न पतत्यवटे ज्ञस्तु विषयासङ्गरूपिणि । कः किल ज्ञातसरणिः श्वभ्रं समनुधावति ॥ २५ ॥
na patatyavaṭē jñastu viṣayāsaṅgarūpiṇi | kaḥ kila jñātasaraṇiḥ śvabhraṁ samanudhāvati || 25 ||
Translation
The knower does not fall into the pit that is attachment to objects. Who, knowing the path, runs towards a ditch?
Word by word
- na
- not
- patati
- fall
- avaṭē
- into the pit
- jñas
- (jñaḥ) the knower
- tu
- indeed
- viṣaya
- to objects
- āsaṅga
- attachment
- rūpiṇi
- that is
- kaḥ
- who
- kila
- then
- jñāta
- knowing
- saraṇiḥ
- the path
- śvabhraṁ
- towards a ditch
- samanudhāvati
- runs
Meaning
A plain argument. Falling into attachment is a mistake of not seeing. One who sees the road has no reason to run into the ditch beside it.