अनष्टमन्धकारेषु बहुतेजःस्वजिह्मितम् । पश्यत्यपि व्यवहितं विचारश्चारुलोचनम् ॥ ४० ॥
anaṣṭamandhakārēṣu bahutējaḥsvajihmitam | paśyatyapi vyavahitaṁ vicāraścārulōcanam || 40 ||
Translation
Inquiry is a fine eye that is not lost in darkness, is not dazzled in great brightness, and sees even what is hidden behind.
Word by word
- anaṣṭam
- not lost
- andhakārēṣu
- in darkness
- bahu
- great
- tējaḥsu
- in brightness
- ajihmitam
- not dazzled
- paśyati
- sees
- api
- even
- vyavahitaṁ
- what is hidden behind
- vicāraś
- (vicāraḥ) inquiry
- cāru
- a fine
- lōcanam
- eye
Meaning
The commentary sets it against the eye of the body. That eye is as good as lost in the dark, is dazzled by the sun and too much light, and cannot see what is far or screened off. Inquiry has none of these limits. It sees in the darkness of not-knowing, it is not overwhelmed where the truth is too bright for ordinary thought, and it reaches what is hidden behind appearances.