Shloka 22
सप्तहोतृ-विधानम् एवं इन्द्रिय–मनःसंवादः
The Seven Hotṛs and the Debate of Senses and Mind
श्रोत्रेण गन्धानादत्स्व स्पर्शानादत्स्व जिह्दया । त्वचा च शब्दमादत्स्व बुद्धया स्पर्शभथापि च
śrotreṇa gandhān ādat sva sparśān ādat sva jihvayā | tvacā ca śabdam ādat sva buddhyā sparśam athāpi ca ||
Wika ng Isip: “Tanggapin mo ang amoy sa pamamagitan ng tainga; tanggapin mo ang haplos sa pamamagitan ng dila. At tanggapin mo ang tunog sa pamamagitan ng balat; at kahit ang haplos ay tanggapin mo rin sa pamamagitan ng talino.” (Sa sinadyang pagbabaligtad ng karaniwang gawain ng mga pandama, hinahamon ng pahayag na ito ang nakikinig na siyasatin kung ang pagdama ba’y tunay na nasa mga panlabas na sangkap, o sa huli’y binubuo at pinagtitibay ng pasya at pag-unawa ng isip.)
मन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses an intentional reversal of sense-objects (ear smelling, tongue touching, skin hearing) to provoke insight: perception is not merely a mechanical act of organs but depends on the mind’s directing power and the intellect’s construction/authorization of experience. The ethical implication is that mastery lies in governing mind and cognition rather than being dragged by habitual sense-channels.
Within the Anugītā’s Brahmaṇa-style instruction, the speaker ‘Mind’ addresses the dynamics of the senses. By proposing impossible sensory acts, it challenges the listener to reflect on where experience truly arises and to recognize the mind’s sovereignty (and therefore responsibility) in sense-engagement and restraint.