न विचारं विना कश्चिदुपायोऽस्ति विपश्चिताम् । विचारादशुभं त्यक्त्वा शुभमायाति धीः सताम् ॥ ५ ॥
na vicāraṁ vinā kaścidupāyō’sti vipaścitām | vicārādaśubhaṁ tyaktvā śubhamāyāti dhīḥ satām || 5 ||
Translation
For the wise there is no means without inquiry. Through inquiry the mind of the good leaves what is ill and comes to what is good.
Word by word
- na
- no
- vicāraṁ
- inquiry
- vinā
- without
- kaścid
- any
- upāyō
- (upāyaḥ) means
- asti
- there is
- vipaścitām
- for the wise
- vicārād
- through inquiry
- aśubhaṁ
- what is ill
- tyaktvā
- leaving
- śubham
- to what is good
- āyāti
- comes
- dhīḥ
- the mind
- satām
- of the good
Meaning
The commentary specifies the means: the means of crossing sorrow. The wise have many skills, and none of them serves here without inquiry. The second line describes how the change happens. Nothing outside forces the mind to drop the harmful; once it has looked clearly, it lets go of it by itself and turns to the good.