Shloka

प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ||५-९||

Transliteration

pralapanvisṛjangṛhṇannunmiṣannimiṣannapi .
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan ||5-9||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

5.9. Taking, rejecting, receiving, opening and closing the eyes, bears in mind that the sense-organs are on their respective objects; and

Shri Purohit Swami

5.9 Though he talks, though he gives and receives, though he opens his eyes and shuts them, he still knows that his senses are merely disporting themselves among the objects of perception.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

5.9 See Comment under 5.11

Sri Ramanuja

5.8 - 5.9 Thus he who knows the truth concerning the self should reflect in mind that the ear and the other organs of sensation (Jnanendriyas) as also organs of action (Karmendriyas) and the vital currents (the Pranas) are occupied with their own respective objects. Thus he should know, ‘I do not do anything at all.’ He should reflect, ‘My intrinsic nature is one of knowledge. The sense of agency comes because of the association of the self with the senses and the Pranas which are rooted in Karma. It does not spring from my essential nature.’

Sri Shankaracharya

5.9 Yuktah, remaining absorbed in the Self; tattva-vit, the knower of Reality-knower of the real nature of Truth, of the Self, i.e., the seer of the supreme Reality; manyeta, should think; ’na karomi eva, I certainly do not do; kincit, anything.’ Having realized the Truth, when or how should he think? This is being answered; Api, even; pasyan, while seeing; srnvan, hearing; sprsan, touching; jighran, smelling; asnan, eating; gacchan, moving; svapan, sleeping; svasan, breathing; pralapan, speaking; visrjan, releasing; grhnan, holding; unmisan, opening; nimisan, closing the eyes. All these are to be connected with the above manyeta (should think). For the man who has known the Truth thus, who finds nothing but inaction in action-in all the movements of the body and organs-, and who has full realization, there is competence only for giving up all actions because of his realization of the nonexistence of actions. Indeed, one who proceeds to drink water in a mirage thinking that water is there, surely does not go there itself for drinking water even after knowing that no water exists there!

Swami Adidevananda

5.9 Speaking, discharging, grasping, opening, closing his eyes etc. He should always bear in mind that the senses operate among sense-objects.

Swami Gambirananda

5.8-5.9 Remaining absorbed in the Self, the knower of Reality should think, ‘I certainly do not do anything’, even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, releasing, holding, opening and closing the eyes-remembering that the organs function in relation to the objects of the organs.

Swami Sivananda

5.9 Speaking, letting go, seizing, opening and closing the eyes convinced that the senses move among the sense-objects.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

5.9 प्रलपन् speaking? विसृजन् letting go? गृह्णन् seizing? उन्मिषन् opening (the eyes)? निमिषन् closing (the eyes)? अपि also? इन्द्रियाणि the senses? इन्द्रियार्थेषु amongst the senseobjects? वर्तन्ते move? इति thus? धारयन् being convinced.Commentary The liberated sage or a Jnani always remains as a witness of the activities of the senses as he identifies himself with the Self or Brahman. He thinks and says? I do not see the eyes perceive. I do not hear the ears hear. I do not smell? the nose smells? etc. He beholds,inaction in action as he has burnt his actions in the fire of wisdom. (Cf.XIV.1923)