Shloka 286

Bhṛgu–Bharadvāja-saṃvāda: Vānaprastha-parivrājaka-ācāra, Abhaya-dharma, and Lokānāṃ Vibhāga (Śānti-parva 185)

Devanagari script

एवं नवविधो ज्ञेय: पार्थिवो गन्धविस्तर: । अनुकूल

Transliteration

evaṁ navavidho jñeyaḥ pārthivo gandha-vistaraḥ | anukūlaḥ pratikūlaḥ madhuraḥ kaṭuḥ nihārī dūrataḥ āgacchantī tīkṣṇa-gandha-miśritaḥ snigdhaḥ rūkṣaḥ viśadaś ca—ete gandhasya nava bhedā jñātavyāḥ | evaṁ pārthiva-gandhasya vistaro vyākhyātaḥ |

Translation

ଏହିପରି ପାର୍ଥିବ ଗନ୍ଧର ବିସ୍ତାର ନବବିଧ ବୋଲି ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ—ଅନୁକୂଳ, ପ୍ରତିକୂଳ, ମଧୁର, କଟୁ, ‘ନିହାରୀ’ (ଦୂରରୁ ଆସୁଥିବା ପରି ଲାଗୁଥିବା ଗନ୍ଧ), ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ଗନ୍ଧମିଶ୍ରିତ, ସ୍ନିଗ୍ଧ, ରୂକ୍ଷ ଓ ବିଶଦ/ଶୁଦ୍ଧ। ଏହି ନବ ଭେଦ ଗନ୍ଧର। ଏହିପରି ପୃଥିବୀ-ତତ୍ତ୍ୱର ଗନ୍ଧବିସ୍ତାର କୁହାଗଲା।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• नवविधः: of nine kinds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवविध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्ञेयः: to be known
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थिवः: earthy; belonging to earth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गन्ध-विस्तरः: the classification/expansion of smells
• गन्ध-विस्तरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धविस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvāja
• pṛthivī (earth element)
• gandha (smell)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse classifies the earth-element’s sensory quality—smell—into nine recognizable types, training discernment (viveka) about sense-data as part of a broader philosophical analysis of the elements and perception.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic discourse attributed to Bharadvāja within Śānti Parva, the speaker is enumerating and defining categories of sensory qualities; here he concludes the ninefold description of ‘earthly’ odors.