अविद्यैव ह्यनन्तेयं नानाप्रखरशालिनी । जडानां सरिदादीर्घा तरत्सर्गतरङ्गिणी ॥ १८ ॥
avidyaiva hyanantēyaṁ nānāprakharaśālinī | jaḍānāṁ saridādīrghā taratsargataraṅgiṇī || 18 ||
Translation
It is ignorance alone, endless, rich in many fierce currents: a long river for the dull, whose waves are the passing creations.
Word by word
- avidyā
- ignorance
- ēva
- alone
- hy
- (hi) indeed
- anantā
- endless
- iyaṁ
- it is
- nānā
- many
- prakhara
- fierce currents
- śālinī
- rich in
- jaḍānāṁ
- for the dull
- sarid
- (sarit) a river
- ādīrghā
- long
- tarat
- passing
- sarga
- creations
- taraṅgiṇī
- whose waves are
Meaning
Vasiṣṭha names the cause: ignorance (avidyā) alone. The commentary says why he must: denying the world in words does not end it; its root must be cut, and so its root is shown. Ignorance is a river, endless (ananta), with many fierce currents (nānā-prakhara), long for those who are dull (jaḍa), and its waves are the creations that rise and pass (tarat-sarga). The commentary: for the foolish it cannot be crossed. A river can be crossed; the word "for the dull" leaves room for the wise to reach the other shore. Ignorance is not described as evil, only as long, strong and unending for those who do not see.