Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.10.20
उत्स्रोतसस्तम:प्राया अन्त:स्पर्शा विशेषिण: ॥ २० ॥
utsrotasas tamaḥ-prāyā
[utsrotasas tamah-praayaa]
antaḥ-sparśā viśeṣiṇaḥ
[antah-sparshaa visheshinah]
Word-for-word
utsrotasaḥ
—
they seek their subsistence upwards
tamaḥ-prāyāḥ
—
almost unconscious
antaḥ-sparśāḥ
—
slightly feeling within
viśeṣiṇaḥ
—
with varieties of manifestation.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
utsrotasas tamaḥ-prāyā
utsrotasaḥ
they seek their subsistence upwards
tamaḥ-prāyāḥ
almost unconscious
antaḥ-sparśā viśeṣiṇaḥ
antaḥ-sparśāḥ
slightly feeling within
viśeṣiṇaḥ
with varieties of manifestation.
All the immovable trees and plants seek their subsistence upwards. They are almost unconscious but have feelings of pain within. They are manifested in variegatedness.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The plants distribute their nourishment upwards. They are almost unconscious, but have a feeling of pain within on being cut. They are not fixed in size and have unlimited variety.
Their general characteristics are described. They spread their nourishment upwards. Their consciousness is not evident (tamah-prāyāḥ). They feel pain within by being cut (antaḥ-sparśā). Their dimensions are not fixed, and they have unlimited variety (viśeṣinaḥ).
Personal Guidance
Plants seek their nourishment upward, are almost unconscious, yet feel pain. Even dim consciousness suffers; even silent life reaches for light. This commands compassion across the spectrum of awareness.
Reflection Questions
- Whose 'almost unconscious' pain in my circle am I failing to notice?
- How might honoring the plant's upward reach reshape my use of food and environment?
My note
Source: vedabase.io