यत्नवद्भिर्दृढाभ्यासैः प्रजोत्साहसमन्वितैः । मेरवोऽपि निगीर्यन्ते कैव प्राक्पौरुषे कथा ॥ १८ ॥
yatnavadbhirdṛḍhābhyāsaiḥ prajōtsāhasamanvitaiḥ | mēravō’pi nigīryantē kaiva prākpauruṣē kathā || 18 ||
Translation
By those who strive, steady in practice, joined with zeal for the people, even Merus are swallowed up: what talk is there of past effort?
Word by word
- yatnavadbhir
- (yatnavadbhiḥ) by those who strive
- dṛḍha
- steady
- abhyāsaiḥ
- in practice
- prajā
- for the people
- utsāha
- zeal
- samanvitaiḥ
- joined with
- mēravō
- (meravaḥ) Merus
- api
- even
- nigīryantē
- are swallowed up
- kā
- what
- ēva
- indeed
- prāk
- past
- pauruṣē
- of effort
- kathā
- talk
Meaning
How can a little present effort overcome karma piled up over countless ages? The commentary raises the question and the verse answers with an image. Those who strive with steady practice (dṛḍha-abhyāsa) and zeal can swallow even Mount Meru, and many Merus; what then is the past effort they face? The commentary adds a further point: however countless past actions are, their root is one, ignorance; cut the root and the whole tree falls. The reader need not undo his past deed by deed. He has only to strike at the root.