परोपकारकारिण्या परार्तिपरितप्तया । बुद्ध एव सुखी मन्ये स्वात्मशीतलया धिया ॥ ३९ ॥
parōpakārakāriṇyā parārtiparitaptayā | buddha ēva sukhī manyē svātmaśītalayā dhiyā || 39 ||
Translation
Only the awakened one, I think, is happy, with an understanding cool in its own Self, which works for the good of others and burns with others' pain.
Word by word
- para
- of others (twice)
- upakāra
- for the good
- kāriṇyā
- which works
- ārti
- with pain
- paritaptayā
- burns
- buddha
- (buddhaḥ) the awakened one
- ēva
- only
- sukhī
- is happy
- manyē
- I think
- sva
- own
- ātma
- in its Self
- śītalayā
- cool
- dhiyā
- with an understanding
Meaning
This is the turning point of the sarga, and its answer. In a world where everything perishes, one is happy: the buddha, "the awakened one", the commentary says, the one who has knowledge of the Self. Two marks are given. His mind is "cool in its own Self" (svātma-śītala): at rest within, untouched by the burning of the world. And it works for others and is pained by their pain. Peace within and compassion without: this is the portrait of the jīvanmukta, the one freed while living, that the whole work will draw. The reader is shown what to become.