Sabdadibhih pancabhireva panca,

Pancatvamapuh svagunena baddhah

Kuranga-matanga-patanga-mina,

Bhrnga narah pancabhirancitah rim

 The deer, the elephant, the moth, the fish, and the black-bee these five have died, being tied to one or other of the five senses through their own attachment. What then is in store for man who is attached to all these five?

Being tied to one or other of the five senses, through their own attachment, these five have died (sab-dadibhih pancabhireva panca pancatvam-apuh swagunena baddhah). Which are these five?  These are the deer, the elephant, the moth, the fish, and the black-bee (kuranga-matan-ga-patanga-mina bhrnga). Five entities are taken here as examples. Each one of these perishes by its attachment to one sense organ. If this is so, says Shankara, what then is in store for man who is attached to all the five sense organs (narah pancabhir-ancitah kim)?

Sound (sabda) captivates the deer. When the deer hears a melodious sound, it stands with its eyes glaring, completely oblivious to the world around. By then the hunter comes and shoots it. This is the result of its attachment to the sense organ of sound. Next is touch (sparsa). In kerala and Mysore, hunters catch wild elephants by sending a female elephant into the forest. When the female elephant goes and touches the male elephant, the male elephant forgets the world, and the hunters come and enchain it. The male elephant does not even struggle! This is the magic of the organ or touch, through which a huge animal like an elephant also can be captivated easily. Then comes form (rupa). When we light a lamp, moths rush into it and perish because of its attachment to light or fire. We can see this especially in the rainy season. Then comes taste (rasa). To catch fishes we have to only let the bait into the water. Enticed by the eatable, the fish comes and is caught. This is due to its attachment to taste. Finally comes smell (gandha). The bee, attracted by the fragrance of the flower, enters it and is caught in it when the flower closes its petals. Thus it is killed there.

So these are the five entities that die due to their attachment to one or the other sense organs. Pancatvam-apuh means dissolution of the five elements. It is a technical term meaning death. The abovementioned five entities die because they are tied by their respective tendencies (svagunena baddhah). Guna means a rope, and also tendency. These entities are slave to their tendencies, their attachment to a particular organ, and they fall into the jaws of death.

If this is the case, then what to speak of man who is a slave to all the five sense organs! Just imagine his fate! As long as man is attached to his sense organs, there must be crime. Criminal tendency arises from this particular level. People, just carried away by the fascination for external objects, do mischief and commit crime. It is only when they are caught and put behind the bars that they repent and begin to think. By then it is too late. Due to their attachment to the sensory system they fall into the trap of misery and death. So we must know how to discriminate between the Self and the non-Self.

Source: The Message of Vivekachudamani by Swami Ranganathananda