Panchadasi-Chapter 1-Verse 3

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 3:

shabda sparsha aadayo vedyaa vaichitryaaj jaagare pR^ithak.h .
tato vibhaktaa tat sa.nvid aikya ruupyaan na bhidyate .. 3..

The objects of knowledge sound, touch etc., which are perceived in the waking state, are different from each other because of their peculiarities; but the consciousness of these, which is different from them, does not differ because of its homogeneity.

In this sloka Vidyaranya talks about the waking state. In waking state, we perceive many objects through our sense organs. The objects are that are perceived are different among one another. Each object that we perceive is peculiar, even among the objects of similar kind the peculiarities exist among themselves. But the Consciousness that is behind the cognition of these objects is only one. If we analyze what makes us to perceive these objects through our sense organs, it is the Consciousness. We see the computer and the chair and we for sure know that the computer is different from the chair, even among the similar objects, we do perceive the difference. Thus the perceiver behind all these perceived objects is only one. The world that we see during the waking state is known only by the presence of the Consciousness. The perceiver is always different from the perceived object and hence the Consciousness which is responsible for the cognition of objects during the waking state is different from the objects. Each of the sense organs has definite function to perform. The eyes cannot hear and in the similar way ears cannot see. Though there is difference among the sense organs the Consciousness is only one.

There are 5 sense organs and each sense organ gives the cognition of corresponding object of the world. Therefore a question may come why can’t there be 5 consciousnesses for 5 senses?
It is not so. Though there are differences among the objects of perception by the sense organs, consciousness remains the same. We see many things, we also hear various sounds, but we don’t have any discrimination between the Consciousness of sight and Consciousness of sound. If we have Consciousness of sight and Consciousness of sound, then the real cognition of object either that of sight or sound cannot happen. Hence there can be only one Consciousness illumining the objects and thus responsible of the knowledge about the object.


Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh