SB 3.26.14 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

मनो बुद्धिरहङ्कारश्चित्तमित्यन्तरात्मकम् । चतुर्धा लक्ष्यते भेदो वृत्त्या लक्षणरूपया ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

mano buddhir ahaṅkāraś cittam ity antar-ātmakam caturdhā lakṣyate bhedo vṛttyā lakṣaṇa-rūpayā

Synonyms

manaḥ — the mind ; buddhiḥ — intelligence ; ahaṅkāraḥ — ego ; cittam — consciousness ; iti — thus ; antaḥ — ātmakam — the internal, subtle senses ; catuḥ — dhā — having four aspects ; lakṣyate — is observed ; bhedaḥ — the distinction ; vṛttyā — by their functions ; lakṣaṇa — rūpayā — representing different characteristics .

Translation

The internal, subtle senses are experienced as having four aspects, in the shape of mind, intelligence, ego and contaminated consciousness. Distinctions between them can be made only by different functions, since they represent different characteristics.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The internal sense organ is divided into four-- the mind, intelligence, ego and citta—because of distinctive functions. [Note: In this analysis mahat-tattva has not been mentioned separated, but can be considered equivalent to citta as explained in verse 21. ] Antar-ātmākam means the antaḥ-karaṇa, the internal sense organ. They are distinguished by separate functions (lakṣana-rūpayā vṛttyā).

Purport

The four internal senses, or subtle senses, described herein are defined by different characteristics. When pure consciousness is polluted by material contamination and when identification with the body becomes prominent, one is said to be situated under false ego. Consciousness is the function of the soul, and therefore behind consciousness there is soul. Consciousness polluted by material contamination is called ahaṅkāra.