पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन दन्तैर्दन्तान् विचूर्णयेत् । यावन्नाऽभिनिविष्टं ते मनो राम गुणार्जने ॥ २९ ॥
pauruṣēṇa prayatnēna dantairdantān vicūrṇayēt | yāvannā’bhiniviṣṭaṁ tē manō rāma guṇārjanē || 29 ||
Translation
With manly effort, grind your teeth with your teeth, Rāma, until your mind is set on gaining virtue.
Word by word
- pauruṣēṇa
- with manly
- prayatnēna
- effort
- dantair
- (dantaiḥ) with your teeth
- dantān
- your teeth
- vicūrṇayēt
- grind
- yāvan
- (yāvat) until
- na
- not
- abhiniviṣṭaṁ
- is set
- tē
- your
- manō
- (manaḥ) mind
- rāma
- Rāma
- guṇa
- virtue
- arjanē
- on gaining
Meaning
An idiom of utmost exertion. The commentary takes it so: one should strive to the limit until the mind is set on gaining virtue. What is asked is not a moment's resolve. It is effort sustained until the mind itself turns towards virtue and no longer has to be dragged.