Shloka 21
सप्तहोतृ-विधानम् एवं इन्द्रिय–मनःसंवादः
The Seven Hotṛs and the Debate of Senses and Mind
अथ चेन्मन्यसे सिद्धिमस्मदर्थेषु नित्यदा । प्राणेन रूपमादत्स्व रसमादत्स्व चक्षुषा
atha cen manyase siddhim asmad-artheṣu nityadā | prāṇena rūpam ādatsva rasam ādatsva cakṣuṣā ||
Wika ng Isip: “Kung naniniwala kang lagi mong natutupad ang aming mga layunin, baligtarin mo kung gayon ang kaayusan ng mga pandama: tanggapin mo ang anyo sa pamamagitan ng hininga, at lasapin ang lasa sa pamamagitan ng mga mata.” Ito’y isang matalim na hamon upang ilantad ang tiyak na hangganan ng mga pandama at ipakita na ang simpleng pasya o hangarin ay hindi makalalampas sa likás na saklaw ng pagdama; ang tunay na kaalaman ay nangangailangan ng disiplinadong paghiwatig at pag-unawa, hindi ng palalong pag-aangking may ganap na kapangyarihan.
मन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that perception is constrained by the inherent capacities of each sense-organ; claims of effortless mastery are tested by asking for impossible cross-sensory perception. Ethically, it cautions against pride and urges disciplined understanding of how mind and senses actually function.
The speaker, Mind (manas), challenges an interlocutor who claims constant success in fulfilling aims. Mind proposes an absurd reversal—seeing through breath and tasting through eyes—to demonstrate that intention alone cannot make the senses perform each other’s functions.