Verse 2.599

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

न मातृयायिनो यस्मात्प्रत्यया बुद्धिकर्तृकाः ।
तन्निवृत्तौ निवर्तन्ते तस्मात्ते मनसा सह ॥ ५९९ ॥

na mātṛyāyino yasmātpratyayā buddhikartṛkāḥ |
tannivṛttau nivartante tasmātte manasā saha || 599 ||

English translation of verse 2.599:

Inasmuch as the cognitions which are caused by buddhi do not reach the Witness-self, words along with the mind return when the cognitions return.

Notes:

This verse explains the meaning of manasā saha. Here the word manas means cognition (pratyaya or vijñāna). When we utter words with a view to express something, they give rise to certain mental modes or modifications (buddhivṛtti) on the part of the person who listens to them. These modifications of the buddhi are known as cognitions. When any object is to be made known through śabda, the object must be such that it can be comprehended by the cognitions of the buddhi. In the case of Brahman-Ātman, the cognitions caused by śabda return without comprehending it because of the absence of features like jāti, guṇa etc., therein which are necessary for the usage of words. Where there is scope for cognition, there is also scope for speech (yatra ca vijñānaṃ, tatra ca vācaḥ pravṛttiḥ). Since Brahman cannot be comprehended by means of cognitions, śruti says that words return failing to reach Brahman along with the cognitions of the mind.