Devanagari
मृदुत्वं कठिनत्वं च शैत्यमुष्णत्वमेव च ।
एतत्स्पर्शस्य स्पर्शत्वं तन्मात्रत्वं नभस्वत: ॥ ३६ ॥
Verse text
mṛdutvaṁ kaṭhinatvaṁ ca
śaityam uṣṇatvam eva ca
etat sparśasya sparśatvaṁ
tan-mātratvaṁ nabhasvataḥ
Synonyms
mṛdutvam
—
softness
;
kaṭhinatvam
—
hardness
;
ca
—
and
;
śaityam
—
cold
;
uṣṇatvam
—
heat
;
eva
—
also
;
ca
—
and
;
etat
—
this
;
sparśasya
—
of the subtle element touch
;
sparśatvam
—
the distinguishing attributes
;
tat
—
mātratvam — the subtle form
;
nabhasvataḥ
—
of air .
Translation
Softness and hardness and cold and heat are the distinguishing attributes of touch, which is characterized as the subtle form of air.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The main characteristics of touch are softness, hardness, cold and heat. It is the tan-mātrā of air.
The characteristics of touch are described. The main characteristics (sparśatvam) of touch are softness, hardness, cold and heat. It is the tan-mātrā of air (nabhasvataḥ).
Purport
Tangibility is the proof of form. In actuality, objects are perceived in two different ways. They are either soft or hard, cold or hot, etc. This tangible action of the tactile sense is the result of the evolution of air, which is produced from the sky.