नाऽस्ति चेत्तद्विचारेण दोषः को भवतां भवेत् । अस्ति चेत्तत्समुत्तीर्णा भविष्यथ भवार्णवात् ॥ ३५ ॥
nā’sti cēttadvicārēṇa dōṣaḥ kō bhavatāṁ bhavēt | asti cēttatsamuttīrṇā bhaviṣyatha bhavārṇavāt || 35 ||
Translation
If it does not exist, what harm will inquiry do you? And if it exists, you will have crossed the ocean of becoming.
Word by word
- na
- not
- asti
- it exists
- cēt
- if
- tad
- that
- vicārēṇa
- by inquiry
- dōṣaḥ
- harm
- kō
- (kaḥ) what
- bhavatāṁ
- to you
- bhavēt
- will be
- tat
- then
- samuttīrṇā
- (samuttīrṇāḥ) crossed
- bhaviṣyatha
- you will have
- bhava
- of becoming
- arṇavāt
- the ocean
Meaning
A remarkable argument, given calmly to a doubter. The commentary sets beside it a verse that says the same of the next world: even if it is uncertain, better to take the path of scripture, for if there is none what is lost, and if there is one the atheist is struck down. Vasiṣṭha does not ask for belief at all. He asks for inquiry, and points out that it has no downside. A person with honest doubts about all this is still free to look.