आत्मनैवाऽऽत्मनि स्वस्थे सन्तुष्टे पुरुषे स्थिते । प्रशाम्यन्त्याधयः सर्वे प्रावृषीवाऽऽशु पांसवः ॥ १७ ॥
ātmanaivā’’tmani svasthē santuṣṭē puruṣē sthitē | praśāmyantyādhayaḥ sarvē prāvṛṣīvā’’śu pāṁsavaḥ || 17 ||
Translation
When a person is contented and stands at ease in the Self by the Self, all the pains of mind quickly subside, as dust settles in the rains.
Word by word
- ātmanā
- by the Self
- ēva
- indeed
- ātmani
- in the Self
- svasthē
- at ease
- santuṣṭē
- contented
- puruṣē
- a person
- sthitē
- stands
- praśāmyanti
- subside
- ādhayaḥ
- the pains of mind
- sarvē
- all
- prāvṛṣi
- in the rains
- iva
- as
- āśu
- quickly
- pāṁsavaḥ
- dust
Meaning
Svastha, at ease, means literally standing in oneself, and the verse plays on it. The commentary compares the rains, which lay the dust of the hot season at once. No one has to sweep the dust away; the rain settles it. So the pains of the mind are not fought one by one. They subside together when the mind rests in the Self.