Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

ज्योति: पश्यति चक्षुर्भ्या स्पर्श वेत्ति च वायुना

Transliteration

jyotiḥ paśyati cakṣurbhyāṃ sparśaṃ vetti ca vāyunā | manuṣyo netrābhyāṃ rūpaṃ paśyati tvagindriyeṇa sparśam anubhavati | śabda-sparśa-rūpa-rasa—ete jalasya guṇāḥ manyante | teṣu pradhāno guṇo rasaḥ | tasya vijñānārthaṃ idānīṃ tasya bhedān varṇayiṣyāmi | tvaṃ tan mama mukhāt śṛṇu ||

Translation

ଭରଦ୍ୱାଜ କହିଲେ—ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଦୁଇ ଚକ୍ଷୁ ଦ୍ୱାରା ରୂପକୁ ଦେଖେ, ଏବଂ ବାୟୁର ଆଶ୍ରୟରେ ତ୍ୱକ୍‌ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସ୍ପର୍ଶକୁ ଅନୁଭବ କରେ। ଶବ୍ଦ, ସ୍ପର୍ଶ, ରୂପ ଓ ରସ—ଏହିମାନେ ଜଳର ଗୁଣ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ରସ ପ୍ରଧାନ। ତେଣୁ ରସର ସଠିକ୍ ଜ୍ଞାନ ପାଇଁ ମୁଁ ଏବେ ତାହାର ଭେଦମାନେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରୁଛି—ମୋ ମୁଖରୁ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାରେ ଶୁଣ।

Word by Word

• {'jyotiḥ': 'light

• luminosity', 'paśyati': 'sees

• perceives', 'cakṣus / cakṣurbhyām': 'eye / with (both) eyes', 'sparśa': 'touch

• tactile sensation', 'vetti': 'knows

• cognizes', 'vāyunā': 'by/through air (as medium or agency)', 'manuṣyaḥ': 'a human being', 'rūpa': 'form

• visible appearance', 'tvagindriya': 'the skin-sense

• tactile organ', 'śabda': 'sound', 'guṇa': 'quality

• attribute', 'jala': 'water', 'rasa': 'taste

• flavor (also aesthetic ‘rasa’ in other contexts)', 'pradhāna': 'chief

• principal', 'bheda': 'types

• varieties', 'varṇayiṣyāmi': 'I shall describe/explain', 'mukha': 'mouth', 'śṛṇu': 'listen'}

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvaja
• jyotiḥ (light)
• vāyu (air)
• jala (water)
• cakṣus (eyes)
• tvak (skin-sense)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links sense-perception to specific media and elemental qualities: sight apprehends light through the eyes, touch is known through air, and water is discussed in terms of its associated qualities—highlighting taste (rasa) as primary and preparing for a classification of tastes.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Bharadvaja continues a philosophical explanation of how humans perceive the world and how the elements are characterized by their qualities, transitioning into a detailed teaching on the varieties of taste.