The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c8.s6.t3.1

c8.s6.t3.1

In accordance with the anatomical theory which makes the brain, as the central organ of conscious life, branch out on the one hand as sensory nerves into the organs of sense and on the other hand as motor nerves into the muscles of voluntary movement, we find the Indians conceive the existence of a central function, *Manas*, and two systems dependent on it; viz. the five organs of perception (*buddhi-indriyas*) and the five organs of action (*karma-indriyas*). In these eleven organs according to Çankara the whole complex of conscious life is included.—How many Prânas, he asks (p. 709, 1), must we assume if we leave out of account the *Mukhya Prâna* (the principle of unconscious life)? Their number is variously stated and passages may be cited which make them seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen in number (p. 709, 3—9). The right number is however eleven.