Intellect

On this path, Kuru-nandana, the resolute mind is single and one-pointed, but the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन | बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ||२-४१||

The intellect that, wrapped in darkness, regards adharma as dharma and sees all things upside down — that intellect, Partha, is tamasic.

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता | सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ||१८-३२||

The intellect by which one wrongly discerns dharma and adharma, and what should and should not be done — that intellect, Partha, is rajasic.

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च | अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ||१८-३१||

The intellect that knows action and withdrawal from action, what should and should not be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation — that intellect, Partha, is sattvic.

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये | बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ||१८-३०||

Know me, Arjuna, as the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the splendor of the splendid.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् | बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ||७-१०||

The senses are said to be superior to the body; higher than the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the intellect; and higher than the intellect is He, the Self.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः | मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ||३-४२||

This Self, hidden in all beings, does not shine forth; but it is seen by seers of the subtle, through their sharp and subtle intellect.

एष सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढोऽऽत्मा न प्रकाशते । दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया सूक्ष्मदर्शिभिः ॥ १२॥

Beyond the senses are the objects; beyond the objects is the mind; beyond the mind is the intellect; beyond the intellect is the great Self.

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यश्च परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥ १०॥

Hear now the threefold division of intellect and of resolve according to the gunas, set forth fully and separately, Dhananjaya.

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं शृणु | प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ||१८-२९||

he understood that understanding (vijnana) is Brahman; for from understanding indeed are these beings born; by understanding, being born, they live; into understanding, when departing, they enter. Having understood that, he again approached his father Varuna, saying: 'Sir, teach me Brahman.' To him he said: 'Seek to know Brahman by austerity. Austerity is Brahman.' He performed austerity. Having performed austerity,

विज्ञानं ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात् । विज्ञानाद्ध्येव खल्विमानि भूतानि जायन्ते । विज्ञानेन जातानि जीवन्ति । विज्ञानं प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्तीति । तद्विज्ञाय । पुनरेव वरुणं पितरमुपससार । अधीहि भगवो ब्रह्मेति । तꣳहोवाच । तपसा ब्रह्म विजिज्ञासस्व । तपो ब्रह्मेति । स तपोऽतप्यत । स तपस्तप्त्वा ॥ १॥

Understanding directs the sacrifice, and directs also the rites. It is understanding that all the gods worship as the eldest, as Brahman. If one knows understanding as Brahman, and does not swerve from it, one leaves behind evils in the body and attains all desires. This is the embodied self of the former one. Different from and within this self made of understanding is another self made of bliss (ananda). By that this is filled. This too has the shape of a person; according to that one's human shape, this has human shape. Its head is joy; delight its right side; great delight its left side; bliss the trunk; Brahman the tail, the foundation. On this too there is this verse:

विज्ञानं यज्ञं तनुते । कर्माणि तनुतेऽपि च । विज्ञानं देवाः सर्वे । ब्रह्म ज्येष्ठमुपासते । विज्ञानं ब्रह्म चेद्वेद । तस्माच्चेन्न प्रमाद्यति । शरीरे पाप्मनो हित्वा । सर्वान्कामान् समश्नुत इति । तस्यैष एव शारीर आत्मा । यः पूर्वस्य । तस्माद्वा एतस्माद्विज्ञानमयात् । अन्योऽन्तर आत्माऽऽनन्दमयः । तेनैष पूर्णः । स वा एष पुरुषविध एव । तस्य पुरुषविधताम् । अन्वयं पुरुषविधः । तस्य प्रियमेव शिरः । मोदो दक्षिणः पक्षः । प्रमोद उत्तरः पक्षः । आनन्द आत्मा । ब्रह्म पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा । तदप्येष श्लोको भवति ॥ १॥

Beyond the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the essence; above the essence is the great Self; higher than the great is the Unmanifest.

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनो मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम् । सत्त्वादधि महानात्मा महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम् ॥ ७॥

When your intellect, bewildered by scriptural teaching, stands unmoving and steady in deep concentration, then you will attain yoga.

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला | समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि ||२-५३||