Shloka 23
Bhūta-guṇa-saṃkhyāna
Enumeration of the Properties of the Elements and Cognitive Faculties
यथा मत्स्योडद्धिरन्य: स्यात् सम्प्रयुक्तो तथैव तौ । मशकोदुम्बरौ वापि सम्प्रयुक्तो यथा सह
yathā matsyo ’bdhir anyaḥ syāt samprayukto tathaiva tau | maśakodumbarau vāpi samprayukto yathā saha ||
ଯେପରି ମାଛ ଓ ସମୁଦ୍ର ଭିନ୍ନ ପ୍ରକାରର, ତଥାପି ସ୍ୱାଭାବିକ ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ଯୁକ୍ତ ରହନ୍ତି—ସେପରି ଏହି ଦୁଇଟି। କିମ୍ବା ଯେପରି ମଶା ଓ ଉଦୁମ୍ବର (ଗୁଲର) ଏକଠା ହେଲେ—ସର୍ବଥା ଅସମାନ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ସଂଯୁକ୍ତ ରହନ୍ତି।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that association or linkage can exist even between fundamentally dissimilar beings; difference in nature does not prevent a real connection, whether by dependence, proximity, or circumstance.
Vyāsa illustrates a point through vivid comparisons—fish with the sea, and a mosquito with an udumbara—showing how ‘those two’ (previously mentioned in the discourse) are connected despite being unlike.