Shloka 17

काष्ठानीवार्द्रशुष्काणि यतमानैरपीन्द्रियै: । गुणार्थान्‌ नाधिगच्छन्ति मामृते सर्वजन्तव:,संसारके सभी जीव इन्द्रियोंके यत्न करते रहनेपर भी मेरे बिना उसी प्रकार विषयोंका अनुभव नहीं कर सकते, जिस प्रकार कि सूखे-गीले काष्ठ कोई अनुभव नहीं कर सकते

kāṣṭhānīva ārdraśuṣkāṇi yatamānair api indriyaiḥ | guṇārthān nādhigacchanti mām ṛte sarvajantavaḥ ||

A Mente disse: “Assim como pedaços de madeira—molhados ou secos—não ‘experimentam’ nada por si mesmos, assim também todos os seres vivos, ainda que seus sentidos se esforcem e se empenhem, não podem apreender de fato os objetos dos sentidos e suas qualidades sem mim. É a mente que torna significativo o contato sensorial; sem ela, esforço e órgãos permanecem inertes.”

काष्ठानिpieces of wood
काष्ठानि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकाष्ठ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आर्द्र-शुष्काणिwet and dry
आर्द्र-शुष्काणि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्द्र-शुष्क
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
यतमानैःby (those) striving/endeavoring
यतमानैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootयतमान
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
इन्द्रियैःby the senses
इन्द्रियैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्रिय
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
गुण-अर्थान्objects/ends of the guṇas (sense-objects)
गुण-अर्थान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगुणार्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अधिगच्छन्तिattain/understand/experience
अधिगच्छन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअधि-गम्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAccusative, Singular
ऋतेwithout/except
ऋते:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootऋते
सर्व-जन्तवःall creatures
सर्व-जन्तवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वजन्तु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

मन उवाच

मन (Mind)
इन्द्रिय (sense-organs)
काष्ठ (wood/logs)
गुण (qualities)
अर्थ/विषय (sense-objects)

Educational Q&A

Sense-organs alone do not produce experience; the mind is the indispensable mediator that apprehends sense-objects and their qualities. Without the mind’s participation, sensory effort is as inert as wet or dry wood.

The speaker ‘Mind’ is explaining its role within embodied life: even if the senses are active and striving, perception and enjoyment/knowledge of objects cannot occur without the mind, emphasizing inner causality over mere external faculties.