इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावमुदयास्तमयौ च यत् ।
पृथगुत्पद्यमानानां मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥ ६॥
indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvamudayāstamayau ca yat .
pṛthagutpadyamānānāṃ matvā dhīro na śocati .. 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.
Commentary:
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.