यत्करोषि यदश्नासि शमशीतलया धिया । तत्राऽतिस्वदते स्वादु नेतरत्तात मानसे ॥ ६४ ॥
yatkarōṣi yadaśnāsi śamaśītalayā dhiyā | tatrā’tisvadatē svādu nētarattāta mānasē || 64 ||
Translation
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, with a mind cooled by peace, it tastes truly sweet there, dear one, and otherwise it does not in the heart.
Word by word
- yat
- whatever
- karōṣi
- you do
- yad
- whatever
- aśnāsi
- you eat
- śama
- by peace
- śītalayā
- cooled
- dhiyā
- with a mind
- tatra
- there
- ati
- truly
- svadatē
- tastes
- svādu
- sweet
- na
- not
- itarat
- otherwise
- tāta
- dear one
- mānasē
- in the heart
Meaning
Peace does not take the taste out of life. The verse says the reverse. Food eaten in anxiety is not tasted, as anyone knows. The enjoyment one was seeking in the thing depends on the state of the one who has it. It is a very practical point to test at one's next meal. Tāta, dear one, is a warm form of address, from an elder to the young.