Page 10 - Bhakthinivedana 2012 July English Magazine.pmd
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A SHORT STORY
Mind, Tongue, Ear, Nose and Eye -
Who is the Best of the Five?
A Simple Lesson from Cha:ndo:gya Upanishath
Complied By Prapanna Sarada Vaisaradi
Dear Kids, our body.
Cha:ndo:gya Upanishath is a One fine morning all these sensory organs started a
big Upanishath which deals with discussion competing with each other. The tongue
many secrets of our life. One of the stories from (Va:gindriya) said, “Among us I am the important
Cha:ndo:gya Upanishath reveals the secret about one. It is only because of me that anyone can
our body and its parts. We know our body is communicate. Without me one cannot talk and so
an assembly of different organs like hands, feet, I am the main organ.” Immediately, the eye said,
stomach, head etc and some sensory organs “No no I am the main organ. Without me one
like eye, ear, nose, tongue, and skin. We know can not see and can not do any activity. Even our
sensory organs are the organs useful to collect the elder people say - Sarve:ndriya:na:m nayanam
knowledge of different objects. For example, eyes pradha:nam - so, I am the most important one.”
help us get the knowledge of shapes, colors and Then came the Ear and said, “To get knowledge
numbers. Ears are useful to get the knowledge of from elder people one has to listen. Without me
different sounds, music etc. Tongue is useful to get nobody can listen anything, and so, I am the best
the experience of different tastes and of course to organ.”
talk. Nose helps us feel fragrance of flowers, food In came the Manas (mind)! Manas is like a leader
etc. Through the skin we can feel the smooth or for all these organs. Without manas none of these
hard touch, cold or heat, and the love shared by sensory organs can work. For example, ones mind
mom and dad when they hug. In this way, man is can drift away, although all the sense organs like
assisted by the sensory organs in different parts of Ears and Eyes are fully active! We often see this in a
10 Bhakthinivedana • July 2012