पौरुषं च न वाऽनन्तं न यत्नमभिवाञ्छ्यते । न यत्नेनाऽपि महता प्राप्यते रत्नमश्मतः ॥ २३ ॥
pauruṣaṁ ca na vā’nantaṁ na yatnamabhivāñchyatē | na yatnēnā’pi mahatā prāpyatē ratnamaśmataḥ || 23 ||
Translation
Nor is effort endless, nor is great effort wanted; but a jewel is not got from a stone even by great effort.
Word by word
- pauruṣaṁ
- effort
- ca
- and
- na
- nor
- vā
- or
- anantaṁ
- endless
- yatnam
- great effort
- abhivāñchyatē
- is wanted
- yatnēna
- by effort
- api
- even
- mahatā
- great
- prāpyatē
- is got
- ratnam
- a jewel
- aśmataḥ
- from a stone
Meaning
A relief and a warning. Effort is not endless (na ananta): it has a limit, the direct realisation of the Self, and then it is complete. Nor is enormous effort needed: the commentary quotes the Gītā, that this knowledge is "easy to practise and imperishable." But effort in the wrong place yields nothing: no labour gets a jewel out of a common stone (aśman). The commentary adds that the expert in jewels finds them without strain. The right effort in the right place is light; the wrong effort is endless and fruitless.