नासिके निरभिद्येतां दोधूयति नभस्वति तत्र वायुर्गन्धवहो घ्राणो नसि जिघृक्षतः
nāsike nirabhidyetāṁ dodhūyati nabhasvati tatra vāyur gandha-vaho ghrāṇo nasi jighṛkṣataḥ
Synonyms
nāsike—in the nostrils; nirabhidyetām—being developed; dodhūyati—rapidly blowing; nabhasvati—air respiration; tatra—thereupon; vāyuḥ—air; gandha-vahaḥ—smelling odor; ghrāṇaḥ—sense of smell; nasi—in the nose; jighṛkṣataḥ—desiring to smell odors..
Translation
Thereafter, when the supreme puruṣa desired to smell odors, the nostrils and respiration generated, the nasal instrument and odors came into existence, and the controlling deity of air, carrying smell, also became manifested.
Purport
The nasal instrument, odor, and the controlling deity air, smelling, etc., all became manifested simultaneously when the Lord desired to smell. The Vedic mantras confirm this statement in the Upaniṣads' statement that everything is first desired by the Supreme, and then the subordinate living entity can act upon it. The living entity can see only when the Lord sees, the living entity can smell when the Lord smells, and so on. The idea is that the living entity cannot do anything independently. He can simply think of doing something independently, but he cannot act independently. This independence of thinking is there by the grace of the Lord, but the thinking can be given shape by the grace of the Lord, and therefore the common saying is that man proposes and God disposes. The whole explanation is on the subject of absolute dependence of the living entities and absolute independence of the Supreme Lord. Less intelligent persons, claiming to be on an equal level with God, first of all must prove themselves to be absolute and independent, and then they must substantiate their claim as one with God.