इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
इन्द्रियोंको स्थूलशरीरसे पर श्रेष्ठ, सबल, प्रकाशक, व्यापक तथा सूक्ष्म कहते हैं । इन्द्रियोंसे पर मन है, मनसे भी पर बुद्धि है औऱ जो बुद्धिसे भी पर है, वह काम है । इस तरह बुद्धिसे पर काम को जानकर अपने द्वारा अपनेआपको वशमें करके हे महाबाहो तू इस कामरूप दुर्जय शत्रुको मार डाल ॥
English
The senses are higher than the body; the mind is higher than the senses; the discerning mind is higher than the mind. What is beyond the discerning mind, however, is desire.
What this verse means
The senses are above the body, the mind is above the senses, and the discerning mind is above the mind. Beyond even the discerning mind stands desire, which must be mastered.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands frozen while Krishna traces the chain that drives collapse: body, senses, mind, discerning mind, and then desire. This verse shows where control must begin, so Arjuna can fight the inner enemy before facing the outer one.
Why this verse still matters
You open your phone to check one message and lose twenty minutes. The pull did not start in your hands; it rose from deeper layers. You can catch it earlier.
The takeaway
You are not helpless before impulse. There is a level in you that can overrule it.
Word-by-word translation
इन्द्रियाणि (the senses) / पराणि (higher) / आहुः (they say) / इन्द्रियेभ्यः (than the senses) / परम् (higher) / मनः (the mind) / मनसः (than the mind) / तु (but) / परा (higher) / बुद्धिः (the discerning mind) / यः (which) / बुद्धेः (than the discerning mind) / परतः (higher) / तु (but) / सः (that)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action, which contains 43 verses.
Explore related themes: manas (49 verses), buddhi (26 verses), kama (23 verses)