Quarrel among the Senses - a story from Chhandogya upanishad

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>From the Chhandogya Upanishad XIII. v. 1

Translated by Professor D.S.Sarma

 

Quarrel among the senses (10)

1.

Once upon a time the senses quarrelled among themselves

as to who was superior, each saying: "I am superior, I am

superior."

 

2.

They went to Prajapati, their father, and said: "Sir, who is the

best of us?"

 

He replied: "He by whose departure the body looks the worst – he is

the best of you."

 

3.

Speech then departed and, having stayed away for a year, returned

and said: "How have you been able to live without me?"

 

They replied: "Like the dumb -not speaking, but breathing with the

breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with

the mind. Thus we lived." Then speech entered in.

 

4.

The eye then departed and having stayed away for a year, returned

and said: "How have you been able to live without me?" They

replied: "Like the blind – not seeing, but breathing with the

breath, speaking with the tongue, hearing with the ear and thinking

with the mind. Thus we lived." Then the eye entered in.

 

5.

The ear then departed, and having stayed away for a year, returned

and said: "How have you been able to live without me?" They

replied: "Like the deaf – not hearing, but breathing with the

breath, speaking with the tongue, seeing with the eye and thinking

with the mind. Thus we lived." Then the ear entered in.

 

6.

The mind then departed and having stayed away for a year, returned

and said: "How have you been able to live without me?" They

replied: "Like children – not thinking, but breathing with the

breath, speaking with the tongue, seeing with the eye and hearing

with the ear. Thus we lived." Then the mind entered in.

 

7.

Now, when the breath was about to depart, tearing up the other

senses, as a strong horse about to depart might tear up the pegs to

which he is tethered, they gathered round him and said: "Sir,

remain. You are the best of us, do not depart."

 

8.

Then speech said to him: "If I am the most prosperous, so are you

the most prosperous." The eye said to him: "If I am the firm basis,

so are you the firm basis." The ear said to him: "If I am success,

so are you the success." The mind said to him; "If I am the abode,

so are you the abode."

 

9.

Hence these are not termed organs of speech or eyes or ears or

minds. They are termed signs of life. For life itself becomes all

these.

 

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Breathe in and breathe out! Enjoy !

 

Aum Shanti! Aum Shanti! Aum shantihi!