Shloka 58
Self-Knowledge and the Allegory of the Five Elements & Senses
Karma, Association, and Rebirth
शब्दो हि मे गुणः प्रोक्तो मम व्यापारमेव हि । योजयामि न संदेहो यदा बुद्धिः प्रपूरयेत्
śabdo hi me guṇaḥ prokto mama vyāpārameva hi | yojayāmi na saṃdeho yadā buddhiḥ prapūrayet
Le son est proclamé mon attribut, et il est en vérité mon activité même. Lorsque l’intellect (buddhi) est pleinement rempli et engagé, je le mets en mouvement—sans aucun doute.
Unspecified (context not provided; likely a deity/personified principle speaking about its own guṇa and function)
Concept: Sound is both attribute and activity; when intellect is fully engaged, the faculty of sound activates cognition and action.
Application: Feed the intellect with elevating inputs (scripture, mantra, truthful counsel); then use speech/sound deliberately—chanting, truthful communication, and attentive listening—to set the mind toward dharma.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous throat-lotus emits concentric rings of sound that appear as Sanskrit syllables, while a radiant buddhi-sun above ‘fills’ and ignites them, turning inert ripples into purposeful, orderly waves. The scene conveys certainty: the moment buddhi is complete, sound becomes a chariot that moves the inner world.","primary_figures":["Personified Śabda (sound faculty)","Buddhi (as a sun/lotus)"],"setting":"Subtle-body mandala with throat center as a lotus, surrounded by geometric yantra-like rings.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["electric blue","sun-gold","ivory","crimson","smoky violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central throat-lotus with gold leaf sound-rings, Sanskrit akṣaras embossed; buddhi as a golden sun-disc above; rich crimson and emerald accents, ornate jewelry on the personified Śabda deity, temple arch framing with lamps and gold borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate concentric sound ripples in pale blues and ivories, fine akṣara detailing; buddhi as a soft golden orb; refined, minimal composition with lyrical geometry and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of lotus and rings, strong yellow-gold buddhi disc, blue-violet sound waves; stylized deity figure with characteristic eyes, temple-wall palette and ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: mandala of sound-lotuses and akṣara garlands, deep indigo ground with gold and white linework; floral borders, central radiant disc, intricate repetitive motifs suggesting vibration and rhythm."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","tanpura drone","temple bells","resonant chanting syllables"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: व्यापारम्+एव→व्यापारमेव
FAQs
It identifies śabda as an inherent attribute (guṇa) of the speaking principle and also as its operative function—sound is both a quality and an activity through which it works.
The verse links the full engagement or completion of buddhi with activation: when buddhi is ‘filled’ or fully functioning, the speaker ‘yokes’ or sets the process into motion.
Clarity of intellect precedes effective expression and action: when understanding is complete, speech and purposeful activity follow without uncertainty.