परं पौरुषमाश्रित्य दन्तैर्दन्तान् विचूर्णयन् । शुभेनाऽशुभमुद्युक्तं प्राक्तनं पौरुषं जयेत् ॥ ९ ॥
paraṁ pauruṣamāśritya dantairdantān vicūrṇayan | śubhēnā’śubhamudyuktaṁ prāktanaṁ pauruṣaṁ jayēt || 9 ||
Translation
Relying on the highest effort, grinding teeth on teeth, one should conquer with good the evil of past effort that rises against one.
Word by word
- paraṁ
- the highest
- pauruṣam
- effort
- āśritya
- relying on
- dantair
- (dantaiḥ) teeth
- dantān
- on teeth
- vicūrṇayan
- grinding
- śubhēna
- with good
- aśubham
- the evil
- udyuktaṁ
- that rises against one
- prāktanaṁ
- of past
- pauruṣaṁ
- effort
- jayēt
- should conquer
Meaning
A vivid picture of determination. Grinding one's teeth (dantair dantān vicūrṇayan), one takes hold of the highest effort and overcomes the past ill that has risen against one (udyukta) with present good (śubha). The commentary: relying on excellent effort, gnashing one's teeth, one should conquer the evil past effort that has risen to obstruct one's good effort. The image is not of serene acceptance but of resolve. The Yoga Vāsiṣṭha, for all its talk of peace, does not ask the seeker to be passive about his own habits.