Devanagari
चालनं व्यूहनं प्राप्तिर्नेतृत्वं द्रव्यशब्दयो: ।
सर्वेन्द्रियाणामात्मत्वं वायो: कर्माभिलक्षणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
Verse text
cālanaṁ vyūhanaṁ prāptir
netṛtvaṁ dravya-śabdayoḥ
sarvendriyāṇām ātmatvaṁ
vāyoḥ karmābhilakṣaṇam
Synonyms
cālanam
—
moving
;
vyūhanam
—
mixing
;
prāptiḥ
—
allowing approach
;
netṛtvam
—
carrying
;
dravya
—
śabdayoḥ — particles of substances and sound
;
sarva
—
indriyāṇām — of all the senses
;
ātmatvam
—
providing for the proper functioning
;
vāyoḥ
—
of air
;
karma
—
by actions
;
abhilakṣaṇam
—
the distinct characteristics .
Translation
The action of the air is exhibited in movements, mixing, allowing approach to the objects of sound and other sense perceptions, and providing for the proper functioning of all other senses.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The distinctive qualities of air are its actions of moving, gathering, conjunction, leading sense objects to the sense organ and giving life to the senses.
The characteristics of air are described. It provides movement, as moving the branches of trees. It causes association, as in bringing grass together. It causes cohesion of an object as one unit. It brings the sense object such as sound, coldness or fragrance to the organ such as ear, skin or nose. It should be understood that movement, association and bringing the sense object to the sense are all particular types of conjunction (prapti). Air brings life to all the senses. These actions of air are its distinctive features (abhi lakṣaṇam).
Purport
We can perceive the action of the air when the branches of a tree move or when dry leaves on the ground collect together. Similarly, it is only by the action of the air that a body moves, and when the air circulation is impeded, many diseases result. Paralysis, nervous breakdowns, madness and many other diseases are actually due to an insufficient circulation of air. In the Āyurvedic system these diseases are treated on the basis of air circulation. If from the beginning one takes care of the process of air circulation, such diseases cannot take place. From the
Āyur-veda
as well as from the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
it is clear that so many activities are going on internally and externally because of air alone, and as soon as there is some deficiency in the air circulation, these activities cannot take place. Here it is clearly stated,
netṛtvaṁ dravya-śabdayoḥ.
Our sense of proprietorship over action is also due to the activity of the air. If the air circulation is stifled, we cannot approach a place after hearing. If someone calls us, we hear the sound because of the air circulation, and we approach that sound or the place from which the sound comes. It is clearly said in this verse that these are all movements of the air. The ability to detect odors is also due to the action of the air.