We say Arihant are those who has won their indris i want to know what is the meaning of indris and what are those indris that you need to win to become an arihant

In Jain Dharma, when we say “Arihant ne indriyo par vijay melavyo chhe” (Arihant has conquered the indriyas), it has a very deep and specific meaning.

1. What is the meaning of “Indriya”?

In Jainism, indriya means sense-organ / sense-power – the tools through which the soul experiences the outside world.

They are not just the physical organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin), but the inner power of sensing connected with them.

So:

• Eye is the organ,
• But the seeing power (sight) is the indriya.

2. The 5 Indriyas in Jainism

Jain Dharma speaks of 5 indriyas (pañcendriya):

1. Sparshan-indriya – Touch

- Through skin: hot–cold, soft–hard, rough–smooth, pain–pleasure etc.

1. Rasna-indriya – Taste

- Through tongue: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, etc.

1. Ghran-indriya – Smell

- Through nose: fragrance, bad smell, etc.

1. Chakshu-indriya – Sight

- Through eyes: form, color, shape, size, movement, etc.

1. Shravan-indriya – Hearing

- Through ears: sound, speech, music, noise, etc.

All mobile beings (like humans, animals, birds) are five-sensed (pañcendriya jiv) if they have all five working.

You can read a simple explanation of the 5 indriyas here

3. What does it mean to “win” (conquer) the Indriyas?

To “win” the indriyas does not mean:

• Destroying the senses, or
• Becoming blind, deaf, etc.

It means:

> The senses do not control the soul; > the pure soul controls the senses.

In simple words:

• No slavery to:

- Tasty food (rasna indriya) - Attractive forms / beauty (chakshu indriya) - Pleasant touch (sparshan indriya) - Sweet sounds / praise (shravan indriya) - Nice fragrance (ghran indriya)

• The Arihant’s soul is completely free from attachment (rāg) and aversion (dveṣa), so even if the senses function, they do not create passions, desires, or bondage.

This is called indriya-vijay or indriya-nirodh / samvar – perfect control and non-indulgence.

4. Are only 5 indriyas to be conquered?

In Jain texts, mainly these 5 sense-indriyas are counted.

Sometimes people also say man (mind) as a sixth, but technically, in Jain philosophy:

• Mind (manas) is a separate internal organ (antar-karaṇa),
• The indriyas are these 5 senses only.

To become an Arihant, the soul must:

• Completely conquer:

- These 5 senses, - The mind, - And all kashayas (anger, pride, deceit, greed).

So, “winning indriyas” means:

• No craving for sensual pleasures,
• No disturbance inside due to any sense-object,
• Senses may work, but remain totally under the control of pure, passionless soul.

5. Indriya and Arihant – connection in sutras

In Panchindiya Sutra, the true Guru is praised as:

• “Panchindiya-samvarano” – one who has stopped (controlled) the five indriyas,
• And has many other great qualities (total 36 gunas).

The Arihant Bhagwan is the highest state of such complete victory over indriyas and passions.

You can see a short explanation of this here

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Summary:

• Indriyas = 5 senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing.
• To “win” them = they no longer drag the soul towards pleasure or pain.
• An Arihant has perfect control over all these senses and mind, entirely free from attachment and aversion.