न कदाचन मे चेतः स्वामालूनविशीर्णताम् । त्यजत्याकुलया वृत्त्या चञ्चलत्वमिवाऽर्णवः ॥ ९ ॥
na kadācana mē cētaḥ svāmālūnaviśīrṇatām | tyajatyākulayā vṛttyā cañcalatvamivā’rṇavaḥ || 9 ||
Translation
Never does my mind, with its troubled movement, give up its own cut and scattered state, as the ocean never gives up its restlessness.
Word by word
- na
- never
- kadācana
- ever
- mē
- my
- cētaḥ
- mind
- svām
- its own
- ālūna
- cut
- viśīrṇatām
- and scattered state
- tyajati
- does give up
- ākulayā
- troubled
- vṛttyā
- with its movement
- cañcalatvam
- restlessness
- iva
- as
- arṇavaḥ
- the ocean
Meaning
The ocean is restless by nature; it will not be calm because someone wishes it. Rāma says the same of his mind: its "cut and scattered state" (ālūna-viśīrṇatā) is "its own" (svām). Another commentary: as the ocean never leaves its restlessness, so this mind has never left its broken, unsteady nature. The verse is not a counsel of despair; it is an honest statement of the problem before the solution is given. One who thinks the mind is easily quieted has not yet looked at it.