Katha:1.3.10

Mantra 1.3.10

Original Text:

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यश्च परं मनः ।
	मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥ १० ॥

indriyebhyaḥ parā hyarthā arthebhyaśca paraṃ manaḥ |
	manasastu parā buddhirbuddherātmā mahānparaḥ || 10 ||

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
इन्द्रियेभ्यः	indriyebhyaḥ	इन्द्रियों से – ज्ञानेंद्रियों के समूह से	from the senses – the group of sense faculties
परा	parā	परे – उच्चतर, अधिक सूक्ष्म	superior, higher, more subtle
हि	hi	निश्चय ही – वास्तव में	indeed, certainly
अर्थाः	arthāḥ	विषय – इन्द्रियों के विषय, भौतिक वस्तुएँ	objects – objects of the senses, sense objects
अर्थेभ्यः	arthebhyaḥ	विषयों से – इन्द्रिय विषयों के समूह से	from the objects – from the group of sense objects
च	ca	और – संयोजक	and – conjunction
परम्	param	परे – उच्चतर, अधिक सूक्ष्म	higher, superior, more subtle
मनः	manaḥ	मन – विचार करने वाली शक्ति	mind – the faculty of thought
मनसः	manasaḥ	मन से – मन के स्तर से	from the mind – from the level of mind
तु	tu	परंतु – किंतु, लेकिन	but – however
परा	parā	परे – उच्चतर, अधिक सूक्ष्म	superior, higher, more subtle
बुद्धिः	buddhiḥ	बुद्धि – विवेक, निर्णय करने की शक्ति	intellect – faculty of discrimination
बुद्धेः	buddheḥ	बुद्धि से – बुद्धि के स्तर से	from the intellect – from the level of intellect
आत्मा	ātmā	आत्मा – चेतन सत्ता, आत्मस्वरूप	ātman – the conscious principle, true Self
महान्	mahān	महत् – महान, महत्तत्त्व	mahat – the great principle, cosmic intelligence
परः	paraḥ	परे – उच्चतर, अधिक सूक्ष्म	higher, superior, more subtle

Translation/Explanation

Hindi: इन्द्रियों से परे उनके विषय (विषय-सामग्री) हैं; विषयों से परे मन है; मन से परे बुद्धि है; और बुद्धि से भी परे आत्मा, जिसे महत् (महान् तत्त्व) कहा गया है। इस मंत्र में आत्मा की सूक्ष्मता और श्रेष्ठता को दर्शाया गया है, जो स्थूल इन्द्रियों से आरंभ होकर क्रमशः अधिक सूक्ष्म और आंतरिक तत्त्वों के माध्यम से महत् आत्मा तक पहुँचती है। यहाँ आत्मा को महत् के रूप में, सभी तत्त्वों से परे, सर्वाधिक सूक्ष्म और श्रेष्ठ बताया गया है।

English: Beyond the indriya (senses) are their objects (artha); beyond the artha is the manas (mind); beyond the manas is the buddhi (intellect); and beyond the buddhi is the ātman, referred to here as mahat (the great principle). This mantra illustrates the increasing subtlety and superiority of the ātman, which transcends the gross indriya and their artha, then the manas and buddhi, culminating in the mahat ātman, the innermost and most subtle reality.

Commentary

Now this subsequent portion is introduced for the purpose of showing that the goal to be reached should be understood to be the pratyak (the internal) ātman, the subtlest proceeding from the gross indriya in the ascending degree of subtlety. The indriya are gross and those artha (viṣaya) from which these spring for their own illumination are subtler than the indriya, their own effects, greater than these and the ātman of these, i.e., bound up with these; subtler than these artha and greater than these, being the ātman of these, is the manas. Here, by the word manas is denoted the rudiments of the bhūta (bhūta sūkṣma) from which manas originates. Than the manas which is the origin of volition, deliberation and the rest, the buddhi is subtler, greater, and more possessed of the functions of seeing, hearing, etc., does not shine, as the ātman of any being concealed by ignorance and delusion. Oh, how deep, unfathomable and marvellous this māyā, that every living being, though really in its nature the brahman, does not, though instructed, grasp the truth ‘I am the paramātman’ and feels convinced, without any instruction that he is such a person’s son mistaking for the ātman the combination of the body, and the indriya, etc., which is not the ātman and is only perceived by him, like the pot, etc.; indeed, the world wanders repeatedly deluded by the māyā of the brahman alone; so the smṛti also says ‘Being concealed by yogamāyā, I do not shine to all, etc.’ Are not these statements inconsistent? Knowing him, the intelligent do not grieve and ‘he does not shine.’ It is not so. It is said he does not shine, because he cannot be known by the unpurified buddhi; but he is seen by the purified buddhi. Agryayā, like a point, i.e., concentrated, subtle, i.e., capable of perceiving subtle objects. By whom? By the subtle seers, i.e., by persons, who, by seeing the different degrees of subtlety as pointed out by the rudiments, are subtler than the indriya, etc., are characteristically able to see the subtlest, i.e., by learned persons.

Concept List

indriya
artha
manas
buddhi
ātman
mahat
pratyak
viṣaya
bhūta sūkṣma
māyā
brahman
paramātman
yogamāyā
smṛti