Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 9

Chapter 5 – Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ॥

Transliteration

pralapanvisṛjangṛhṇannunmiṣannimiṣannapi .
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan ॥

Meaning

Even while speaking, releasing, grasping, opening and closing the eyes, he holds firmly that ‘the senses are engaged with the sense objects’ (and so thinks, ‘I do nothing’).

Word meanings

प्रलपन् – speaking
विसृजन् – excreting, letting go
गृह्णन् – grasping
उन्मिषन् – opening the eyes
निमिषन् – closing the eyes
अपि – even
इन्द्रियाणि – the senses
इन्द्रियार्थेषु – in the sense objects
वर्तन्ते – are engaged
इति – thus
धारयन् – holding the conviction

Anvaya (word order)

(तत्त्ववित्) प्रलपन् विसृजन् गृह्णन् उन्मिषन् निमिषन् अपि, इन्द्रियाणि इन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्ते इति धारयन् (न एव किञ्चित् करोमि इति मन्येत) ।

Explanation

This verse is an extension of 5.8, and the sentence is completed with it. The Lord lists a few more actions: speaking, releasing, grasping, opening and closing the eyes. At the end of the list a very simple reason is given — ‘indriyani indriyarthesu vartanta iti dharayan’ — the senses are engaged with their objects.

Notice the word ‘dharayan’. It is not mere belief or theoretical knowledge; it means to hold firmly in the mind, a living insight. It is a simpler form of ‘gunah gunesu vartante’ (3.28) in Chapter 3. The eye sees form, the ears hear sound, the hands grasp, and the witnessing Self stays apart from all.

Shankara says this verse makes it fully clear that all of the knower's activity takes place in the senses, with no doership of the Self. According to Ramanuja the yogi performs action as the Lord's, so he has no feeling of ‘I do’.

This insight is a practice. By recalling it repeatedly the grip of ego slackens gradually, and a natural freedom enters action.

Context

Verse 5.8 began the description of the yogi's attitude ‘naiva kinchit karomi’, completed in 5.9. Immediately after, 5.10 gives the lotus-leaf simile for the same person.

Life lesson

Now and then during your day, tell yourself: ‘These senses are doing their work and I am their witness.’ This small remembrance lightens both stress and ego.

Key terms

Dharayan: holding steadily with firm insight
Indriyartha: objects of the senses — form, sound and so on
Nimesha-unmesha: closing and opening of the eyes