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

Wika ni Bharadvāja: “Ang liwanag ay nasasagap ng mga mata, at ang paghipo ay nalalaman sa pamamagitan ng hangin. Kaya’t ang tao’y nakakakita ng anyo sa dalawang mata at nakararanas ng pagdampi sa pamamagitan ng pandamang-balat. Ang tunog, paghipo, anyo, at lasa ay sinasabing mga katangiang kaugnay ng sangkap na tubig; sa mga ito, ang lasa ang pangunahing katangian. Kaya upang maunawaan nang wasto ang lasa, ilalarawan ko ngayon ang mga uri nito—pakinggan ninyo mula sa aking bibig.”

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.