तावन्नयति संकोचं तृष्णा वै मानवाम्बुजम् । यावद्विवेकसूर्यस्य नोदिता विमला प्रभा ॥ २० ॥
tāvannayati saṁkōcaṁ tṛṣṇā vai mānavāmbujam | yāvadvivēkasūryasya nōditā vimalā prabhā || 20 ||
Translation
Craving keeps the human lotus closed for just as long as the pure light of the sun of discernment has not risen.
Word by word
- tāvan
- (tāvat) just as long
- nayati
- keeps
- saṁkōcaṁ
- closed
- tṛṣṇā
- craving
- vai
- indeed
- mānava
- human
- ambujam
- lotus
- yāvad
- (yāvat) as
- vivēka
- of discernment
- sūryasya
- of the sun
- na
- not
- uditā
- has risen
- vimalā
- pure
- prabhā
- light
Meaning
A lotus closes at night, and it opens at sunrise without being forced. Tāvat and yāvat, so long and until, tie the two together. The verse says nothing of fighting craving directly. It says that when discernment comes up, the flower opens. Those who struggle against their wants, and find them no weaker, may take a hint from this about where to put their effort.