Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 122

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-3 Karma Yogaḥ

Sri Krishna speaks of that which is the most important of the adversaries: — indriyāṇi parāṅyāhur-indrebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ | manas-astu parā buddhir-yo buddheḥ paratas-tu saḥ || 42 || 42. It is said that the senses are supreme: the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is higher than the mind; but what is greater than intellect is that (the desire-nature). Commentary The senses are called the supreme obstacles to enlightenment, because when the senses continue operating on their objects, the pure vision of the Self cannot arise. 'The mind is superior to the senses' — even if the senses are withdrawn [from their objects], if the Manas (mind) ruminates on sense objects, pure vision of the Self cannot arise. 'The intellect (Buddhi) is higher than the mind', ie., even if the mind is indifferent to sense objects, a perverted decision by the intellect can obstruct the dawn of Self-realisation. But even if all of these up to the intellect are quietened from their activity, still, when the desire-nature, identified with volition originating from Rajas, is operating, it will by itself, obstruct Selfrealisation by inducing the senses to operate in their fields. Thus it is said here; what is greater than the intellect is the desire-nature.