Shloka 14
Vāc–Manas Saṃvāda: Prāṇa-Apāna and the Primacy Debate (वाक्–मनस् संवादः)
उभे वाड्मनसी गत्वा भूतात्मानमपृच्छताम् | आवयो: श्रेष्ठमाचश्व छिन्धि नौ संशयं विभो,मन और वाणी दोनोंने जीवात्माके पास जाकर पूछा--'प्रभो! हम दोनोंमें कौन श्रेष्ठ है? यह बताओ और हमारे संदेहका निवारण करो”
ubhe vāḍmanasī gatvā bhūtātmānam apṛcchatām | āvayoḥ śreṣṭham ācakṣva chindhi nau saṁśayaṁ vibho ||
Akal dan Ucapan, kedua-duanya mendekati Diri yang bersemayam di dalam, lalu bertanya: “Wahai Yang Maha Perkasa, katakanlah siapakah antara kami berdua yang lebih utama, dan putuskanlah keraguan kami.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up a moral-philosophical test: whether inner intention (mind) or outward expression (speech) is superior. By appealing to the indwelling Self as judge, it implies that ethical evaluation must consider both—thought as the source of motive and speech as the vehicle that can uphold or violate truth and dharma.
Personified Mind and Speech go together to the Bhūtātman (the inner Self) and ask for a ruling on which of them is greater, requesting that their uncertainty be decisively resolved.