इमां ज्ञानगिरं श्रोतुमवबोद्धुं च सन्मते । अर्हस्युद्धतकर्णस्त्वं जन्तुर्वीणास्वनं यथा ॥ ६५ ॥
imāṁ jñānagiraṁ śrōtumavabōddhuṁ ca sanmatē | arhasyuddhatakarṇastvaṁ janturvīṇāsvanaṁ yathā || 65 ||
Translation
You of true mind, you are fit to hear and to understand this speech of knowledge, with ears lifted, as a creature attends to the sound of the lute.
Word by word
- imāṁ
- this
- jñāna
- of knowledge
- giraṁ
- speech
- śrōtum
- to hear
- avabōddhuṁ
- to understand
- ca
- and
- sanmatē
- you of true mind
- arhasi
- you are fit
- uddhata
- lifted
- karṇas
- (karṇaḥ) with ears
- tvaṁ
- you
- jantur
- (jantuḥ) a creature
- vīṇā
- of the lute
- svanaṁ
- to the sound
- yathā
- as
Meaning
A deer, says the commentary, or such an animal, with ears raised. Indian poetry says that deer stand spellbound at the sound of the vīṇā. After the warning about those of an animal's nature, Vasiṣṭha chooses an animal to describe the best of listeners. What is praised is total, unguarded attention. The deer is not weighing the music against anything.