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ශ්රීමද්භගවද්ගීතා 3.42 — ඉන්ද්රියාණි පරාණ්යාහුඃ

Bhagavad Gita 3.42 — Indriyani Paranyahur in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning meditation, or before deep study and self-inquiry·📜 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 42
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Origin & Story

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 42 · Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)

Near the close of the Karma Yoga chapter, Arjuna asks what drives a person to sin as if by force. Krishna answers that desire (kama) born of rajas is the enemy, veiling wisdom and dwelling in the senses, mind and intellect. This verse charts the inner hierarchy so that the seeker, knowing the Self to be supreme, can rise above and subdue desire.

As told in scripture

Seekers who steady the mind by the Self, as this verse and the next prescribe, report that even the fiercest cravings lose their grip — the desire that no force could conquer is dissolved by simply resting in the Atman beyond the intellect.

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

ඉන්ද්රියාණි පරාණ්යාහුරින්ද්රියේභ්යඃ පරං මනඃ. මනසස්තු පරා බුද්ධිර්යෝ බුද්ධේඃ පරතස්තු සඃ..

indriyāṇi parāṇyāhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

Meaning:The senses are said to be superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and that which is superior even to the intellect is He — the Self (Atman).

Word-by-Word Meaning

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ඉන්ද්රියාණි🔊indriyāṇithe senses
පරාණි🔊parāṇisuperior (to the body)
ආහුඃ🔊āhuḥthey say, it is said
ඉන්ද්රියේභ්යඃ🔊indriyebhyaḥthan the senses
පරම්🔊paramsuperior, higher
මනඃ🔊manaḥthe mind
මනසඃ🔊manasaḥthan the mind
තු🔊tubut, indeed
පරා🔊parāsuperior, higher
බුද්ධිඃ🔊buddhiḥthe intellect
යඃ🔊yaḥwho, that which
බුද්ධේඃ🔊buddheḥthan the intellect
පරතඃ🔊parataḥhigher still, beyond
සඃ🔊saḥthat one (the Self, Atman)

Benefits of Chanting Bhagavad Gita 3.42 — Indriyani Paranyahur

Reveals the true Self (Atman) as distinct from body, senses, mind and intellect

Gives a clear map for self-inquiry and inner discrimination (viveka)

Empowers the seeker to govern the senses through the higher intellect and Self

Helps in conquering desire, anger and restless impulses

Deepens meditation by directing attention beyond mind and intellect

Builds steadiness, clarity and mastery over the inner instruments

How to Chant Bhagavad Gita 3.42 — Indriyani Paranyahur

Repetitions11times
Best TimeEarly morning meditation, or before deep study and self-inquiry

Recite the verse slowly and contemplate each step of the ladder — body, senses, mind, intellect, Self — turning attention inward and upward at each level until you rest as the witnessing Self beyond all of them. Use it whenever the senses or restless mind try to overpower you, to consciously take refuge in the higher intellect and the Atman. It is an excellent verse for cultivating viveka (discrimination) and self-mastery.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Bhagavad Gita 3.42 — Indriyani Paranyahur written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.
Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.
It presents the hierarchy of the human being: the senses are higher than the body, the mind higher than the senses, the intellect higher than the mind, and the Self (Atman) is higher than even the intellect. Knowing this lets one identify with the true Self and govern the lower faculties.
Arjuna had asked what compels a person to act sinfully against their will; Krishna identified desire as the enemy seated in the senses, mind and intellect. This verse shows the seeker exactly where to take a stand — in the Self, above all of them — to defeat that enemy.
The mind (manas) gathers impressions and generates desires and doubts, while the intellect (buddhi) discriminates, decides and judges. Buddhi is subtler and superior, and when guided by the Self it can control the wavering mind and the senses.
By showing that the Self and intellect are higher than the mind and senses, it tells you to strengthen the higher faculties to rule the lower ones. The next verse advises: knowing the Self as supreme, steady the mind by the Self and conquer desire.

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