Devanagari
रोमाण्युद्भिज्जजातीनां यैर्वा यज्ञस्तु सम्भृत: ।
केशश्मश्रुनखान्यस्य शिलालोहाभ्रविद्युताम् ॥ ५ ॥
Verse text
romāṇy udbhijja-jātīnāṁ
yair vā yajṣas tu sambhṛtaḥ
keśa-śmaśru-nakhāny asya
śilā-lohābhra-vidyutām
Synonyms
romāṇi
—
hairs on the body
;
udbhijja
—
vegetables
;
jātīnām
—
of the kingdoms
;
yaiḥ
—
by which
;
vā
—
either
;
yajṣaḥ
—
sacrifices
;
tu
—
but
;
sambhṛtaḥ
—
particularly served
;
keśa
—
hairs on the head
;
śmaśru
—
facial hair
;
nakhāni
—
nails
;
asya
—
of Him
;
śilā
—
stones
;
loha
—
iron ores
;
abhra
—
clouds
;
vidyutām
—
electricity .
Translation
The hairs on His body are the cause of all vegetation, particularly of those trees which are required as ingredients for sacrifice. The hairs on His head and face are reservoirs for the clouds, and His nails are the breeding ground of electricity, stones and iron ores.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
From his body hairs arose all trees by which sacrifice is performed. From his hair and beard arose clouds and from his nails arose lightning, minerals and metals.
Purport
The polished nails of the Lord generate electricity, and the clouds rest on the hairs of His head. One can therefore collect all sorts of necessities of life from the person of the Lord, and therefore the
Vedas
affirm that everything that is produced is caused by the Lord. The Lord is the supreme cause of all causes.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
From his hair arose all trees (udbhijja-jātīnām) by which sacrifice is undertaken and not other trees. From his hair arose clouds. It has already been said īśasya keśān vidur ambuvāhān: they know the Lord’s hair is the clouds. (SB 2.1.34) His beard is also the clouds because of similar color. His nails, shining brightly are said to be lightning, white and red minerals, and metals, because of similarity.