सर्वे बभूवुस्तत्रस्था विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः । भिन्नाम्बरा देहरुहैर्गिरः श्रोतुमिवोद्धुरैः ॥ २ ॥
sarvē babhūvustatrasthā vismayōtphullalōcanāḥ | bhinnāmbarā dēharuhairgiraḥ śrōtumivōddhuraiḥ || 2 ||
Translation
all who were there sat with eyes wide open in wonder, their garments pierced, as it were, by the hair of their bodies standing on end, as if eager to hear the words;
Word by word
- sarvē
- all
- babhūvus
- (babhūvuḥ) sat
- tatrasthā
- (tatrasthāḥ) who were there
- vismaya
- in wonder
- utphulla
- wide open
- lōcanāḥ
- with eyes
- bhinna
- pierced
- ambarā
- (ambarāḥ) their garments
- dēha
- of their bodies
- ruhair
- (ruhaiḥ) by the hair
- giraḥ
- the words
- śrōtum
- to hear
- iva
- as if
- uddhuraiḥ
- standing on end, eager
Meaning
Wonder (vismaya) shows in the body. The eyes open wide like flowers (utphulla), and the hair stands on end, so much that it seems to pierce the clothes (bhinnāmbarāḥ). The commentary keeps the hyperbole and gives its sense: the hair rose as if itself straining to hear (śrotum iva uddhuraiḥ). The Indian tradition counts the thrill of the body (romāñca) among the signs of a truth that has really been received, beyond understanding. The reader may remember hearing something true that made the skin prickle, and know that it was heard by more than the mind.