162. Sixth Sense

Krishna says, "Among the Adityas, I am Vishnu; I am radiating Sun and Moon (10.21). Among the Vedas, I am Sama Veda; I am Vasuva (Indra); among the senses, I am Mind (manas); in creatures, I am Chetana (consciousness) (10.22). Of the Rudras I am Shankara; I am Kubera (10.23). I am Brihaspati; among expanses of water, I am the ocean (10.24). Krishna earlier said that HE is the atma (soul) in the heart of all beings (10.20) and gave a hierarchy that the atma is superior to Buddhi (intellect); Buddhi is superior to the mind; the mind is superior to the senses (3.42). But here he says HE is the mind among senses and this needs understanding. It is said that 'the whole is greater than the sum of the parts'. As a whole two ears can bring a sense of direction of sound; two eyes together can produce depth perception. One way of looking at the mind is as a simple sum of its senses like ears, eyes etc. Another way is to look at it 'as a whole of senses' where together these senses can perceive far beyond what a sum of all senses can do. This is also known as 'beyond senses' or 'sixth sense' in the modern context. Krishna was referring to this sixth sense when he says HE is the mind among senses. Krishna further says, "Among words, I am the Aum (Om); among stationary objects, I am the Himalayas (10.25). Among all trees, I am the peepal tree; I am Narada; I am the muni Kapila (10.26). I am Airavata amongst all lordly elephants, and the king amongst humans" (10.27). One common thread in all of the above is that out of the available options HE represents the greatest possibility of 'peak performance' like the water becoming the ocean.