इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ |manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ||
- इन्द्रियाणि · indriyāṇi
- the senses
- पराणि · parāṇi
- higher, superior
- आहुः · āhuḥ
- they say
- इन्द्रियेभ्यः · indriyebhyaḥ
- than the senses
- परम् · param
- higher
- मनः · manaḥ
- the mind
- मनसः · manasaḥ
- than the mind
- तु · tu
- but
- परा · parā
- higher
- बुद्धिः · buddhiḥ
- the intellect
- यः · yaḥ
- who
- बुद्धेः · buddheḥ
- than the intellect
- परतः · parataḥ
- beyond
- सः · saḥ
- he, that (the self)
“The senses are called higher (than objects); higher than the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the intellect; and what is beyond the intellect — that is he (the self).”
— Original plain-language translation
The ladder of inwardness ascends from objects through senses, mind, and intellect to the self enthroned above all. Each higher rung can govern the lower — hence strategy: fight from above. The Katha Upanishad (1.3.10-11) teaches the same ascent.
— Reader's notes (original)