इति तेनाऽऽशु शप्तः सन् विचारसमनन्तरम् । अहं विस्मृतवान् सर्वं स्वरूपममलं किल ॥ ३० ॥
iti tēnā’’śu śaptaḥ san vicārasamanantaram | ahaṁ vismṛtavān sarvaṁ svarūpamamalaṁ kila || 30 ||
Translation
So cursed at once, in the moment after that thought, I forgot everything: my own spotless nature, it is said.
Word by word
- iti
- thus
- tēna
- by him
- āśu
- at once
- śaptaḥ
- cursed
- san
- being
- vicāra
- that thought
- samanantaram
- in the moment after
- ahaṁ
- I
- vismṛtavān
- forgot
- sarvaṁ
- everything
- svarūpam
- my own nature
- amalaṁ
- spotless
- kila
- it is said
Meaning
Vismṛtavān, I forgot. This is the most exact description of the human problem in the sarga. Nothing was added to Vasiṣṭha and nothing was taken away. He was what he had been, and he forgot it. That is why knowledge can cure what action cannot: someone who has lost a necklace that is round his own neck needs no new necklace. Vicāra-samanantaram: the curse takes effect immediately on Brahmā's resolve. And the little word kila, it is said, or so to speak, is worth weighing. Could the spotless nature really be forgotten? The old teacher, telling the story, marks it with the faintest doubt.