प्राक्तनः पुरुषार्थोऽसौ मां नियोजयतीति धीः । बलादधस्पदीकार्या प्रत्यक्षादधिका न सा ॥ १० ॥
prāktanaḥ puruṣārthō’sau māṁ niyōjayatīti dhīḥ | balādadhaspadīkāryā pratyakṣādadhikā na sā || 10 ||
Translation
The thought "past effort is driving me" should be forcibly trampled underfoot: it is not stronger than what is seen before one's eyes.
Word by word
- prāktanaḥ
- past
- puruṣārthō
- (puruṣārthaḥ) effort
- asau
- this
- māṁ
- me
- niyōjayati
- is driving
- iti
- thus
- dhīḥ
- the thought
- balād
- (balāt) forcibly
- adhaspadīkāryā
- should be trampled underfoot
- pratyakṣād
- (pratyakṣāt) than what is seen before one's eyes
- adhikā
- stronger
- na
- not
- sā
- it is
Meaning
A thought to be crushed. "My past drives me" (prāktanaḥ puruṣārtho 'sau māṃ niyojayati) must be put down by force (balāt adhaspadīkāryā). Why? Because that belief is not stronger than direct experience (pratyakṣa): one sees every day that present effort wins. The commentary: this idea must be set aside with force, for past action is not stronger than the direct; in what we see, one effort conquers another, and the past can be conquered likewise. The reader may recognise the thought. It sounds like humility and is really surrender. Vasiṣṭha treats it as an enemy.