Shloka 48

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

शब्दस्पर्शीं च विज्ञेयौ द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते

Transliteration

śabdasparśīṃ ca vijñeyau dviguṇo vāyur ucyate

Translation

Vāyu-deva said: “Sound and touch are to be understood as its (proper) qualities; therefore the Wind is spoken of as ‘twofold’—bearing these two sensory properties.”

Word by Word

• शब्दस्पर्शी: having (the qualities of) sound and touch
• शब्दस्पर्शी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्दस्पर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विज्ञेयौ: to be known / should be understood
• विज्ञेयौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्विगुणः: twofold / having two qualities
• द्विगुणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वायुः: wind (air)
• वायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said / is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• śabda (sound)
• sparśa (touch)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches an elemental doctrine: the air principle (vāyu) is characterized by two perceptible qualities—sound and touch—so it is termed ‘twofold’ (dviguṇa). This frames knowledge of the world through discernible properties rather than mere names.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is delivering a didactic explanation about the nature of the elements and their defining sensory qualities, classifying vāyu by the properties it carries (sound and touch).