प्रकटाक्षगवाक्षान्तः क्रीडत्प्रज्ञागृहाङ्गनम् । चिन्तादुहितृकं ब्रह्मन्नेष्टं देहगृहं मम ॥ २६ ॥
prakaṭākṣagavākṣāntaḥ krīḍatprajñāgṛhāṅganam | cintāduhitṛkaṁ brahmannēṣṭaṁ dēhagṛhaṁ mama || 26 ||
Translation
Within its open windows, the eyes, the housewife wisdom plays; its daughters are cares: brahmin, the house of the body is not wanted by me.
Word by word
- prakaṭa
- open
- akṣa
- the eyes
- gavākṣa
- windows
- antaḥ
- within
- krīḍat
- plays
- prajñā
- wisdom
- gṛha
- the house
- aṅganam
- wife
- cintā
- cares
- duhitṛkaṁ
- its daughters
- brahman
- brahmin
- na
- not
- iṣṭaṁ
- wanted
- dēha
- of the body
- gṛhaṁ
- the house
- mama
- by me
Meaning
The eyes are windows, and behind them prajñā, understanding, the lady of the house, moves and plays; and cintā, care, has given her many daughters. The image is double-edged. Wisdom lives in this house too; the body is where understanding looks out on the world. But it lives surrounded by anxious daughters. The reader may notice how their best understanding is so often crowded by their worries.