श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च ।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
यह जीवात्मा मनका आश्रय लेकर श्रोत्र, नेत्र, त्वचा, रसना और घ्राण इन पाँचों इन्द्रियोंके द्वारा विषयोंका सेवन करता है ॥
English
Taking hold of the mind, the inner being experiences objects through the ears, eyes, skin, tongue, and nose.
What this verse means
The inner being uses the mind as a base and experiences the world through the five senses.
Context & commentary
Krishna is explaining to Arjuna why the self seems tied to body and pleasure. After describing how the self moves from one body to another, he adds that it works through mind and the five senses. This verse supports the larger teaching that the true self is not the body.
Why this verse still matters
You scroll, taste, touch, and react, then call it 'me.' But the reaction is moving through your senses and mind, not defining what you are.
The takeaway
What you call experience is filtered through mind and senses, not raw reality.
Word-by-word translation
श्रोत्रम् (ear) / चक्षुः (eye) / स्पर्शनम् (touch) / रसनम् (taste) / घ्राणम् (smell) / एव (indeed) / च (and) / अधिष्ठाय (having taken hold of) / मनः (mind) / च (and) / अयम् (this) / विषयान् (objects) / उपसेवते (enjoys, experiences)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga — The Yoga of the Supreme Person, which contains 20 verses.
Explore related themes: manas (49 verses), kshetra kshetrajna (10 verses)