केवलं जगदारम्भलीलया घनहेलया । पालयत्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानमनहङ्कारमाततम् ॥ ३३ ॥
kēvalaṁ jagadārambhalīlayā ghanahēlayā | pālayatyātmanā’’tmānamanahaṅkāramātatam || 33 ||
Translation
Only by the play of beginning the world, with great unconcern, does it, vast and without ego, sustain itself by itself.
Word by word
- kēvalaṁ
- only
- jagad
- (jagat) the world
- ārambha
- of beginning
- līlayā
- by the play
- ghana
- with great
- hēlayā
- unconcern
- pālayati
- sustain
- ātmanā
- by itself
- ātmānam
- itself
- anahaṅkāram
- without ego
- ātatam
- vast
Meaning
Why does Time create? Only as līlā, play, and with helā, carelessness, another commentary says: with great disregard. And it is anahaṅkāra, without any ego. It sustains itself by itself, needing nothing. The verse gives Time the qualities the earlier sargas sought: no ego, no craving, no effort. The play that destroys us is, from Time's side, free of any wish to harm.