इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ | manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ||
Senses < mind < intellect < Self. Know the hierarchy — the Self is highest, and from there desire can be defeated.
Word by word (3)
- indriyāṇi parāṇi / indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ
- — senses are higher (than body) / mind is higher than senses · Para = higher, superior, beyond. The hierarchy ascending: physical body < senses (indriyāṇi) < mind (manas) < intellect (buddhi) < Ātman (the Self). Each level is subtler, more pervasive, and more powerful than the one below.
- manasaḥ parā buddhiḥ / yaḥ buddheḥ parataḥ saḥ
- — intellect is higher than mind / that which is beyond the intellect — that is He (the Self) · Buddheḥ parataḥ = beyond the intellect. Saḥ = He, that one. The 'saḥ' points to the Puruṣa/Ātman — the pure witnessing Self that transcends even the intellect. This is the highest lever: if you can access what is beyond the intellect, you can work on desire from above all its three seats (V40: senses, mind, intellect).
- yaḥ buddheḥ parataḥ saḥ ātmā
- — yaḥ buddheḥ parataḥ saḥ = that which is higher/beyond even the intellect (buddhi = intellect; parataḥ = beyond; saḥ = that); ātmā = the Self (the word that names the summit of the hierarchy); this is V42's punchline: senses < mind < intellect < ātmā — the ātman is beyond the intellect's reach and cannot be grasped as an object by the mind-apparatus; it is the subject that knows, never an object known
The senses are said to be higher (than the body). Higher than the senses is the mind. Higher than the mind is the intellect. And that which is higher than the intellect — that is the Self.
A modern analogy
Your phone's app (senses) is controlled by the operating system (mind), which is controlled by the hardware architecture (intellect), which runs on physical laws (Ātman/Self). If you want to change an app's behavior permanently, don't keep pressing the screen — go to the hardware level. V42: the Self is the hardware level of your being.
Take with you
- The hierarchy tells you where your real power is: at the level of the Self, above the intellect.
- Desire operates through senses, mind, and intellect — but the Self is above all three.
- Abiding in the Self (V43's instruction) is therefore the definitive lever against desire.
- V42 is the metaphysical preparation for V43's final prescription: establish yourself in the Self.
V42 presents the Sāṃkhya-Yoga faculty hierarchy in compressed form: body < senses < mind < intellect < Puruṣa/Ātman. Shankaracharya identifies 'that which is beyond the intellect' (buddheḥ parataḥ saḥ) as the Ātman — pure witnessing consciousness, unbounded by any of the levels below it. The Ātman is not affected by kāma — kāma operates through the instruments (senses, mind, intellect) not through the Ātman itself. V43 will therefore instruct: know the Self as higher than the intellect and establish yourself in it — because from that standpoint, desire loses its compulsory power.
Public-domain translations (5) compare all →
They say that the senses are great; greater than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is the intellect; but He who is greater than the intellect is the Self. [1]
They say that the senses are superior; superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; and superior to the intellect is He. [4]
It is said that the senses are great; greater than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is the intellect; but that which is greater than the intellect is He. [6]
Higher than senses are the thoughts; Higher than thoughts is mind; above the mind Is spirit; higher yet is Soul. [7]
The senses are said to be great; greater than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is the intellect; and what is greater than the intellect is He. [9]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Know the Self as higher than the intellect. Steady the self by the Self. Then slay the formidable enemy — desire.
The self-conquered yogi finds the Supreme Self equally present through cold, heat, joy, pain, honour and dishonour.
When the completely controlled mind rests serenely in the Self alone, free from all desire-pull — that is called yoga.
For those freed from desire and anger, with controlled minds, knowing the Self — brahma-nirvāṇa exists on all sides.
Steady wisdom begins here: when all desires fall away and the Self finds fullness in itself alone.
Thinking → clinging → craving → anger. The chain of suffering begins in where you let your mind dwell.