sa kathaṃ nu khalv eṣāṃ dantaireva tad-aṅganām
“How then can that (beauty) of theirs be (truly appreciated) by (mere) teeth (i.e., by harsh words)?”
Structure
sa kathaṃ nu khalu eṣāṃ dantair eva tad aṅganām
sa (that) kathaṃ (how) nu (indeed) khalu (certainly) eṣāṃ (of these) dantair (with teeth) eva (only) tad (that) aṅganām (of the ladies)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sa | sa | pronoun | nominative · singular · masculine | he |
| kathaṃ | kathaṃ | indeclinable | — | how |
| nu | nu | indeclinable | — | indeed, surely |
| khalu | khalu | indeclinable | — | indeed, surely |
| eṣāṃ | eṣāṃ | pronoun | genitive · plural · masculine | of them, their |
| dantair | dantair | noun | instrumental · plural · masculine | with teeth |
| eva | eva | indeclinable | — | only, just |
| tad | tad | pronoun | nominative · singular · neuter | that |
| aṅganām | aṅganām | noun | genitive · plural · neuter | of the ladies, of women |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse highlights the limitations of language in describing the ultimate reality. According to Shankara, the beauty of the ultimate reality, Brahman, cannot be captured by mere words, just as the beauty of a woman cannot be truly appreciated by harsh words. In his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Shankara notes that words can onlypoint to the reality, but cannot capture its essence. This verse points to the brahman-ātman identity, where the individual self is ultimately one with the ultimate reality, and language is insufficient to describe this non-dual reality. The verse encourages the seeker to look beyond words and intellect to experience the reality directly, as Shankara emphasizes in his Upadesasahasri.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): In the Vaiṣṇava tradition, this verse is seen as a metaphor for the relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Lord). Ramanuja, in his Sri Bhashya, notes that just as harsh words cannot appreciate the beauty of a woman, the jīva's limited understanding and ego cannot fully comprehend the beauty and glory of Īśvara. The verse emphasizes the importance of devotion and surrender in approaching the divine, as the jīva must transcend its limitations to experience the love and beauty of Īśvara. Madhva, in his Anuvyakhyana, similarly highlights the need for self-surrender and devotion to experience the divine, citing this verse as an example of the limitations of human understanding in grasping the divine reality.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse has significant implications for modern life, as it highlights the importance of looking beyond surface-level appearances and words to appreciate the deeper reality. Swami Vivekananda, in his lecture on 'The Real and the Apparent', notes that we often mistake the outer shell for the inner essence, just as harsh words cannot capture the beauty of a person. He encourages us to look beyond the limitations of language and the intellect to experience the world in a more direct and intuitive way. Similarly, S. Radhakrishnan, in his book 'Eastern Religions and Western Thought', notes that this verse points to the importance of empathy and understanding in human relationships, highlighting the need to look beyond words and appearances to appreciate the deeper beauty and reality of others.