation of inner sacrifice and the need for control over sensory activity.