12.177
भरद्वाज उवाच॥
Bharadvāja said.
एते ते धातवः पञ्च ब्रह्मा यानसृजत्पुरा। आवृता यैरिमे लोका महाभूताभिसञ्ज्ञितैः ॥१२-१७७-१॥
These are those five elements which Brahmā formerly created. By which these worlds are enveloped, called the great elements.
यदासृजत्सहस्राणि भूतानां स महामतिः। पञ्चानामेव भूतत्वं कथं समुपपद्यते ॥१२-१७७-२॥
When the great-minded one created thousands of beings, how is it that the state of being of the five elements is established?
भृगुरुवाच॥
Bhṛgu said.
अमितानां महाशब्दो यान्ति भूतानि सम्भवम्। ततस्तेषां महाभूतशब्दोऽयमुपपद्यते ॥१२-१७७-३॥
The great sound of the immeasurable reaches the origin of beings. Therefore, for them, the term 'great beings' is justified.
चेष्टा वयूः खमाकाशमूष्माग्निः सलिलं द्रवः। पृथिवी चात्र सङ्घातः शरीरं पाञ्चभौतिकम् ॥१२-१७७-४॥
Activity is air, space is ether, heat is fire, water is liquid, and the aggregate body here is composed of the five elements.
इत्येतैः पञ्चभिर्भूतैर्युक्तं स्थावरजङ्गमम्। श्रोत्रं घ्राणं रसः स्पर्शो दृष्टिश्चेन्द्रियसञ्ज्ञिताः ॥१२-१७७-५॥
Thus, all immobile and mobile beings are composed of these five elements; the ear, nose, taste, touch, and sight are known as the senses.
भरद्वाज उवाच॥
Bharadvāja said.
पञ्चभिर्यदि भूतैस्तु युक्ताः स्थावरजङ्गमाः। स्थावराणां न दृश्यन्ते शरीरे पञ्च धातवः ॥१२-१७७-६॥
If, indeed, both immobile and mobile beings are composed of the five elements, the five elements are not observed in the bodies of immobile beings.
अनूष्मणामचेष्टानां घनानां चैव तत्त्वतः। वृक्षाणां नोपलभ्यन्ते शरीरे पञ्च धातवः ॥१२-१७७-७॥
In reality, in the bodies of trees, which are without heat, without movement, and are solid, the five elements are not found.
न शृण्वन्ति न पश्यन्ति न गन्धरसवेदिनः। न च स्पर्शं विजानन्ति ते कथं पाञ्चभौतिकाः ॥१२-१७७-८॥
They neither hear nor see, nor do they know smell or taste; nor do they perceive touch. How then are they composed of the five elements?
अद्रवत्वादनग्नित्वादभौमत्वादवायुतः। आकाशस्याप्रमेयत्वाद्वृक्षाणां नास्ति भौतिकम् ॥१२-१७७-९॥
Because space is not liquid, not fiery, not earthy, not airy, and is immeasurable, trees do not have a material (elemental) nature in relation to space.
भृगुरुवाच॥
Bhṛgu said.
घनानामपि वृक्षाणामाकाशोऽस्ति न संशयः। तेषां पुष्पफले व्यक्तिर्नित्यं समुपलभ्यते ॥१२-१७७-१०॥
Even among dense trees, there is certainly space; and among them, the appearance of flowers and fruits is always evident.
ऊष्मतो ग्लानपर्णानां त्वक्फलं पुष्पमेव च। म्लायते चैव शीते न स्पर्शस्तेनात्र विद्यते ॥१२-१७७-११॥
From heat, the bark, fruit, and flower of withered leaves wither away, but in cold, there is no such effect here.
वाय्वग्न्यशनिनिष्पेषैः फलपुष्पं विशीर्यते। श्रोत्रेण गृह्यते शब्दस्तस्माच्छृण्वन्ति पादपाः ॥१२-१७७-१२॥
Fruit and flowers are scattered by wind, fire, thunderbolt, and crushing. Sound is received by the ear; therefore, trees hear.
वल्ली वेष्टयते वृक्षं सर्वतश्चैव गच्छति। न ह्यदृष्टेश्च मार्गोऽस्ति तस्मात्पश्यन्ति पादपाः ॥१२-१७७-१३॥
The creeper wraps around the tree and spreads in all directions. There is no path for the unperceiving; therefore, trees are aware.
पुण्यापुण्यैस्तथा गन्धैर्धूपैश्च विविधैरपि। अरोगाः पुष्पिताः सन्ति तस्माज्जिघ्रन्ति पादपाः ॥१२-१७७-१४॥
Trees, being free from disease and in bloom, exist because of merit and demerit, as well as various scents and incenses; therefore, they are able to smell.
पादैः सलिलपानं च व्याधीनामपि दर्शनम्। व्याधिप्रतिक्रियत्वाच्च विद्यते रसनं द्रुमे ॥१२-१७७-१५॥
In trees, water is absorbed by the roots, and even diseases can be observed; because of their ability to counteract diseases, taste is present in the tree.
वक्त्रेणोत्पलनालेन यथोर्ध्वं जलमाददेत्। तथा पवनसंयुक्तः पादैः पिबति पादपः ॥१२-१७७-१६॥
Just as one would take water upwards with the mouth through the stalk of a lotus, so too the tree drinks (water) with its feet, aided by the wind.
ग्रहणात्सुखदुःखस्य छिन्नस्य च विरोहणात्। जीवं पश्यामि वृक्षाणामचैतन्यं न विद्यते ॥१२-१७७-१७॥
Because pleasure and pain are experienced and cut branches sprout again, I see that trees possess life; there is no absence of consciousness in them.
तेन तज्जलमादत्तं जरयत्यग्निमारुतौ। आहारपरिणामाच्च स्नेहो वृद्धिश्च जायते ॥१२-१७७-१८॥
Thus, the water thus taken is digested by the action of fire and wind. From the transformation of food, unctuousness and growth arise.
जङ्गमानां च सर्वेषां शरीरे पञ्च धातवः। प्रत्येकशः प्रभिद्यन्ते यैः शरीरं विचेष्टते ॥१२-१७७-१९॥
In the bodies of all moving beings, there are five elements; each is individually divided, and by these, the body functions.
त्वक्च मांसं तथास्थीनि मज्जा स्नायु च पञ्चमम्। इत्येतदिह सङ्ख्यातं शरीरे पृथिवीमयम् ॥१२-१७७-२०॥
The skin, flesh, bones, marrow, and sinews—these five are described here as the earth element in the body.
तेजोऽग्निश्च तथा क्रोधश्चक्षुरूष्मा तथैव च। अग्निर्जरयते चापि पञ्चाग्नेयाः शरीरिणः ॥१२-१७७-२१॥
Lustre, fire, anger, the eye, and heat—these five, in the same way, are fiery in embodied beings; fire also causes decay.
श्रोत्रं घ्राणमथास्यं च हृदयं कोष्ठमेव च। आकाशात्प्राणिनामेते शरीरे पञ्च धातवः ॥१२-१७७-२२॥
The ear, nose, mouth, heart, and abdomen—these five elements in the body of living beings arise from space.
श्लेष्मा पित्तमथ स्वेदो वसा शोणितमेव च। इत्यापः पञ्चधा देहे भवन्ति प्राणिनां सदा ॥१२-१७७-२३॥
Phlegm, bile, sweat, fat, and blood—these five forms of water always exist in the bodies of living beings.
प्राणात्प्रणीयते प्राणी व्यानाद्व्यायच्छते तथा। गच्छत्यपानोऽवाक्चैव समानो हृद्यवस्थितः ॥१२-१७७-२४॥
The living being is moved by prāṇa, expanded by vyāna; apāna moves downward, and samāna is established in the heart.
उदानादुच्छ्वसिति च प्रतिभेदाच्च भाषते। इत्येते वायवः पञ्च चेष्टयन्तीह देहिनम् ॥१२-१७७-२५॥
It is by udāna that one breathes upward, and by each division that one speaks. Thus, these five vital airs function here in the embodied being.
भूमेर्गन्धगुणान्वेत्ति रसं चाद्भ्यः शरीरवान्। ज्योतिः पश्यति चक्षुर्भ्यां स्पर्शं वेत्ति च वायुना ॥१२-१७७-२६॥
The embodied being perceives the qualities of smell from earth and taste from water; perceives form through light with the eyes, and perceives touch through air.
तस्य गन्धस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तराभिहितान्गुणान्। इष्टश्चानिष्टगन्धश्च मधुरः कटुरेव च ॥१२-१७७-२७॥
I will now explain in detail the qualities of that fragrance: both its desirable and undesirable aspects, as well as its sweet and pungent characteristics.
निर्हारी संहतः स्निग्धो रूक्षो विशद एव च। एवं नवविधो ज्ञेयः पार्थिवो गन्धविस्तरः ॥१२-१७७-२८॥
The earthly expansion of scent is to be known as ninefold: removing, compact, unctuous, dry, clear, indeed, and thus.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसश्चापां गुणाः स्मृताः। रसज्ञानं तु वक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥१२-१७७-२९॥
Sound, touch, form, and taste are known as the qualities of water. Now, I will explain the knowledge of taste; listen to me as I speak.
रसो बहुविधः प्रोक्तः सूरिभिः प्रथितात्मभिः। मधुरो लवणस्तिक्तः कषायोऽम्लः कटुस्तथा ॥ एष षड्विधविस्तारो रसो वारिमयः स्मृतः ॥१२-१७७-३०॥
The wise, those of renowned self, have declared that taste is of many kinds: sweet, salty, bitter, astringent, sour, and pungent. This sixfold expansion of taste, consisting of water, is remembered.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरुच्यते। ज्योतिः पश्यति रूपाणि रूपं च बहुधा स्मृतम् ॥१२-१७७-३१॥
Sound, touch, and form, which are of threefold quality, are called light. Light perceives forms, and form is remembered in many ways.
ह्रस्वो दीर्घस्तथा स्थूलश्चतुरस्रोऽणु वृत्तवान्। शुक्लः कृष्णस्तथा रक्तो नीलः पीतोऽरुणस्तथा ॥ एवं द्वादशविस्तारो ज्योतीरूपगुणः स्मृतः ॥१२-१७७-३२॥
Short, long, thick, quadrangular, minute, circular; white, black, red, blue, yellow, and reddish-brown—these twelvefold characteristics are considered the qualities of the form of light.
शब्दस्पर्शौ तु विज्ञेयौ द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते। वायव्यस्तु गुणः स्पर्शः स्पर्शश्च बहुधा स्मृतः ॥१२-१७७-३३॥
Sound and touch are to be understood as the two qualities of air; air is said to possess two qualities. Of air, the quality is touch, and touch is remembered in many ways.
कठिनश्चिक्कणः श्लक्ष्णः पिच्छलो मृदुदारुणः। उष्णः शीतः सुखो दुःखः स्निग्धो विशद एव च ॥ एवं द्वादशविस्तारो वायव्यो गुण उच्यते ॥१२-१७७-३४॥
The qualities of wind are described as twelvefold: hard, slippery, smooth, sticky, soft, harsh, hot, cold, pleasant, unpleasant, unctuous, and clear.
तत्रैकगुणमाकाशं शब्द इत्येव तत्स्मृतम्। तस्य शब्दस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तरं विविधात्मकम् ॥१२-१७७-३५॥
There, ether is said to have one quality, namely sound. I shall now explain in detail the various forms of that sound.
षड्ज ऋषभगान्धारौ मध्यमः पञ्चमस्तथा। धैवतश्चापि विज्ञेयस्तथा चापि निषादकः ॥१२-१७७-३६॥
The notes ṣaḍja, ṛṣabha, gāndhāra, madhyama, pañcama, dhaivata, and niṣāda are to be known as such.
एष सप्तविधः प्रोक्तो गुण आकाशलक्षणः। त्रैस्वर्येण तु सर्वत्र स्थितोऽपि पटहादिषु ॥१२-१७७-३७॥
This sevenfold quality, described as the characteristic of space, is present everywhere by means of threefold sound, even in drums and similar objects.
आकाशजं शब्दमाहुरेभिर्वायुगुणैः सह। अव्याहतैश्चेतयते न वेत्ति विषमागतैः ॥१२-१७७-३८॥
They say that sound, which is born in the sky and carried along with the qualities of wind, is perceived when the wind is unobstructed, but is not recognized when the wind comes in a disturbed manner.
आप्यायन्ते च ते नित्यं धातवस्तैस्तु धातुभिः। आपोऽग्निर्मारुतश्चैव नित्यं जाग्रति देहिषु ॥१२-१७७-३९॥
The elements are always nourished by those elements; waters, fire, and wind are always indeed awake in embodied beings.
