Kathopanishad- Verse 6 - kathopanishad-2-3-6-indriyāṇāṃ

Kathopanishad – Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 6 « »

इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावमुदयास्तमयौ च यत् ।
पृथगुत्पद्यमानानां मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥ ६॥

indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvamudayāstamayau ca yat .
pṛthagutpadyamānānāṃ matvā dhīro na śocati .. 6..

6 Having understood that the senses have their separate origin and that they are distinct from Atman and also that their rising and setting belong to them alone, a wise man grieves no more.

Table of Contents

Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri

How is he to be known and what avails it to know him are explained. Of the senses, such as the ear, etc., separately originating from their causes, the âkâsa, etc., for perceiving their respective objects, knowing their distinctness, i.e., dissimilarity of their nature to the nature of the âtman extremely pure, untainted, and all intelligence; and also the rising and setting, i.e., the creation and absorption of the senses, to depend on the waking and sleeping states and that the âtman has neither beginning nor end, the intelligent man does not grieve. The eternally identical nature of the âtman never changing, there can be no cause of grief. So also another sruti says ‘The knower of the âtman crosses grief.’

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Indriyāṇām pṛthag-bhāvam udayāstamayau ca yat, pṛthag utpadyamānānam matvā dhīro na śocati (2.3.6): The sense organs do not perform functions continuously. There is the projection of energy through the sense organs, and also the withdrawal thereof. There is the beginning of the action of the senses, and also the ending. The senses do not work continuously all the twenty-four hours. Who is it that knows that there is a beginning and an end for the functions of the sense organs? Who makes the distinction between the coming and the going of the sense powers? Know that. And who knows that hearing is different from seeing, and seeing is different from touching and smelling, etc.? Why do we not make a jumble of these perceptions? When we see a thing, we can also hear it, taste it, touch it, and smell it. All five things can be performed at the same time, but do we feel that five different people are doing this? We say, “I am doing this work. I am seeing and hearing and tasting and smelling and touching.” Who is this ‘I’ that is capable of knowing the different functions simultaneously?

The functions are totally different, and there is no connection between one and the other. How do you bring a connection of one with the other? Know that. Know that which can enable you to bring about a harmony among the sense powers as seeing, hearing, etc. Know that which enables you to know the coming and going of the sense organs. You know that you are not working through the sense organs in sleep. When you close your eyes, you are not seeing. When you wake up in the morning, you open your eyes and see things, but you know all these things are taking place in you only. That continuity of consciousness which is responsible for the knowledge of the beginning and the end of the powers of sense, and also for the distinctions between the sense functions—that power is what is to be known. Having known that, the great hero of the spirit grieves not anymore. He shall not have any sorrow afterwards.

Links
Various resources on the Kathopanishad
Upanishad Series – Katopanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Kathopanishad – Verse 6 – kathopanishad-2-3-6-indriyāṇāṃ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Katha-2-3-6