3.40
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते | एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ||४०||
indriyāṇi mano buddhir asyādhiṣhṭhānam uchyate etair vimohayaty eṣha jñānam āvṛtya dehinam
Translation
The senses, the mind, and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.
Interpretation
Desire has three 'seats' or operational bases: the senses, the mind, and the intellect (buddhi). It uses all three instruments to bewildered the soul. The senses feed it raw experience; the mind magnifies and fantasizes; the intellect rationalizes. This is why wisdom (jnana) must operate at all three levels to overcome desire.