Shloka 7
सप्तहोतृ-विधानम् एवं इन्द्रिय–मनःसंवादः
The Seven Hotṛs and the Debate of Senses and Mind
घ्राणं चक्षुस्तथा श्रोत्रं वाड्मनो बुद्धिरेव च । न रसानधिगच्छन्ति जिह्नला तानधिगच्छति,नासिका, कान, नेत्र, त्वचा, मन और बुद्धि--ये रसोंका आस्वादन नहीं कर सकते। केवल जिह्नला उसका स्वाद ले सकती है
ghrāṇaṃ cakṣus tathā śrotraṃ vāṅ-mano buddhir eva ca | na rasān adhigacchanti jihvā tān adhigacchati ||
The brāhmaṇa said: “The nose, the eyes, the ears, speech, the mind, and even the intellect do not themselves apprehend tastes. Taste is grasped only by the tongue.” In context, the statement underscores the proper domains of the senses and warns against confusion of faculties—an ethical reminder that discernment requires knowing what each instrument can and cannot rightly claim as its own.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Each faculty has its proper object and limit: taste belongs to the tongue alone. Ethically, this supports self-discipline and clear discernment—do not let mind, speech, or intellect falsely claim mastery over what they do not directly know, and do not confuse sensory craving with true understanding.
A brāhmaṇa speaker is explaining how perception works by distinguishing the roles of the senses and inner faculties. The line functions as an illustrative example within a broader instruction, using the specific case of taste to clarify the boundaries of cognition.