स्वार्थप्रापककार्यैकप्रयत्नपरता बुधैः । प्रोक्ता पौरुषशब्देन सा सिद्ध्यै शास्त्रयन्त्रिता ॥ ३२ ॥
svārthaprāpakakāryaikaprayatnaparatā budhaiḥ | prōktā pauruṣaśabdēna sā siddhyai śāstrayantritā || 32 ||
Translation
To be wholly given to the one effort of the work that wins one's true good: this the wise call by the word "effort". Ruled by scripture, it brings fulfilment.
Word by word
- sva
- one's own
- artha
- true good
- prāpaka
- that wins
- kārya
- of the work
- ēka
- the one
- prayatna
- effort
- paratā
- to be wholly given
- budhaiḥ
- the wise
- prōktā
- call
- pauruṣa
- "effort"
- śabdēna
- by the word
- sā
- it
- siddhyai
- brings fulfilment
- śāstra
- by scripture
- yantritā
- ruled
Meaning
Vasiṣṭha now defines his main term, which he has been using all along. Pauruṣa is not any exertion. It is single devotion (eka-prayatna-paratā) to the task that gains one's own true aim (sva-artha). The man who is busy is not thereby making effort in this sense. Scattered activity does not count, and neither does energy spent on what does not lead to one's true good. And one more condition: it must be "ruled by scripture" (śāstra-yantritā), held in line as a machine or a water-channel is held. The commentary says that being intent, with care, on the necessary work that brings joy and ends sorrow is effort; if it follows scripture, it achieves the highest human aim. Another commentary names the work: the fourfold means and hearing, reflecting and the rest. So an honest reader can ask what, in the past week, would meet this definition.