Text 45]
Fundamental Principles of Material Nature
1109
rasa-mātrād vikurvāṇād ambhaso daiva-coditāt gandha-mātram abhūt tasmāt pṛthvī ghrāṇas tu gandhagaḥ
rasa-mātrāt—which evolves from the subtle element taste; vikurvāṇāt—undergoing transformation; ambhasaḥ—from water; daiva-coditāt—by a superior arrangement; gandha-mātram—the subtle element odor; abhūt—became manifest; tasmāt—from that; pṛthvī—earth; ghrāṇaḥ—the olfactory sense; tu—in fact; gandha-gaḥ—which perceives aromas.
TRANSLATION
Due to the interaction of water with the taste perception, the subtle element odor evolves under superior arrangement. Thence the earth and the olfactory sense by which we can variously experience the aroma of the earth become manifest.
TEXT 45
करम्भपूतिसौरभ्यशान्तोग्राम्लादिमिःपृथक् । द्रव्यावयववैषम्याद्ग्रन्थ एको विभिद्यते ॥४५॥
karambha-pūti-saurabhya śāntogrāmlādibhiḥ pṛthak dravyāva yava-vaiṣamyād gandha eko vibhidyate
karambha—mixed; pūti—offensive; saurabhya—fragrant; śānta—mild; ugra—strong, pungent; amla—acid; ādibhiḥ—and so on; pṛthak—separately; dravya—of substance; avayava—of portions; vaiṣamyāt—according to diversity; gandhaḥ—odor; ekaḥ—one; vibhidyate—is divided.
TRANSLATION
Odor, although one, becomes many—as mixed, offensive, fragrant, mild, strong, acidic and so on—according to the proportions of associated substances.
PURPORT
Mixed smell is sometimes perceived in foodstuffs prepared from various ingredients, such as vegetables mixed with different kinds of spices and