Devanagari
कर्णावस्य विनिर्भिन्नौ धिष्ण्यं स्वं विविशुर्दिश: ।
श्रोत्रेणांशेन शब्दस्य सिद्धिं येन प्रपद्यते ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
karṇāv asya vinirbhinnau
dhiṣṇyaṁ svaṁ viviśur diśaḥ
śrotreṇāṁśena śabdasya
siddhiṁ yena prapadyate
Synonyms
karṇau
—
the ears
;
asya
—
of the gigantic form
;
vinirbhinnau
—
being thus separated
;
dhiṣṇyam
—
the controlling deity
;
svam
—
own
;
viviśuḥ
—
entered
;
diśaḥ
—
of the directions
;
śrotreṇa aṁśena
—
with the hearing principles
;
śabdasya
—
of the sound
;
siddhim
—
perfection
;
yena
—
by which
;
prapadyate
—
is experienced .
Translation
When the ears of the gigantic form became manifested, all the controlling deities of the directions entered into them with the hearing principles, by which all the living entities hear and take advantage of sound.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
When the ears (adhibhūta) of the universal form became differentiated, the presiding deity of the directions (adhidaiva) along with their portion the subtle sense organ called the ears (adhyātma) entered. By the ears, knowledge of the sense object called sound (adhibhūta) appeared.
Siddham means knowledge.
Purport
The ear is the most important instrument in the body of the living entity. Sound is the most important medium for carrying the message of distant and unknown things. The perfection of all sound or knowledge enters through the ear and makes one’s life perfect. The entire Vedic system of knowledge is received by aural reception only, and thus sound is the most important source of knowledge.