GANDHAM- गन्धं- SMELL-SCENT

SUBHASHITHANI:641

गुणाः कुर्वन्ति दूतत्वं दूरेऽपि वसतां सताम्।
केतकीगन्धमाघ्राय स्वयमायान्ति षट्पदाः॥

Even if virtuous and talented persons are residing far away, their talents act as a messenger and pronounce their existence and people throng to them just like the insects which approach Ketaki flower on being attracted by its sweet smell.

गन्धं सुवर्णे फलमिक्षुदण्डे,
नाकारि पुष्पं खलुचन्दनस्य ।
विद्वान्धनीर्नृपति दीर्धजीवी,
धातुःपुरा कोऽपिन बुद्धिदोऽभूत् ॥
Gold does not have fragrance, fruit to sugarcane and sandalwood tree does not have flowers. Similarly, a scholar is never rich and a king has  long life. Why no one in the past advised Brahmaji on this matter? 

यद्यपि खदिराऽरण्ये गुप्तो वस्ते हि चम्पको वृक्षः ।
तदपि च गन्धं अतुलं दिशिदिशि कथयेत्समीरणस्तस्य ॥

Although a ‘Champak’ tree may remain hidden in a forest of thorny ‘Khadir’ (Acacia) trees, yet the blowing wind makes its presence known by spreading the incomparable fragrance of its flowers in all directions.

पुष्पे गन्धं तिले तैलं काष्ठेऽग्निः पयसि घृतम्।
इक्षौ गुडं तथा देहे पश्यात्मानं विवेकतः॥

Just as fragrance in flower, oil in sesame, fire in wood, ghee (fat) in milk and sugar in sugarcane exist latently, perceive the Supreme Soul existing so latently in the body discriminatively.

लतासु पुष्पाणि वनेषु वृक्षान् फ़लानि वृक्षेषु फ़लेषु सारम्।

पुष्पेषु रूपं गन्धं च शोभनम् ससर्ज क्षेमाय नृणाम् विधाता॥

The Creator has just been graceful and kind to humanity that He created flowers on creepers and trees in jungles, fruits on trees, juices in fruits, beauty in flowers and also fragrance in flowers. 

गन्धेन हीनं सुमनं न शोभते
दन्तैर्विहीनं वदनं न भाति ।
सत्येन हीनं वचनं न दीप्यते
पुन्येन हीन: पुरुषो जघन्य: ॥
Without fragrance a flower loses its charm; Face loses its beauty without the teeth; Speech devoid of truth does not shine; Without punya man becomes vile.

दीपनिर्वाणगन्धं च सुहृद्वाक्यमरुन्धतीम् ।
न जिघ्रन्ति न शृण्वन्ति न पश्यन्ति गतायुषः ॥१.८०॥
A man after death cannot experience the smell of the odour from an extinguished lamp, cannot hear his friends speech, nor can see the stars in the sky. A dead man cannot smell, hear or see once life is ebbed out.
 शब्द स्पर्शश्च रुपं च रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः।

भूमेरेते गुणाः प्रोक्ता ऋषिभिस्तत्ववेदिभिः।।  महाभारत भीष्मपर्व (Pancha tanmatraas

Sabda, sparsa,Roopam, rasam and gandhaa are the five gunas of the earth say the wise men of spiritual learning.