tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ śveto vāyura-nusasrāma | tena devā abhi-praṇudantyad abhigamanāya kṛtam ||
“Then from the white horses a white wind arose, which the gods used to drive the chariot further.”
Structure
tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ śveto vāyuḥ anu-sasrāma | tena devā abhi-praṇudanty adabhi-gamanāya kṛtam
tataḥ (then) śvetebhyaḥ (from the white ones) śveto vāyuḥ (white wind) anu-sasrāma (followed out), tena (by that) devā (gods) adabhi-gamanāya (to prevent going) abhi-praṇudanty (they impelled) kṛtam (to do)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tataḥ | tataḥ | indeclinable | — | then, thereafter |
| śvetebhyaḥ | śvetebhyaḥ | noun | ablative · plural · masculine | from the white ones |
| śveto | śveto | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | white one, pure one |
| vāyuḥ | vāyuḥ | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | wind, air |
| anu-sasrāma | anu-sasrāma | verb | √sram · past · third | flowed forth, issued |
| tena | tena | pronoun | instrumental · singular · masculine | with him, by him |
| devā | devā | noun | nominative · plural · masculine | gods |
| abhi-praṇudanty | abhi-praṇudanty | verb | √nud · present · third | they drive, they impel |
| adabhi-gamanāya | adabhi-gamanāya | compound | karmadhāraya · "adabhi-gamana āya" | for going to the gods, to approach the gods |
| kṛtam | kṛtam | verb | √kṛ · past participle · third | made, done |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): The verse 'tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ śveto vāyura-nusasrāma' can be seen as a symbolic representation of the non-dual nature of reality. Śaṅkarācārya, in his Brahma Sūtra Bhāṣya, explains that the ultimate reality, Brahman, is beyond all duality. In this context, the white wind arising from the white horses can be seen as a metaphor for the ultimate reality, which is pure and untouched by the impurities of the world. The phrase 'tena devā abhi-praṇudantyad abhigamanāya kṛtam' suggests that this reality is the driving force behind all actions, and it is this reality that enables the gods to drive the chariot further. This verse, therefore, points to the identity of Brahman and ātman, where the individual self is ultimately one with the universal reality. As Śaṅkarācārya notes in his Upadeśasāhasrī, the ultimate goal of life is to realize this non-dual nature of reality, and this verse serves as a reminder of that goal.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): In the Vaiṣṇava tradition, this verse can be seen as a representation of the relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Lord). Rāmānujācārya, in his Śrī Bhāṣya, explains that the white wind arising from the white horses represents the grace of the Lord, which enables the jīva to reach its ultimate goal. The phrase 'tena devā abhi-praṇudantyad abhigamanāya kṛtam' suggests that this grace is what drives the chariot of life forward, and it is this grace that enables the jīva to attain liberation. In this context, the verse can be seen as a reminder of the importance of devotion and surrender to the Lord, as the means to attain liberation. Madhvācārya, in his Anuvyākhyāna, notes that the Lord's grace is what enables the jīva to overcome the obstacles of life, and this verse serves as a testament to that idea.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse can be seen as a representation of the universal and practical application of the Vedāntic principles. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lecture on 'The Real and the Apparent Man', notes that the ultimate reality is beyond all duality, and it is this reality that is the driving force behind all actions. The phrase 'tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ śveto vāyura-nusasrāma' can be seen as a symbol of the pure and untainted nature of this reality, which is the source of all energy and motivation. In contemporary life, this verse can be applied to the pursuit of one's goals and passions, where the driving force behind all actions is the inner urge to realize one's full potential. As S. Rādhākrishnan notes in his 'Indian Philosophy', the ultimate goal of life is to realize this inner potential, and this verse serves as a reminder of the importance of tapping into this inner source of energy and motivation, in order to drive one's life forward in a meaningful and purposeful way.