असंप्राप्ताभिधाचारा चिज्जवात् प्रस्फुरद्वपुः । सा चैव स्पर्शतन्मात्रं भावनाद्भवति क्षणात् ॥ १८ ॥
asaṁprāptābhidhācārā cijjavāt prasphuradvapuḥ | sā caiva sparśatanmātraṁ bhāvanādbhavati kṣaṇāt || 18 ||
Translation
Before it has gained the name and the conduct, its body throbbing with the speed of awareness, it becomes, by feeling itself so, the subtle element of touch in an instant.
Word by word
- asaṁprāpta
- before it has gained
- abhidhā
- the name
- ācārā
- and the conduct
- cij
- (cit) of awareness
- javāt
- with the speed
- prasphurad
- (prasphurat) throbbing
- vapuḥ
- its body
- sā
- it
- ca
- and
- ēva
- just
- sparśa
- of touch
- tanmātraṁ
- the subtle element
- bhāvanād
- (bhāvanāt) by feeling itself so
- bhavati
- becomes
- kṣaṇāt
- in an instant
Meaning
The commentary introduces verses 18 and 19: when that same awareness takes on the sense "I am wind", it becomes the subtle element of touch, the material cause of all touches, and, through the division into the forty-nine winds, āvaha, pravaha and the rest, the cause of the movement of all things. Though before the sense "I am wind" that awareness had neither the name "wind" nor any act of moving, yet through the speed of that sense it became active, and by the feeling "let me be the touch-element" it quickly became the touch-element. Another commentary: by the speed of the sense of being wind, its body very restless. The forty-nine winds are the Maruts of the Purāṇas.