मतिर्मान्द्येन मलिना पातैकपरमं वपुः । ज्वलतीव जरा देहे प्रतिस्फुरति दुष्कृतम् ॥ १८ ॥
matirmāndyēna malinā pātaikaparamaṁ vapuḥ | jvalatīva jarā dēhē pratisphurati duṣkṛtam || 18 ||
Translation
Understanding is soiled by dullness, the body has only falling as its end, old age blazes in the body as it were, and evil deeds shine forth.
Word by word
- matir
- (matiḥ) understanding
- māndyēna
- by dullness
- malinā
- soiled
- pāta
- falling
- ēka
- only
- paramaṁ
- as its end
- vapuḥ
- the body
- jvalati
- blazes
- iva
- as it were
- jarā
- old age
- dēhē
- in the body
- pratisphurati
- shine forth
- duṣkṛtam
- evil deeds
Meaning
The mind is dull and dirty, the body will fall, age burns in it like a fire, and wrongdoing flashes out in every act. Another commentary gives it plainly. The picture is of a person at the end of an unexamined life. The reader is asked whether they are moving towards it.