The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Brahman said:
From egoism, verily, were the five great elements born—earth, air, space, water, and light as the fifth. In these five great elements, in the operations of (perceiving) sound, touch, colour, taste, and smell, creatures are deluded¹. When, at the termination of the destruction of the great elements, the final dissolution approaches, O talented one! a great danger for all living beings arises² Every entity is dissolved into that from which it is produced. They are born one from the other, and are dissolved in the reverse order³, Then when every entity, movable or immovable, has been dissolved, the talented men who possess a (good) memory⁴ are not dissolved at all. Sound, touch, and likewise colour, taste, and smell as the fifth; the operations (connected with these) have causes”, and are inconstant, and their name is delusion. Caused by the production of avarice⁶, not different from one another’, and insignificant⁸, connected with flesh and blood, and depending upon one another, excluded from the self*, these are helpless and powerless. The Prâṇa and the Apâna, the Udana, the Samana, and the Vyâna, these five winds also are joined to the inner self*, and together with speech, mind, and understanding make the eight constituents of the universe*. He whose skin, nose, ear, eye, tongue, and speech are restrained, and whose mind is pure, and understanding unswerving*, and whose mind is never burnt by these eight fires”, he attains to that holy Brahman than which nothing greater exists. And the eleven organs, which are stated as having been produced from egoism—these, O twice-born ones! I will describe specifically. The ear, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, the nose also as the fifth, the two feet, the organ of excretion, and the organ of generation, the two hands, and speech as the tenth; such is the group of organs, the mind is the eleventh. This group one should subdue first, then the Brahman shines (before him). Five (of these) are called the organs of perception, and five the organs of action. The five beginning with the ear are truly said to be connected with knowledge. And all the rest are without distinction connected with action. The mind should be understood to be among both’, and the understanding is the twelfth. Thus have been stated the eleven organs in order. Understanding these*, learned men think they have accomplished (everything). I will now proceed to state all the various organs. Space* is the first entity; as connected with the self it is called the ear; likewise as connected with objects (it is) sound; and the presiding deity there is the quarters. The second entity is air; it is known as the skin as connected with the self; as connected with objects (it is) the object of touch; and the presiding deity there is lightning. The third (entity) is said to be light; as connected with the self it is called the eye; next as connected with objects (it is) colour; and the presiding deity there is the sun. The fourth (entity) should be understood to be water; as connected with the self it is called the tongue; as connected with objects it is taste; and the presiding deity there is Soma. The fifth entity is earth; as connected with the self it is the nose; as connected with objects likewise it is smell; and the presiding deity there is the wind. Thus are the five entities stated to be divided among the three‘. I will now proceed to state all the various organs.
1 The contact of the objects of sense with the senses is the source of delusion.
2 Cf, Gita, p. 107, and note 1 there.
3 Cf, Sânkhya-sûtra I, r21, and p, 387 infra.
4 [i.e. knowledge of the truth, Arguna Misra.
5 Hence, as they have a beginning, they also must have an end, and hence they are inconstant.
6 This and following epithets expand the idea of inconstancy.
7 Being all in substance connected with the Prakrti, the material world, so to say.
8 Containing no reality, Nîlakaṇṭha,
CHAPTER XXVII.
Brahman said:
From egoism, truly, were the five great elements born—earth, air, space, water, and light as the fifth. Within these five great elements, in the workings of perceiving sound, touch, colour, taste, and smell, creatures are deluded¹. When, at the end of the destruction of the great elements, the final dissolution draws near, O talented one! a great danger arises for all living beings². Every entity is dissolved back into that from which it was produced. They are born one from another and dissolved in the reverse order³. Then, when every entity, movable or immovable, has been dissolved, those talented men who possess a (good) memory⁴ are not dissolved at all. Sound, touch, and likewise colour, taste, and smell as the fifth—the workings connected with these have causes⁵, are inconstant, and their name is delusion. Arising from avarice⁶, not distinct from one another⁷, and insignificant⁸, connected with flesh and blood, depending upon one another, excluded from the self⁹—these are helpless and powerless. The Prâṇa and the Apâna, the Udana, the Samana, and the Vyâna—these five winds are also joined to the inner self⁹, and together with speech, mind, and understanding make up the eight constituents of the universe¹⁰. He whose skin, nose, ear, eye, tongue, and speech are restrained, whose mind is pure and understanding unswerving⁹, and whose mind is never burnt by these eight fires¹⁰—he attains to that holy Brahman than which nothing greater exists. The eleven organs, stated to have been produced from egoism, I will now describe specifically, O twice-born ones! The ear, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, the nose also as the fifth, the two feet, the organ of excretion, and the organ of generation, the two hands, and speech as the tenth—such is the group of organs; the mind is the eleventh. This group one should subdue first; then the Brahman shines before him. Five of these are called the organs of perception and five the organs of action. The five beginning with the ear are truly said to be connected with knowledge. All the rest are without distinction connected with action. The mind should be understood to belong to both¹, and the understanding is the twelfth. Thus the eleven organs have been stated in order. Understanding these², learned men think they have accomplished everything. I will now proceed to state all the various organs. Space³ is the first entity; as connected with the self it is called the ear; as connected with objects it is sound; and the presiding deity there is the quarters. The second entity is air; as connected with the self it is known as the skin; as connected with objects it is the object of touch; and the presiding deity there is lightning. The third entity is said to be light; as connected with the self it is called the eye; as connected with objects it is colour; and the presiding deity there is the sun. The fourth entity should be understood to be water; as connected with the self it is called the tongue; as connected with objects it is taste; and the presiding deity there is Soma. The fifth entity is earth; as connected with the self it is the nose; as connected with objects it is likewise smell; and the presiding deity there is the wind. Thus the five entities are stated to be divided among the three¹. I will now proceed to state all the various organs.
1 Contact between the senses and their objects is the source of delusion.
2 Cf. Gita, p. 107, and note 1 there.
3 Cf. Sânkhya-sûtra I, r21, and p. 387 infra.
4 [i.e. knowledge of the truth, Arjuna Misra.
5 Since they have a beginning, they must also have an end, and so they are impermanent.
6 This and the following epithets expand the idea of inconstancy.
7 Being all in substance connected with the Prakrti, the material world, so to say.
8 Containing no reality, Nîlakaṇṭha,