Shloka 12
Adhyāya 48: Brahmopadeśa on Prāṇāyāma, Sāttvika Vṛtti, and the Sattva–Kṣetrajña Question
मत्स्यो यथान्य: स्यादप्सु सम्प्रयोगस्तथा तयो: । सम्बन्धस्तोयबिन्दूनां पर्ण कोकनदस्य च
matsyo yathānyaḥ syād apsu samprayogas tathā tayoḥ | sambandhas toyabindūnāṃ parṇa kokanadasya ca ||
Vāyu dit : «De même qu’un poisson peut être distinct de l’eau et pourtant l’union du poisson et de l’eau se voit clairement, de même on observe le lien entre les gouttes d’eau et la feuille du lotus kokanada. Ainsi, la différence de nature n’empêche ni la relation ni l’association lorsque les conditions et le dessein les font se rejoindre.»
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that apparent difference does not negate connection: distinct entities can still be meaningfully associated, as shown by fish with water and water-drops with a lotus leaf. It supports a broader ethical-philosophical point that relations arise through context, function, and contact, not merely sameness of nature.
Vāyu is speaking and uses everyday natural examples—fish living in water and droplets resting on a lotus leaf—to illustrate a principle about sambandha (relation) and samprayoga (association), likely to clarify a subtle point in the surrounding discussion.