Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 42 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 3 श्लोक 42 इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः। मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः।।3.42।। English Translation - Swami Gambirananda 3.42 They say that the organs are superior (to the gross body); the mind is superior to the organs; but the intellect is superior to the mind. However, the one who is superior to the intellect is He. English Translation - Swami Sivananda 3.42 They say that the senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; one who is superior even to the intellect is He (the Self). English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 3.42. Different are the sense-organs [from their objects], they say; from the sense-organs different is the mind; from the mind too the intellect is different; what is different from the intellect is That (Self). English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 3.42 इन्द्रियाणि the senses? पराणि superior? आहुः (they) say? इन्द्रियेभ्यः than the senses? परम् superior? मनः the mind? मनसः than the mind? तु but? परा superior? बुद्धिः intellect? यः who? बुद्धेः than the intellect? परतः greater? तु but? सः He.Commentary When compared with the physical body which is gross? external and limited? the senses are certainly superior as they are more subtle? internal and have a wider range of activity. The mind is superior to the senses? as the senses cannot do anything independently without the help of the mind. The mind can perform the functions of the five senses. The intellect is superior to the mind because it is endowed with the faculty of discrimination. When the mind is in a state of doubt? the intellect comes to its resuce. The Self? the Witness? is superior even to the intellect? as the intellect borrows its light from the Self. English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's 3.42 The learned ones ahuh, say; that indriyani, the five [Five sense-organs: of vision, hearning, taste, smell and touch; five motor-organs: hands, feet, speech, and for excretion and generation-these latter five are also understood in the present context.] organs-ear etc., are parani, superior, to the external, gross and limited body, from the point of view of subtlety, inner position, pervasiveness, etc. So also, manah, the mind, having the nature of thinking and doubting; [Sankalpa: will, volition, intention, thought, reflection, imangination, etc. vikalpa:doubt, uncertainly, indecision, suspicion, error, etc.-V.S.A.] is param, superior; indriyhyah, to the organs. Similarly, buddhih, the intellect, having the nature of determination; is para, superior; manasah, to the mind. And yah, the one who is innermost as compared with all the objects of perception ending with the intellect, and with regard to which Dweller in the body it has been said that desire, in association with its abodes counting from the organs, deludes It by shrouding Knowledge; sah, that one; is tu, however; paratah, superior; buddheh, to the intellect- He, the supreme Self, is the witness of the intellect. [The portion, with regard to which Dweller৷৷.the supreme Self, is translated from Ast. Which has the same reading here as the A.A. The G1. Pr. Makes the abode counting from the organs an adjective of the Dweller in the body, and omits the portion, is tu, however৷৷.buddheh, to the intellect.-Tr.] English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 3.42 See Comment under 3.43 English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary 3.42 The senses are called the important obstacles of knowledge, because when the senses keep operating on their objects, the knowledge of the self cannot arise. The mind is higher than the senses: even if the senses are withdrawn, if the Manas (mind) ruminates over sense objects, knowledge of the self cannot be had. The intellect (Buddhi) is greater than the mind, i.e., even if the mind is indifferent to sense objects, a perverted decision by the intellect can obstruct the dawn of the knowledge of the self. But even if all of them upto the intellect are ietened from their activity, still when desire, identified with will, originating from Rajas, is operating, it by itself obstructs the knowledge of the self by inducing the senses etc., to operate in their fields. Thus it is said here: But what is greater than intellect is that. What is greater than the intellect - is desire. Such is the sense of the last sentence here. Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji One should not try to conquer over the mind and intelligence first, because of the impossibility. That is conveyed in this verse. The senses are considered superior, for they cannot be conquered even by warriors who conquer the ten directions. But the mind is superior to the senses as it is even stronger, not being destroyed during dreams when the senses do not function. But compared to the mind, the intelligence, with the form of vijnana, is stronger. During deep sleep, even the mind does not function, but the intelligence remains undestroyed, being present in general form. But compared to the intelligence, that which is superior in strength, because it exists in you even when intelligence is destroyed by the practice of jnana, is the famous jivatma, which is the conqueror of lust. After conquering the senses, mind and intelligence, the jivatma, which is the most powerful than all of them, can conquer lust. It is understood that is not an impossible task. Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:VisnuswamiThere is no commentary for this verse. Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary There is no commentary for this verse. Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary The five senses are the main impediments to spiritual development and are arranged in a hostile formation against it. As long as the senses are primarily occupied in the pursuit of pleasure and delight in sense objects the realisation of the atma or soul will never manifest. Yet the mind although fickle is capable of controlling the senses but if the mind is also inclined to enjoy the senses and is filled with thoughts of the same then realisation of the atma will also never manifest. But the intellect is superior even to the mind as it possesses the discriminative faculty. This means that the mind may be tranquil but if the intellect is inclined towards the channels of sense activities then there will be a perversion in one’s intelligence and no possibility again for realisation of the atma. To show the order of gradation is Lord Krishna’s intention. A question may be posed what if all three being the senses, the mind and the intellect were tranquil and passive? The unvarying answer is that kama or lust which arises from desires, covertly resides deep within the heart and is always craving for sense gratification. This kama is so powerful that it will assert its mastery over them all and domineering them will have them fully pursuing the objects of the senses for sense gratification in the phenomenal world obscuring the light of knowledge and the realisation of the atma. That which is the most powerful with its domain in the spiritual phenomena is the atma and is designated by the pronoun sah. Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary The five senses are the main impediments to spiritual development and are arranged in a hostile formation against it. As long as the senses are primarily occupied in the pursuit of pleasure and delight in sense objects the realisation of the atma or soul will never manifest. Yet the mind although fickle is capable of controlling the senses but if the mind is also inclined to enjoy the senses and is filled with thoughts of the same then realisation of the atma will also never manifest. But the intellect is superior even to the mind as it possesses the discriminative faculty. This means that the mind may be tranquil but if the intellect is inclined towards the channels of sense activities then there will be a perversion in one’s intelligence and no possibility again for realisation of the atma. To show the order of gradation is Lord Krishna’s intention. A question may be posed what if all three being the senses, the mind and the intellect were tranquil and passive? The unvarying answer is that kama or lust which arises from desires, covertly resides deep within the heart and is always craving for sense gratification. This kama is so powerful that it will assert its mastery over them all and domineering them will have them fully pursuing the objects of the senses for sense gratification in the phenomenal world obscuring the light of knowledge and the realisation of the atma. That which is the most powerful with its domain in the spiritual phenomena is the atma and is designated by the pronoun sah. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 3.42Indriyaani paraanyaahur indriyebhyah param manah; Manasastu paraa buddhir yo buddheh paratastu sah. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 3.42indriyāṇi—senses; parāṇi—superior; āhuḥ—are said; indriyebhyaḥ—than the senses; param—superior; manaḥ—the mind; manasaḥ—than the mind; tu—but; parā—superior; buddhiḥ—intellect; yaḥ—who; buddheḥ—than the intellect; parataḥ—more superior; tu—but; saḥ—that (soul)