FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.22

बोध्यमानस्य ऋषिभिरात्मनस्तज्जिघृक्षत: । कर्णौ च निरभिद्येतां दिश: श्रोत्रं गुणग्रह: ॥ २२ ॥
bodhyamānasya ṛṣibhir
[bodhyamaanasya rishibhir]
ātmanas taj jighṛkṣataḥ
[aatmanas taj jighrikshatah]
karṇau ca nirabhidyetāṁ
[karnau cha nirabhidyetaam]
diśaḥ śrotraṁ guṇa-grahaḥ
[dishah shrotram guna-grahah]
Word-for-word
bodhyamānasya — desiring to understand ṛṣibhiḥ — by the authorities ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Being tat — that jighṛkṣataḥ — when He desired to take up karṇau — the ears ca — also nirabhidyetām — became manifested diśaḥ — the direction or the god of air śrotram — the power of hearing guṇa-grahaḥ — and the objects of hearing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bodhyamānasya ṛṣibhir
bodhyamānasya
desiring to understand
ṛṣibhiḥ
by the authorities
ātmanas taj jighṛkṣataḥ
ātmanaḥ
of the Supreme Being
tat
that
jighṛkṣataḥ
when He desired to take up
karṇau ca nirabhidyetāṁ
karṇau
the ears
ca
also
nirabhidyetām
became manifested
diśaḥ śrotraṁ guṇa-grahaḥ
diśaḥ
the direction or the god of air
śrotram
the power of hearing
guṇa-grahaḥ
and the objects of hearing.
By development of the desire of the great sages to know, the ears, the power of hearing, the controlling deity of hearing, and the objects of hearing became manifested. The great sages desired to hear about the Self.
Purport

As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, by advancement of knowledge one should try to know about the Supreme Lord, the summum bonum of everything. Knowledge does not mean knowledge only of the laws of nature or physical knowledge, which are working by the direction of the Lord. The scientists are eager to hear about the physical laws working in material nature. They are eager to hear through the medium of radio and television about things taking place far away from them on other planets, but they should know that the power of hearing and the instruments for hearing were given to them by the Lord for hearing about the Self, or about the Lord. Unfortunately the power of hearing is misused in hearing the vibrations of mundane affairs. The great sages were interested in hearing about the Lord through Vedic knowledge and nothing more. That is the beginning of aural reception of knowledge.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the universal form desired to understand himself, which is revealed by Vedic sound, the two gross ears, the direction devatās, and subtle ear organ, which receives sound, appeared.
Commentary

When the universal form desired to receive understanding about himself which is revealed in the Vedas, the ears appeared. Guṇa-grahaḥ here means that the ears receive sound, the sense object for the ear.

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Ears and hearing came from the sages' desire to hear about the Self. Modern hearing chases radio, TV, news from far-off planets — but the ear's real purpose is to hear about Him. Misused, the noblest sense becomes the noisiest.
Reflection Questions
  • What share of my hearing is going to the Self vs. to noise from far away?
  • What practice would re-tune my ear to its intended purpose?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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