The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 6.7 Mind, then what is higher
6.7
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनो मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम् ।
सत्त्वादधि महानात्मा महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम् indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ mano manasaḥ sattvam uttamam |
sattvād adhi mahān ātmā mahato 'vyaktam uttamam
The line
Higher than the senses is the mind. Higher than the mind is awareness, the highest. Above awareness is the great self. Higher than the great is the unmanifest, the highest.
नेपालीमा
इन्द्रियभन्दा माथि मन छ, मनभन्दा माथि सर्वोच्च बोध छ, बोधभन्दा माथि महान् आत्मा छ, र महान्भन्दा माथि सर्वोच्च अव्यक्त छ।
Where it sits
This is 3.10 again, with sattva (सत्त्व) named between mind and the great self. 6.8 puts the person above the unmanifest, as 3.11 did.
Split: indriyebhyaḥ param manaḥ (इन्द्रियेभ्यः परम् मनः) + manasaḥ sattvam uttamam (मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम्) + sattvāt adhi (सत्त्वातधि) + mahān ātmā (महानात्मा) + mahataḥ avyaktam uttamam (महतः अव्यक्तमुत्तमम्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| indriyebhyaḥ param manaḥ (इन्द्रियेभ्यः परम् मनः) | higher than the senses, the mind | The ladder of 3.10, resumed. |
| manasaḥ sattvam uttamam (मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम्) | higher than the mind, the awareness | Heard sattvam uttamam (सत्त्वमुत्तमम्). |
| sattvāt adhi (सत्त्वातधि) | above the awareness | Heard sattvād adhi (सत्त्वादधि). |
| mahān ātmā (महानात्मा) | the great self | Nominative. |
| mahataḥ avyaktam uttamam (महतः अव्यक्तमुत्तमम्) | higher than the great, the unmanifest | Heard mahato 'vyaktam uttamam (महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम्). |
The phrases
Mind above the senses. Awareness above the mind. The great self above that. The unmanifest above the great.
Sanskrit in this line
Sattvāt adhi (सत्त्वातधि) is sattvād adhi (सत्त्वादधि). Mahataḥ avyaktam (महतः अव्यक्तम्) is mahato 'vyaktam (महतोऽव्यक्तम्).
Say it back
Name what this mantra adds between the mind and the great self.