Shloka 83
भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः
जिह्वा ब्रवीत्य् अहम् इति दन्तौष्ठौ तालुकं नृप एते नाहं यतः सर्वे वाङ्निष्पादनहेतवः
jihvā bravīty aham iti dantauṣṭhau tālukaṃ nṛpa ete nāhaṃ yataḥ sarve vāṅniṣpādanahetavaḥ
“I speak,” says the tongue. Yet, O king, the teeth, the lips, and the palate reply, “Not I,” for all of these are merely the causes that bring speech into manifestation.
Prahlāda (in instruction to a king, illustrating non-doership through analysis of instruments of speech)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Discriminating the Self from speech-organs and bodily instruments
Teaching: Philosophical
Quality: illustrative, pedagogical
Concept: Speech is produced by instruments (tongue, teeth, lips, palate); none of these is the true ‘I,’ so agency must not be falsely located in mere bodily parts.
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: When claiming ‘I did,’ examine the chain of instruments (body, senses, mind) and cultivate humility and non-attachment to doership.
Vishishtadvaita: Supports the view that the self is a conscious agent distinct from inert organs, while its capacities operate through divinely governed instruments within the body.
FAQs
This verse uses the tongue, teeth, lips, and palate to show that what we call “I do” is often just a coordination of instruments—undermining ego and pointing toward a deeper Self beyond mere bodily functions.
By showing that no single organ can claim “I speak,” the verse implies that agency is distributed and conditional; the ‘I’ that boasts is a mistaken superimposition on a network of causes.
The reduction of egoic doership prepares the mind for a Vaishnava conclusion: the finite self functions through dependent causes, while the ultimate sovereignty belongs to the Supreme (Vishnu), the inner ruler enabling all capacities.