Question: I have read in a book that one has to offer the five pranas, five indriyas, manas, budhi, ahankar to Lord to get jnana. Can you elaborate on what is the meaning of offering five pranas? Offering five indriyas means always seeing Him, listening about Him, etc., is it? If that is the case what about the indriyas like nose and skin. How do we offer them? Also what is the difference between manas, budhi & ahankar and how do we offer them?
Answer: 1. In the first sentence you mention that you have read a book in which it is mentioned to offer the five pranas etc. can you quote the name of the book, the author, publisher and page number, and any other necessary details so that we can also go through the same book and understand the context? Please give the reference.
2. Any spiritual aspirant is asked by his Guru to offer his everything at the feet of his chosen deity. The idea is not to own anything for himself but to hold everything as a Trust which belongs to the Lord. The idea of complete surrender lies behind this action.
3. How to do it? You imagine as if you are the owner of all these things and offer it at the Lord’s feet. It is a strong imagination and mental action.
4. Manas is what is called mind, which is more of mater and knows only pros and cons of a subject. Buddhi is more subtle and can decide and give the answer to questions posed by the mind. Buddhi is the determinative faculty.
5. Ego comes when the soul identifies itself with body and says ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘I’.
for more details read thoroughly Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and keep contact with the Swamiji-in-charge of the nearest Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission centre