गुणाः शमादयो ज्ञानाच्छमादिभ्यस्तथा ज्ञता । परस्परं विवर्द्धन्ते ते अब्जसरसी इव ॥ ६ ॥
guṇāḥ śamādayō jñānācchamādibhyastathā jñatā | parasparaṁ vivarddhantē tē abjasarasī iva || 6 ||
Translation
So the virtues of calm and the rest grow from knowledge, and knowing from calm and the rest; they grow from each other, like the lotus and the lake.
Word by word
- guṇāḥ
- the virtues
- śama
- of calm
- ādayō
- (ādayaḥ) and the rest
- jñānāt
- from knowledge
- śamādibhyas
- (śamādibhyaḥ) from calm and the rest
- tathā
- so
- jñatā
- knowing
- parasparaṁ
- from each other
- vivarddhantē
- grow
- tē
- they
- abja
- the lotus
- sarasī
- and the lake
- iva
- like
Meaning
The commentary says Vasiṣṭha repeats the point to give an image of growing together at the same time. The lotus gives the lake its fragrance and beauty, and the lake gives the lotus its coolness and life; each makes the other flourish. So calm and knowledge: neither comes first in a way that leaves the other behind.