बीभत्सं विषयं दृष्ट्वा को नाम न विरज्यते । सतामुत्तमवैराग्यं विवेकादेव जायते ॥ २३ ॥
bībhatsaṁ viṣayaṁ dṛṣṭvā kō nāma na virajyatē | satāmuttamavairāgyaṁ vivēkādēva jāyatē || 23 ||
Translation
Who indeed does not turn away after seeing a repulsive thing? The highest dispassion of the good is born from discernment alone.
Word by word
- bībhatsaṁ
- a repulsive
- viṣayaṁ
- thing
- dṛṣṭvā
- after seeing
- kō
- (kaḥ) who
- nāma
- indeed
- na
- not
- virajyatē
- turns away
- satām
- of the good
- uttama
- highest
- vairāgyaṁ
- dispassion
- vivēkād
- (vivekāt) from discernment
- ēva
- alone
- jāyatē
- is born
Meaning
A plain reasoning. There is nothing to admire in recoiling from what is disgusting; anybody does that. The real test is to turn away from what still looks attractive, because one has understood it. The world in its pleasant form is where the discernment is needed.