SB 3.26.42

SB 3.26.42

Devanagari

कषायो मधुरस्तिक्त: कट्‍वम्‍ल इति नैकधा । भौतिकानां विकारेण रस एको विभिद्यते ॥ ४२ ॥

Verse text

kaṣāyo madhuras tiktaḥ kaṭv amla iti naikadhā bhautikānāṁ vikāreṇa rasa eko vibhidyate

Synonyms

kaṣāyaḥ astringent ; madhuraḥ sweet ; tiktaḥ bitter ; kaṭu pungent ; amlaḥ sour ; iti thus ; na ekadhā — manifoldly ; bhautikānām of other substances ; vikāreṇa by transformation ; rasaḥ the subtle element taste ; ekaḥ originally one ; vibhidyate is divided .

Translation

Although originally one, taste becomes manifold as astringent, sweet, bitter, pungent, sour and salty due to contact with other substances.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

One taste divides into many by transformation in combined substances and becomes astringent, sweet, bitter, hot and sour. The qualities of taste are described. Salty taste should be added to the list. Taste, which is actually only one, known as sweetness, by combination of material objects (bhautikānām) is divided into many.