Chapter 4: The pranas and the senses

तथा प्राणाः

tathā prāṇāḥ

In the same way the pranas, the senses, are born from Brahman. This pada treats the origin, number and nature of the senses and the chief prana.

गौण्यसम्भवात्

gauṇyasambhavāt

Texts saying they existed before creation are not to be taken figuratively against this, since a figurative sense is impossible where their origin is plainly taught.

तत्प्राक्श्रुतेश्च

tatprākśruteśca

And because the word 'born' is used of them first in the passage, and so applies to them literally.

तत्पूर्वकत्वाद्वाचः

tatpūrvakatvādvācaḥ

And because speech is preceded by fire and the other elements, the organs too must have been produced.

सप्त गतेर्विशेषितत्वाच्च

sapta gaterviśeṣitatvācca

The opponent: the senses are seven, because Shruti speaks of seven going forth and specifies them.

हस्तादयस्तु स्थितेऽतो नैवम्

hastādayastu sthite'to naivam

But hands and the others are also mentioned; therefore it is not so. The senses are eleven: five of knowing, five of action and the mind.

अणवश्च

aṇavaśca

And the senses are minute, being invisible and departing with the soul unseen.

श्रेष्ठश्च

śreṣṭhaśca

And the chief prana too is born from Brahman.

न वायुक्रिये पृथगुपदेशात्

na vāyukriye pṛthagupadeśāt

The chief prana is neither air nor the function of the senses, because Shruti teaches it separately from them.

चक्षुरादिवत्तु तत्सहशिष्ट्यादिभ्यः

cakṣurādivattu tatsahaśiṣṭyādibhyaḥ

But like the eye and the other senses it serves the soul, since it is taught along with them, and for other reasons.

अकरणत्वाच्च न दोषस्तथा हि दर्शयति

akaraṇatvācca na doṣastathā hi darśayati

And there is no fault in its not being an instrument like the senses, for Shruti shows its own work: it holds the body together.

पञ्चवृत्तिर्मनोवद्व्यपदिश्यते

pañcavṛttirmanovadvyapadiśyate

It is described as having five functions, prana, apana and the rest, as the mind has several.

अणुश्च

aṇuśca

And the chief prana too is minute, subtle and not perceived, since it departs from the body unseen along with the soul.

ज्योतिराद्यधिष्ठानं तु तदामननात्

jyotirādyadhiṣṭhānaṃ tu tadāmananāt

But the senses are presided over by fire and other deities, as Shruti teaches.

प्राणवता शब्दात्

prāṇavatā śabdāt

Yet the senses belong to the soul that has the pranas, not to the deities, as Shruti says.

तस्य च नित्यत्वात्

tasya ca nityatvāt

And because the soul is permanent in the body as the enjoyer, while the deities are not.

त इन्द्रियाणि तद्व्यपदेशादन्यत्र श्रेष्ठात्

ta indriyāṇi tadvyapadeśādanyatra śreṣṭhāt

The other pranas are senses, distinct from the chief prana, for Shruti names them so apart from the chief.

भेदश्रुतेः

bhedaśruteḥ

Because Shruti speaks of their difference, describing the chief prana and the senses as separate in many passages.

वैलक्षण्याच्च

vailakṣaṇyācca

And because of difference in character: the senses tire and sleep, the chief prana does not.

संज्ञामूर्तिकॢप्तिस्तु त्रिवृत्कुर्वत उपदेशात्

saṃjñāmūrtikḷptistu trivṛtkurvata upadeśāt

But the shaping of names and forms is the work of the Lord, who made the elements threefold, as Shruti teaches.

मांसादि भौमं यथाशब्दमितरयोश्च

māṃsādi bhaumaṃ yathāśabdamitarayośca

Flesh and the like come from earth, as Shruti says, and likewise from the other two, water and fire, come their products.

वैशेष्यात्तु तद्वादस्तद्वादः

vaiśeṣyāttu tadvādastadvādaḥ

But each is named after the element that predominates in it. The repetition marks the end of the adhyaya.