Shloka 36
उष्ण: शीत: सुखो दुःख: स्निग्थो विशद एव च,उष्ण, शीत, सुख, दुःख, स्निग्ध, विशद, खर, मृदु, रूक्ष, हलका, भारी और अधिक भारी--इस प्रकार वायु-सम्बन्धी स्पर्श गुणके बारह भेद कहे जाते हैं
bharadvāja uvāca | uṣṇaḥ śītaḥ sukho duḥkhaḥ snigdho viśada eva ca | kharaḥ mṛduḥ rūkṣaḥ laghuḥ bhārī ati-bhārī ca | iti vāyu-sambandhī sparśa-guṇānāṃ dvādaśa bhedāḥ kathyante ||
भारद्वाज उवाच—उष्णं शीतं सुखं दुःखं स्निग्धं विशदमेव च। खरं मृदु रूक्षं लघु गुरु गुरुतरं च—इति वायुसम्बन्धिनः स्पर्शगुणा द्वादशधा प्रोक्ता इति॥ एतेषां स्पर्शानां विवेकात् देहस्य जगतः च यथार्थबोधो जायते, सुखदुःखयोर्मध्ये च धैर्यं प्रतिष्ठते॥
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse classifies twelve touch-based qualities (sparśa-guṇas) attributed to the air element—hot/cold, pleasant/painful, unctuous/clear, rough/soft, dry, light, heavy, and very heavy—encouraging discernment of sensory experience so one can remain steady and not be ruled by shifting bodily sensations.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bharadvāja is explaining a doctrinal taxonomy of sense qualities. He enumerates the varieties of tactile experience as part of a broader teaching on elements, perception, and disciplined understanding.