स च सच्छास्त्रसत्सङ्गसदाचारैर्निजं फलम् । ददातीति स्वभावोऽयमन्यथा नाऽर्थसिद्धये ॥ २५ ॥
sa ca sacchāstrasatsaṅgasadācārairnijaṁ phalam | dadātīti svabhāvō’yamanyathā nā’rthasiddhayē || 25 ||
Translation
And that effort, joined with true scripture, good company and good conduct, gives its own fruit: this is its nature. Otherwise it does not lead to the goal.
Word by word
- sa
- that
- ca
- and
- sacchāstra
- with true scripture
- satsaṅga
- good company
- sadācārair
- (sadācāraiḥ) and good conduct
- nijaṁ
- its own
- phalam
- fruit
- dadāti
- gives
- iti
- thus
- svabhāvō
- (svabhāvaḥ) nature
- ayam
- this is its
- anyathā
- otherwise
- na
- not
- artha
- to the goal
- siddhayē
- does lead
Meaning
Three conditions make effort fruitful: true scripture (sat-śāstra), the company of the good (sat-saṅga) and good conduct (sad-ācāra). With them, effort gives its own fruit, which the commentary names as the direct realisation of the truth; that is simply its nature (svabhāva). Without them it does not reach the goal. The three form a frame. Scripture gives the map, good company the example and encouragement, good conduct the steadiness. Effort without them is like walking hard in the dark.