महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-267, verse-15

रूपं गन्धं रसं स्पर्शं शब्दं चैतांस्तु तद्गुणान् ।
इन्द्रियाणि न बुध्यन्ते क्षेत्रज्ञस्तैस्तु बुध्यते ॥१५॥

15. rūpaṁ gandhaṁ rasaṁ sparśaṁ śabdaṁ caitāṁstu tadguṇān ,
indriyāṇi na budhyante kṣetrajñastaistu budhyate.

15. rūpam gandham rasam sparśam śabdam ca etān tu tat guṇān
indriyāṇi na budhyante kṣetrajñaḥ taiḥ tu budhyate

15. indriyāṇi rūpam gandham rasam sparśam śabdam ca etān tu tat guṇān na budhyante.
tu kṣetrajñaḥ taiḥ budhyate.

15. The senses (indriyāṇi) themselves do not perceive these qualities (tadguṇān) of form, smell, taste, touch, and sound. Rather, it is the knower of the field (kṣetrajñaḥ) who understands them through the senses.

Words meanings summery:

• रूपम् (rūpam) - the sense object of sight (form, appearance)

• गन्धम् (gandham) - the sense object of smell (smell, odor)

• रसम् (rasam) - the sense object of taste (taste, essence)

• स्पर्शम् (sparśam) - the sense object of touch (touch, contact)

• शब्दम् (śabdam) - the sense object of hearing (sound, word)

• च (ca) - and

• एतान् (etān) - refers to the qualities (form, smell, taste, touch, sound) (these)

• तु (tu) - introduces a contrast or emphasis (but, indeed, on the other hand)

• तत् (tat) - qualities pertaining to the elements or objects of senses (their)

• गुणान् (guṇān) - the sense objects (form, smell, etc.) (qualities, attributes)

• इन्द्रियाणि (indriyāṇi) - the five cognitive senses (senses, sense organs)

• न (na) - negates the verb 'perceive' (not, no)

• बुध्यन्ते (budhyante) - the senses themselves do not perceive consciously; they are mere instruments (they perceive, they understand)

• क्षेत्रज्ञः (kṣetrajñaḥ) - the individual soul (ātman) or conscious principle that perceives through the senses (knower of the field, soul, conscious principle)

• तैः (taiḥ) - by those senses (indriyāṇi) (by them)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• बुध्यते (budhyate) - the knower of the field (kṣetrajñaḥ) perceives or becomes aware of these qualities (perceives, understands, is perceived)

Words meanings and morphology

रूपम् (rūpam) - the sense object of sight (form, appearance)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of rūpa

rūpa - form, shape, appearance, beauty

Note: Object of perception.

गन्धम् (gandham) - the sense object of smell (smell, odor)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of gandha

gandha - smell, odor, perfume

Note: Object of perception.

रसम् (rasam) - the sense object of taste (taste, essence)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rasa

rasa - taste, flavor, essence, juice, sentiment

Note: Object of perception.

स्पर्शम् (sparśam) - the sense object of touch (touch, contact)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of sparśa

sparśa - touch, contact, tactile sensation

Root: spṛś (class 6)

Note: Object of perception.

शब्दम् (śabdam) - the sense object of hearing (sound, word)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śabda

śabda - sound, word, noise

Note: Object of perception.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Part of the sandhi `caitāṃstu`.

एतान् (etān) - refers to the qualities (form, smell, taste, touch, sound) (these)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of etad

etad - this, these

Note: Part of the sandhi `caitāṃstu`.

तु (tu) - introduces a contrast or emphasis (but, indeed, on the other hand)

(indeclinable)

Note: Part of the sandhi `caitāṃstu` and `taistu`.

तत् (tat) - qualities pertaining to the elements or objects of senses (their)

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: The form `tat` appears before the compound `guṇān`.

गुणान् (guṇān) - the sense objects (form, smell, etc.) (qualities, attributes)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, attribute, constituent of nature

Note: Forms the compound `tadguṇān` (their qualities).

इन्द्रियाणि (indriyāṇi) - the five cognitive senses (senses, sense organs)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of indriya

indriya - sense, organ of sense

न (na) - negates the verb 'perceive' (not, no)

(indeclinable)

बुध्यन्ते (budhyante) - the senses themselves do not perceive consciously; they are mere instruments (they perceive, they understand)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of budh

3rd person plural, present indicative middle (ātmanepada), from root budh (4th class)

Root: budh (class 4)

क्षेत्रज्ञः (kṣetrajñaḥ) - the individual soul (ātman) or conscious principle that perceives through the senses (knower of the field, soul, conscious principle)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kṣetrajña

kṣetrajña - knower of the field, soul, spirit, individual self (ātman)

Compound type : tatpurusha (kṣetra+jña)

• kṣetra – field, body, sphere of action
  noun (neuter)
• jña – knowing, knower
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun
  from root jñā
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: The sandhi form `kṣetrajñas` appears in the verse before `taiḥ`.

तैः (taiḥ) - by those senses (indriyāṇi) (by them)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: The sandhi form `taistu` breaks down to `taiḥ tu`.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

बुध्यते (budhyate) - the knower of the field (kṣetrajñaḥ) perceives or becomes aware of these qualities (perceives, understands, is perceived)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of budh

3rd person singular, present indicative middle (ātmanepada), from root budh (4th class)

Root: budh (class 4)