Devanagari
तैजसात्तु विकुर्वाणाद् बुद्धितत्त्वमभूत्सति ।
द्रव्यस्फुरणविज्ञानमिन्द्रियाणामनुग्रह: ॥ २९ ॥
Verse text
taijasāt tu vikurvāṇād
buddhi-tattvam abhūt sati
dravya-sphuraṇa-vijṣānam
indriyāṇām anugrahaḥ
Synonyms
taijasāt
—
from the false ego in passion
;
tu
—
then
;
vikurvāṇāt
—
undergoing transformation
;
buddhi
—
intelligence
;
tattvam
—
principle
;
abhūt
—
took birth
;
sati
—
O virtuous lady
;
dravya
—
objects
;
sphuraṇa
—
coming into view
;
vijṣānam
—
ascertaining
;
indriyāṇām
—
to the senses
;
anugrahaḥ
—
giving assistance .
Translation
By transformation of the false ego in passion, intelligence takes birth, O virtuous lady. The functions of intelligence are to help in ascertaining the nature of objects when they come into view, and to help the senses.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O Devahūti! From the transformation of ahaṅkāra in rajas, buddhi, consciousness directed to manifestation of objects, appeared. It assists the senses.
To make a distinction from citta, buddhi is described as vijṣāna, that which manifests an object. But because it is also awareness it is said to be a quality of citta. Buddhi shows favour to the senses: without buddhi, the five senses cannot operate. Even though citta, ahaṅkāra and mind also assist the senses, buddhi gives special assistance. When I hear a sound, first, it is registered by citta as simply awareness (cetanā). By buddhi I realize “This is a sound.” By the mind, I develop desire for the sound. By ahaṅkāra, it is related to one’s identity. This is how the object becomes manifest to a person.
Purport
Intelligence is the discriminating power to understand an object, and it helps the senses make choices. Therefore intelligence is supposed to be the master of the senses. The perfection of intelligence is attained when one becomes fixed in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By the proper use of intelligence one’s consciousness is expanded, and the ultimate expansion of consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.