Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 486
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
वायोश्वापि गुण: स्पर्श: स्पर्शश्व॒ बहुधा स्मृतः । शब्द और स्पर्श--ये वायुके दो गुण जानने योग्य कहे जाते हैं। इनमें भी स्पर्श ही वायुका प्रधान गुण है। स्पर्श भी कई प्रकारका माना गया है
vāyoś cāpi guṇaḥ sparśaḥ, śabdaś ca bahudhā smṛtaḥ |
Vāyu-deva explains that the wind is known by its perceptible qualities—especially touch and also sound. Among these, touch is regarded as the wind’s principal defining attribute, and even this ‘touch’ is understood in many distinct forms. The teaching frames a moral-psychological point: just as an element is recognized by its characteristic qualities, a person is known by the dominant qualities they cultivate and express.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wind is characterized by specific qualities—touch and sound—with touch treated as primary; the broader lesson is that beings (and people) are recognized by their dominant qualities, so one should cultivate the qualities that define a virtuous life.
Vāyu-deva is speaking in a didactic passage, describing the elemental properties of wind and distinguishing its principal attribute (touch), preparing for further classification of how that attribute manifests in different ways.