Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 31
Nārada’s Questions and Brahmā’s Reply: Vāsudeva as the Source; Sarga–Visarga; Virāṭ-rūpa Mapping
तैजसात् तु विकुर्वाणादिन्द्रियाणि दशाभवन् । ज्ञानशक्ति: क्रियाशक्तिर्बुद्धि: प्राणश्च तैजसौ । श्रोत्रं त्वग्घ्राणदृग्जिह्वा वागदोर्मेढ्राङ्घ्रिपायव: ॥ ३१ ॥
taijasāt tu vikurvāṇād indriyāṇi daśābhavan jñāna-śaktiḥ kriyā-śaktir buddhiḥ prāṇaś ca taijasau śrotraṁ tvag-ghrāṇa-dṛg-jihvā vāg-dor-meḍhrāṅghri-pāyavaḥ
Par la transformation du rajas (taijasa) naquirent les dix organes des sens; et du même taijasa se manifestèrent la puissance de connaître, la puissance d’agir, l’intelligence (buddhi) et le prāṇa. Ces organes sont : l’ouïe, la peau, l’odorat, la vue, la langue, la parole, les mains, les organes génitaux, les pieds et l’orifice d’évacuation.
The living condition in material existence depends more or less on one’s intelligence and powerful living energy. Intelligence to counteract the hard struggle for existence is assisted by the senses for acquiring knowledge, and the living energy maintains himself by manipulating the active organs, like the hands and legs. But on the whole, the struggle for existence is an exertion of the mode of passion. Therefore all the sense organs, headed by intelligence and the living energy, prāṇa, are different products and by-products of the second mode of nature, called passion. This mode of passion, however, is the product of the air element, as described before.
FAQs
This verse says the ten senses arise from the taijasa (rajas) transformation, and it lists the five knowledge-acquiring senses (ear, skin, nose, eyes, tongue) and five working senses (speech, hands, genitals, feet, anus).
Here taijasa is presented as the activating principle in material creation—through it arise kriyā-śakti (capacity for action), jñāna-śakti (capacity for knowing), as well as buddhi and prāṇa, which empower embodied activity and perception.
By recognizing the senses and their drives as products of material nature, a devotee practices regulation (sense-control) and redirects hearing, speech, and action toward bhakti—especially śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana (chanting) of the Lord.