पुरोगतैरप्यनवाप्तरूपै- स्तरङ्गिणीतुङ्गतरङ्गकल्पैः । क्रियाफलैर्दैववशादुपेतै- र्विडम्ब्यते भिन्नरुचिर्हि लोकः ॥ १६ ॥
purōgatairapyanavāptarūpai- staraṅgiṇītuṅgataraṅgakalpaiḥ | kriyāphalairdaivavaśādupētai- rviḍambyatē bhinnarucirhi lōkaḥ || 16 ||
Translation
For people of divided taste are mocked by the fruits of their actions, which come by the power of fate, though standing before them never attained in form, like the high waves of a river.
Word by word
- purōgatair
- (purogataiḥ) standing before them
- api
- though
- anavāpta
- never attained
- rūpais
- (rūpaiḥ) in form
- taraṅgiṇī
- of a river
- tuṅga
- the high
- taraṅga
- waves
- kalpaiḥ
- like
- kriyā
- of their actions
- phalair
- (phalaiḥ) by the fruits
- daiva
- of fate
- vaśād
- (vaśāt) by the power
- upētair
- (upetaiḥ) which come
- viḍambyatē
- are mocked
- bhinna
- of divided
- rucir
- (ruciḥ) taste
- hi
- for
- lōkaḥ
- people
Meaning
Even the fruits of dharma, heaven and sons, the commentary says, mock those who love what is other than the Self: they seem near, like the crest of a wave, and are gone before they can be held. "Of divided taste" (bhinnaruci): one whose love is split from the Self. The reader is shown why even good fruits do not satisfy: they are waves.