Bhagavad Gita 3.42
Karma Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः | मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ||३-४२||
Transliteration
indriyāṇi parāṇyāhurindriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ . manasastu parā buddhiryo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ ||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).
Word by Word
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
Classical 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.