The ten organs (of action and perception). (Glossary for the Vahinis)

The external Indriyas are called Karmendriyas and internal Indriyas are called Jnanendriyas. All acts done bodily are Karmendriyas; they are five in number. Those which impart Jnana from inside are named Jnanendriyas. These are: hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell. Both these are together called Dasendriyas. There is a connection between function and Mind. Whatever work they do, they can’t achieve anything without the mediation of Mind or Manas. The Karmendriyas perform acts in the world and receive knowledge and the Jnanendriyas discriminate the good and the bad and offer them to the Atma, through the Manas. If there is no Mind at all, how can these transmit? When we have to reach the other shore of a flooded river, we rely on the medium of a boat or raft. When the Karmendriyas and the Jnanendriyas which are connected with Prakriti desire to attain the Atma, they have to accept the help of the boat, Manas. Otherwise they cannot attain. Antah Chatushtaya, or internal Four Indriyas are Manas, Buddhi Cittam and Ahamkaram. Manas grasps the object; Buddhi examines arguments for and against; Chittam understands the object by means of these; Antahkaranam changes the decision for or against and by attachment, slackens the hold of Jnana. These are the things they do. They exist in the body. Manas in cupola, Buddhi in the tongue, Cittam in the navel and Ahamkaram in the heart. Buddhi and Ahamkara are in the most important places! And are the chief causes of all the world’s miseries. First, if words are used in a clean and pure manner that is the proof of Buddhi treading the right path. When Ahamkaram is suppressed and conquered, that is proof of the heart being pure. Therefore, be very careful as regards these two. Then, Manas and Cittam will come to have good Vrittis (activities). Then only will you be free from pain and misery. They never happen to you.

All these exist so long as the feeling, ‘This body is mine exists. They are all associated with some activities or Vrittis. The Atma which observes all these Vrittis, that is ‘You’. The joy and sorrow , the loss and misery, the good and bad of these activities are all related to the body only and so, they are not yours; they will not be yours. You are Atma. Until this truth is realised, you sleep the sleep of ‘I’ or ‘Mine’. In that sleep, dreams appear of loss, misery, sorrow and joy. The dreams persist only until you awake and after you wake up, the fear you had while dreaming the source you experienced, all disappear and are no longer true. Similarly, when delusion is thrown off and you ‘awaken’ in Jnana, you will understand that all this is not ‘you’; that you are the atma. The Manas, Buddhi Cittam and Ahamkaram are engaged in their own work! The Atma observes everything and its shadow the Jiva, which is deluded by the association of the body – consciousness, plays this drama, through all these Acts. (San Vah, pp. 40-43)