तत्त्वं ज्ञातुमतो यत्नाद्धीमानेव हि धीमता । प्रामाणिकः प्रबुद्धात्मा प्रष्टव्यः प्रणयान्वितम् ॥ ४३ ॥
tattvaṁ jñātumatō yatnāddhīmānēva hi dhīmatā | prāmāṇikaḥ prabuddhātmā praṣṭavyaḥ praṇayānvitam || 43 ||
Translation
Therefore, to know the truth, a thoughtful person should with care and with reverence ask one who is thoughtful, reliable in his sources and awakened.
Word by word
- tattvaṁ
- the truth
- jñātum
- to know
- atō
- (ataḥ) therefore
- yatnād
- (yatnāt) with care
- dhīmān
- one who is thoughtful
- ēva
- indeed
- hi
- truly
- dhīmatā
- by a thoughtful person
- prāmāṇikaḥ
- reliable in his sources
- prabuddhātmā
- awakened
- praṣṭavyaḥ
- should be asked
- praṇaya
- with reverence
- anvitam
- joined
Meaning
Here the sarga's main subject begins: the marks of teacher and questioner. Three are asked of the teacher. He is dhīmān, intelligent; prāmāṇika, a word the commentary explains as skilled in giving the means of knowledge such as scripture; and prabuddhātmā, awakened, one who knows the reality of the Self. The two together are the old requirement of learned and established in Brahman (Muṇḍaka 1.2.12). The student's part is praṇaya, which the commentary spells out as following, prostration and service. Compare Bhagavad Gītā 4.34.