Shloka 9
सप्तहोतृ-विधानम् एवं इन्द्रिय–मनःसंवादः
The Seven Hotṛs and the Debate of Senses and Mind
घ्राणं जिद्दा ततदश्नक्षुः श्रोत्रं बुद्धिर्मनस्तथा । न स्पर्शानधिगच्छन्ति त्वक् च तानधिगच्छति,नासिका, जीभ, आँख, कान, बुद्धि और मन--ये स्पर्शका अनुभव नहीं कर सकते; किंतु त्वचाको उसका ज्ञान होता है
ghrāṇaṁ jihvā tathā cakṣuḥ śrotraṁ buddhir manas tathā | na sparśān adhigacchanti tvak ca tān adhigacchati ||
The brāhmaṇa said: “The nose, the tongue, the eyes, the ears, the intellect, and the mind—none of these can apprehend touch. It is the skin alone that truly cognizes tactile contact.” In context, the statement clarifies the distinct domains of the senses and inner faculties, urging discernment: each instrument has its proper field, and confusion of their functions leads to error in judgment and conduct.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Each sense-faculty has a specific object-domain: smell belongs to the nose, taste to the tongue, sight to the eyes, sound to the ears, and touch to the skin. Even inner faculties like mind and intellect do not directly ‘touch’ tactile objects; they process what the skin reports. The ethical implication is to cultivate clear discernment—knowing what truly grounds one’s knowledge prevents confusion, rash conclusions, and misguided action.
A brāhmaṇa speaker is explaining how perception works by distinguishing the capacities of the senses and inner faculties. The verse functions as a didactic point within a broader instruction, using the example of touch to show that cognition depends on proper instruments and that misattributing functions leads to misunderstanding.